Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. This nazm follows the structure of Ghazal and is linked to several others of the theme and radeef ‘aaj ki raat’ on the Refrain page. I imagine this to have been composed specifically for a celebratory gathering or a mushaa’era.
1
deedni¹ hai meri mehfil² ka samaa’N³ aaj ki raat
mauj-e-sahba⁴ meN hai raqs-e-do-jahaaN⁵ aaj ki raat   1.worth seeing 2.gathering, assembly 3.scene, ambience 4.wave of wine, wave of intoxication 5.dance of (both) all the world
The scene at this gathering tonight is well worth seeing, it is as if the whole world is whirling in an inebriated dance in the waves of wine.
2
tul⁶ gaya hai koi is tarah gul-afshaani⁷ par
zarre zarre⁸ pe hai jannat ka gumaaN⁹ aaj ki raat 6.bent upon, decided upon 7.scattering flowers 8.every particle (of dust) 9.suspicion
Someone is bent upon scattering flowers all around so that wherever you look, it looks like heaven, tonight.
3
qaabil-e-deed¹⁰ hai bikhre¹¹ hue phoolauN ki bahaar¹²
har shikan¹³ farsh¹⁴ ki hai kaahakashaaN¹⁵ aaj ki raat 10.worth seeing 11.scattered 12.blooms 13.wrinkle 14.floor 15.stars, constellation
Scattered petals all around are worth seeing. Every fold in the floor is bright and starry like a constellation.
4
ek mauhoom¹⁶ sa nuqta¹⁷ hai, jahaaN¹⁸ arz o samaa¹⁹
aisa ek daaera²⁰ hai ratl-e-giraaN²¹ aaj ki raat 16.suspected, hazy, as if 17.point, focus 18.where 19.earth and sky 20.circle 21.heavy/large/full flask (of wine)
There is a mysterious focus around which the earth and sky are circling like a flask brimming with wine making the rounds.
5
asar-e mai²² se hai pighla²³ hua sona goya²⁴
arq²⁵ alooda²⁶ ruKh-e seembaraaN²⁷ aaj ki raat 22.effect of wine 23.molten, liquid 24.as if 25.liquid 26.immersed in, covered by 27.face of the silver bodied (fair) beauties
The effect of wine makes the face of the beloved glow, as if her fair face is drenched in liquid gold. The reflection of wine clears the brow of the beloved and removes all signs of anger. Here, to be without dust or mist is to be clear of brow – without anger.
6
partav²⁸-e baada²⁹-e raushan se hai be gard-o-Ghubaar³⁰
ufaq³¹-e urbada³²-e zohra vashaaN³³ aaj ki raat 28.image, reflection 29.wine 30.without dust or mist, clear 31.horizon, brow 32.conflict, anger 33.beautiful like Mars
Normally to describe the beauty of the beloved “maah-vashaaN” – moon-like is used. josh uses “zohra-vashaaN” here. “zohra” is Mars and stands for redness, anger and also beauty. The beloved is supposed to be pleasantly irritated with the lover all the time. But tonight is different.
7
qaabil-e-zulm³⁴ nahiN fitrat-e-KhoobaaN³⁵ is vaqt
qaadir-e-jor³⁶ nahiN taba-e-butaaN³⁷ aaj ki raat 34.capable of anger 35.nature of beauties/beloved 36.skilled at/having command over cruelty 37.nature of idols/beloved
The beloved seems to have lost her natural ability to inflict pain. She does not seem to have command over Disdain tonight.
8
shama hai qaabil³⁸-e-parvaana³⁹-e-aashufta mizaaj⁴⁰
husn hai maa’el⁴¹-e-saahib-nazaraaN⁴² aaj ki raat 38.deserving of 39.moth 40.frenzied (mad with love) nature 41.inclined towards 42.masters of discriminating eye (for beauty) i.e.lovers
The lamp is deserving of the love-struck moth. Beauty seems to entertain the glances of the lover tonight.
9
aab-e haivaaN⁴³ ka na kar zikr⁴⁴ ke haasil⁴⁵ hai mujhe
daulat⁴⁶-e qurb⁴⁷-e maseeha nafasaaN⁴⁸ aaj ki raat 43.water of (eternal) life 44.mention, talk of 45.available 46.wealth 47.nearness 48.breath of maseeh/Jesus i.e.life giving
Don’t talk to me about the elixir of life, for I have all I want from life – the company of the beloved, tonight and the beloved is described as ‘maseeha-nafas’ having the healing breath of Jesus, able to raise the dead back to life.
10
joo-e kohsaar⁴⁹ ki maanind⁵⁰ guzar⁵¹ aalam⁵² se
ye hai farmaan⁵³-e jahaan-e guzaraaN⁵⁴ aaj ki raat 49.mountain brook 50.like, similar to 51.pass through 52.world 53.edict, demand 54.present world order, times
Pass through this world, carefree like a mountain brook, that is the demand of the times tonight.
11
uff ri saahil⁵⁵ pe Ghazalha-e-ravaaN⁵⁶ ki halchal
ek talaatum⁵⁷ hai sar⁵⁸-e-aab-e-ravaaN⁵⁹ aaj ki raat 55.shore 56.flowing/singing of Ghazals (plural) 57.tumult, excitement 58.source 59.flowing water
Ah! the celebration of the flow of Ghazal on the shore, there is great excitement around the poet tonight. “aab-e ravaaN” is the flow of the Ghazal and the ‘sar-e aab-e ravaaN’ the source of the flowing Ghazal is the poet. The shore is the audience.
12
GhulGhula saaz⁶⁰ ka hai, dair-e-muGhaaN⁶¹ se lekar
taa ba⁶² Khilvat gah⁶³-e-hooraan-e-jinaaN⁶⁴ aaj ki raat 60.(gurgle) sound of musical instrument, lute 61.abode/home of the chief wine-maker/vintner 62.up until 63.private sanctorum 64.hoories of heaven
The music of the lute reaches from the abode of the wine-maker, all the way to the sanctum of the hoories of heaven, tonight.
13
jaise bheegi hui zulfauN⁶⁵ ki mahak⁶⁶ ood-aameez⁶⁷
nafas-e-shaam⁶⁸ hai yuN mushk-fashaaN⁶⁹ aaj ki raat 65.curls, tresses 66.fragrance 67.mixed with incense 68.breath/air of the evening 69.musk scattering
Like the fragrance of incense from the beloved’s tresses, the evening air spreads musk fragrance, tonight.
14
Khaademaan⁷⁰-e-dar-e-saaqi⁷¹ ke sarauN par kaj⁷² hai
kulah⁷³-e-Khwaajagi⁷⁴-e-kaun-o-makaaN⁷⁵ aaj ki raat 70.servants 71.saaqi’s door, tavern 72.tilted, jaunty, defiant 73.cap 74.lordship 75.time and place
The door keepers of the tavern wear a defiant look as if they are the lords of the world, tonight.
15
halqa baandhe⁷⁶ hue maiKhwaar⁷⁷ haiN sargarm⁷⁸-e-tawaaf⁷⁹
josh hai qibla⁸⁰-e-rindaan-e-jahaaN⁸¹ aaj ki raat 76.encircling 77.wine drinkers 78.busy doing 79.circumambulation 80.focal point of paying homage 81.revelers of the world
Wine drinkers are those enjoying the Ghazal being served up by josh. The audience around, encircles and pays homage. josh is the focus of their reverence, tonight.