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Recitation
آج رات ۔ بہزاد لکھنوی
۱
پُر رنگ و پُر بہار گلستاں ہے آج رات
پُر نور اور بھی مہہ تاباں ہے آج رات
۲
جلوے کسی کے ہیں جو فضاؤں میں مضطرب
سیراب دیدِ چشمِ غریباں ہے آج رات
۳
کس کے جمال سے یہ مُنوّر ہے کائنات
نرگس کو دیکھتا ہوں کہ حیراں ہے آج رات
۴
تاروں کا رنگ اور ہے ذرّوں کا رنگ اور
بدلا ہوا سا عالمِ اِمکاں ہے آج رات
۵
قربان اِک نگاہِ محبّت شِعار کے
آباد میرا خانہ ویراں ہے آج رات
۶
یہ کس کے رُخ کا آئینہ سرگرمِ کار ہے
ہر ذرّہ کائنات کا حیراں ہے آج رات
۷
وہ کیا ہے جو نہیں ہے نگاہوں کے سامنے
دِل بے نیازِ حسرت و ارماں ہے آج رات
۸
قسمت سے مِل گئی مجھے معراجِ زندگی
آغوشِ کفر میں میرا ایماں ہے آج رات
۹
اِک چشمِ نازنیں سے ہیں آنکھیں لڑی ہوئی
بہزاد میری روح غزل خواں ہے آج رات
आज रात – बहज़ाद लखनवी
१
पुर रंग ओ पुर बहार गुलिस्तां है आज रात
पुर नूर और भि मह-ए ताबां है आज रात
२
जल्वे किसी के हैं जो फ़िज़ाऔं में मुज़्तरिब
सैराब दीद-ए चश्म-ए ग़रीबां है आज रात
३
किस के जमाल से ये मुनव्वर है काएनात
नरगिस को देखता हुं के हैरां है आज रात
४
तारौं का रंग और है ज़र्रौं का रंग और
बदला हुअ सा आलम-ए इम्कां है आज रान
५
क़ुरबान एक निगाह-ए मोहब्बत शे’आर के
आबाद मेरा ख़ाना-ए वीरां है आज रात
६
ये किस के रुख़ का आइना सरगर्म-ए कार है
हर ज़र्रा काएनात का हैरां है आज रात
७
वो क्या है जो नहीं है नीगाहौं के सामने
दिल बे-नियाज़-ए हस्रत ओ अर्मां है आज रात
८
क़िस्मत से मिल गई मुझे मेराज-ए ज़िन्दगी
आग़ोश-ए कुफ़्र में मेरा ईमां है आज रात
९
एक चश्म-ए नाज़्नीं से हैं आंखें लड़ी हुई
बहज़ाद मेरी रूह ग़ज़ल-ख़्वां है आज रात
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sardar ahmad KhaaN bahzaad lakhnavi (1900-1974) wrote sufiyaana and aashiqaana Ghazal as well folk songs and lyrics. He was a devout, observant muslim and wrote geet/bhajan to ram and krishn. This is an expression of joy for the night he is face to face with the beloved. This could well have been composed for and recited at a mushaa’era where he was a special guest. This should be read along with several others collected under “aaj ki raat”.
1
pur-raNg o pur-bahaar1 gulistaaN hai aaj raat
pur-noor2 aur bhi mah-e-taabaaN3 hai aaj raat 1.flowers, blooms, fragrance 2.light 3.full/bright moon
The garden is colourful and fragrant tonight. The full moon shines especially bright tonight.
2
jalve1 kisi ke haiN jo fizaaoN2 meN muztarib3
sairaab4 deed5-e chashm-e-GharibaaN6 hai aaj raat 1.manifestations, images 2.surroundings 3.restless, shimmering 4.satiated 5.sight 6.eyes of the deprived/poor
The beloved’s image is shimmering all around. The poet/lover is normally deprived of the sight of her. But tonight, being surrounded by her images, his eyes are satiated.
3
kis ke jamaal1 se ye munavvar2 hai kaayenaat3
nargis4 ko dekhta huN ke hairaaN hai aaj raat 1.beauty, glory 2.resplendent, shining 3.universe 4.eye shaped flower often used as a metaphor for eyes
The interpretation of this she’r can be stretched to include a sufiyaana meaning where the beloved can be god. In whose glory is the universe resplendent. All eyes seem to be enchanted, puzzled tonight.
4
taaroN ka raNg aur1 hai zarrauN ka raNg aur
badla hua sa aalam-e-imkaaN2 hai aaj raat 1.used in the sense of ‘something else – much better than normal’ 2.world of possibilities
The stars are brighter and even dust particles have a whole new colour. Anything seems to be possible tonight. Will the poet/lover finally get union with the beloved? or god? Is that possible?
5
qurbaan1 ek nigaah2-e mohabbat-she’aar3 ke
aabaad4 mera Khaana-e-veeraaN5 hai aaj raat 1.sacrificial offering 2.glance 3.kind/loving by nature 4.prosperous, happy 5.desolate home/heart
Normally the heart of the poet/lover is desolate. But tonight, because of the kind/loving glance of the beloved/god it is happy.
6
ye kis ke ruKh1 ka aaiina sargarm-e-kaar2 hai
har zarra3 kaayenaat4 ka hairaaN5 hai aaj raat 1.face 2.busy having an impact 3.grain of sand 4.universe 5.puzzled
Whose face is it, shiny like a mirror, that is busy/engaged in making an impact all around. Every grain of sand is looking at it and is puzzled. This could also be interpreted to be the face of god.
