For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عکسِ گلزارِ اِرم ۔ آنند موہن گلزارؔ دہلوی
۱
کیا پہلوئے جمنا میں کنول تاج محل ہے
یا دہر میں یہ عقدِ ثریّا کا بدل ہے
۲
یا کہکشاں آئی ہے فرشتوں کے چمن سے
اُلفت ہوئی افلاک کو بھی میرے وطن سے
۳
رانی کوئی پریوں کی سی جنگل میں کھڑی ہے
ہیرے کی کوئی کان یہاں آ کے گڑی ہے
۴
رکّھا ہے یہاں تاج کسی شاہِ جہاں نے
گھر جِس کو بنایا کسی ممتازِ زماں نے
۵
یا حسنِ پری زاد چُرا لائے فرشتے
حورانِ بہشتی سے جُڑے جِن کے ہیں رشتے
۶
اک عشق کا بے مثل فسانہ ہے زمیں پر
یا حسنِ خدا داد ہوا ختم یہیں پر
۷
جمنا کے کنارے پہ عجب شانِ کئی ہے
لافانی بطِ مست کوئی ٹھیر گئی ہے
۸
پریوں کی کلاہوں میں مُزیّن ہوئے ہیرے
چَو گوشہ کوئی چاندی کا سر پوش ہو جیسے
۹
یہ عشق کی توفیق کی معراج ہے گویا
پتّھر میں یہاں حسنِ ازل کو ہے سمویا
۱۰
وعدوں کا تو ہر سمت ہے بِکھرا سا فسانہ
آتا ہے جسے شاہِ جہاں ہی کو نِبھانا
۱۱
بے مثل زمانے میں یہ سرتاجِ جہاں ہے
اعجوبۂ افلاکِ زماں بن کے عیاں ہے
۱۲
وجدانِ محبّت ہے یہ عرفانِ خدا ہے
مرمر میں مُزیّن ہوا ایمانِ وفا ہے
۱۳
گلزارِ مغل دہر میں گلزارِؔ اِرم ہے
قائم یہیں فردوس کی حوروں کا بھرم ہے
अक्स-ए गुल्ज़ार-ए इरम – आनंद मोहन गुल्ज़ार देहलवी
१
क्या पहलू-ए जमना में कंवल ताज महल है
या दहर में ये अक़्द-ए सुरय्या का बदल है
२
या कहकशां आई है फ़रिश्तौं के चमन से
उल्फ़त हुई अफ़्लाक को भी मेरे वतन से
३
रानी कोई परियौं कि सी जंगल में खढी है
हीरे कि कोई कान यहां आ के गढी है
४
रक्खा है यहां ताज किसी शाह-ए जहां ने
घर जिस को बनाया किसी मुम्ताज़-ए ज़मां ने
५
या हुस्न-ए परी-ज़ाद चुरा लाए फ़रिश्ते
हूरान-ए बहिश्ती से जुढे जिन के हैं रिश्ते
६
एक इश्क़ का बे-मिस्ल फ़साना है ज़मीं पर
या हुस्न-ए ख़ुदा-दाद हुआ ख़त्म यहीं पर
७
जमना के किनारे पे अजब शान-ए कई है
ला-फ़ानी बत-ए मस्त कोई ठहर गई है
८
परियौं की कुलाहौं में मुज़य्यन हुए हीरे
चौ-गोशा कोई चांदी का सर-पोश हो जैसे
९
ये इश्क़ कि तौफ़ीक़ की मे’राज है गोया
पत्थर में यहां हुस्न-ए अज़ल को है समोया
१०
वा’दौं का तो हर सम्त है बिख्रा सा फ़साना
आता है जिसे शाह-ए जहां ही को निभाना
११
बे-मिस्ल ज़माने में ये सर्ताज-ए जहां है
अ’जूबा-ए अफ़्लाक-ए ज़मां बन के अयां है
१२
वज्दान-ए मोहब्बत है ये इर्फ़ान-ए ख़ुदा है
मरमर में मुज़य्यन हुआ ईमान-ए वफ़ा है
१३
गुल्ज़ार-ए मुग़ल दहर में गुल्ज़ार-ए इरम है
क़ा’एम यहीं फ़िर्दौस की हूरौं का भरम है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-2020), a kashmiri panDit, a scholar and lover of urdu and totally committed to communal harmony. Over his long and fruitful life has written with much love and admiration about many illustrious figures – political, religious and literary. This tribute, an appreciation of the beauty of taj mahal and of the sentiments that went into building it, is quite unlike some others collected together under the Theme Index and linked to icon ‘taj mahal’.
1
kya pahlu1-e jamna meN kaNval taj mahal hai
yaa dahr2 meN ye aqd-e-surayya3 ka badal4 hai 1.side, (river) bank 2.world, earth 3.The Pleiades, seven gem pendant 4.exchange, answer, equal
The taj mahal is a beautiful lotus on the banks of the jamna or is it an answer to the beautiful ‘necklace of the seven sisters’ in the sky.
2
yaa kahkashaaN1 aaii hai farishtoN2 ke chaman se
ulfat3 hui aflaak4 ko bhi mere vatan5 se 1.constellation, stars 2.angels 3.love 4.skies, heavens 5.homeland
Or have stars descended from the garden of angels to express the love that heavens have for my homeland.
3
raani koii pariyoN ki si jaNgal meN khaRi hai
heere ki koii kaan1 yahaaN aa ke gaRi2 hai 1.mine, treasure 2.buried
Is this the queen of the fairies, standing the in the forest or is it a treasure (mineful) of diamonds buried here.
4
rakkha hai yahaaN taaj kisi shaah-e-jahaaN1 ne
ghar jis ko banaaya kisi mumtaaz-e-zamaaN2 