7
vo kya hai jo nahiN hai nigaahoN ke saamne
dil be-niyaaz1-e hasrat2 o armaaN3 hai aaj raat 1.unmindful, not caring 2.longing 3.desire
What is it that I don’t have in front of my eyes (meaning he has everything before him that he wants). Because he can see this right in front of him, his heart is unmindful of everything else so much so that there is no longing, no desire. Again, what he sees/imagines in front of him could be the beloved or god.
8
qismat se mil gayii mujhe me’raaj-e-zindagi1
aaGhosh-e-kufr2 meN mera eemaaN3 hai aaj raat 1.climax of life 2.lap of sin 3.faith
He considers himself lucky that he has reached the climax of his life (now that he has the beloved/god before him). He is so joyful that it can considered “sinfully happy”. Thus his faith/deliverance is in the lap of “sinful/excessive happiness”.
9
ek chashm1-e naazniN2 se haiN aaNkheN laRi hui
bahzaad meri rooh Ghazal-KhwaaN3 hai aaj raat 1.eye 2.damsel, beloved 3.Ghazal composing/reciting
The poet/lover is eye to eye with the beloved. This makes him so happy/go into a trance that he feels as if he is composing a Ghazal.
sardar ahmad KhaaN bahzaad lakhnavi (1900-1974) wrote sufiyaana and aashiqaana Ghazal as well folk songs and lyrics. He was a devout, observant muslim and wrote geet/bhajan to ram and krishn. This is an expression of joy for the night he is face to face with the beloved. This could well have been composed for and recited at a mushaa’era where he was a special guest. This should be read along with several others collected under “aaj ki raat”.
1
pur-raNg o pur-bahaar1 gulistaaN hai aaj raat
pur-noor2 aur bhi mah-e-taabaaN3 hai aaj raat
1.flowers, blooms, fragrance 2.light 3.full/bright moon
The garden is colourful and fragrant tonight. The full moon shines especially bright tonight.
2
jalve1 kisi ke haiN jo fizaaoN2 meN muztarib3
sairaab4 deed5-e chashm-e-GharibaaN6 hai aaj raat
1.manifestations, images 2.surroundings 3.restless, shimmering 4.satiated 5.sight 6.eyes of the deprived/poor
The beloved’s image is shimmering all around. The poet/lover is normally deprived of the sight of her. But tonight, being surrounded by her images, his eyes are satiated.
3
kis ke jamaal1 se ye munavvar2 hai kaayenaat3
nargis4 ko dekhta huN ke hairaaN hai aaj raat
1.beauty, glory 2.resplendent, shining 3.universe 4.eye shaped flower often used as a metaphor for eyes
The interpretation of this she’r can be stretched to include a sufiyaana meaning where the beloved can be god. In whose glory is the universe resplendent. All eyes seem to be enchanted, puzzled tonight.
4
taaroN ka raNg aur1 hai zarrauN ka raNg aur
badla hua sa aalam-e-imkaaN2 hai aaj raat
1.used in the sense of ‘something else – much better than normal’ 2.world of possibilities
The stars are brighter and even dust particles have a whole new colour. Anything seems to be possible tonight. Will the poet/lover finally get union with the beloved? or god? Is that possible?
5
qurbaan1 ek nigaah2-e mohabbat-she’aar3 ke
aabaad4 mera Khaana-e-veeraaN5 hai aaj raat
1.sacrificial offering 2.glance 3.kind/loving by nature 4.prosperous, happy 5.desolate home/heart
Normally the heart of the poet/lover is desolate. But tonight, because of the kind/loving glance of the beloved/god it is happy.
6
ye kis ke ruKh1 ka aaiina sargarm-e-kaar2 hai
har zarra3 kaayenaat4 ka hairaaN5 hai aaj raat
1.face 2.busy having an impact 3.grain of sand 4.universe 5.puzzled
Whose face is it, shiny like a mirror, that is busy/engaged in making an impact all around. Every grain of sand is looking at it and is puzzled. This could also be interpreted to be the face of god.
7
vo kya hai jo nahiN hai nigaahoN ke saamne
dil be-niyaaz1-e hasrat2 o armaaN3 hai aaj raat
1.unmindful, not caring 2.longing 3.desire
What is it that I don’t have in front of my eyes (meaning he has everything before him that he wants). Because he can see this right in front of him, his heart is unmindful of everything else so much so that there is no longing, no desire. Again, what he sees/imagines in front of him could be the beloved or god.
8
qismat se mil gayii mujhe me’raaj-e-zindagi1
aaGhosh-e-kufr2 meN mera eemaaN3 hai aaj raat
1.climax of life 2.lap of sin 3.faith
He considers himself lucky that he has reached the climax of his life (now that he has the beloved/god before him). He is so joyful that it can considered “sinfully happy”. Thus his faith/deliverance is in the lap of “sinful/excessive happiness”.
9
ek chashm1-e naazniN2 se haiN aaNkheN laRi hui
bahzaad meri rooh Ghazal-KhwaaN3 hai aaj raat
1.eye 2.damsel, beloved 3.Ghazal composing/reciting
The poet/lover is eye to eye with the beloved. This makes him so happy/go into a trance that he feels as if he is composing a Ghazal.
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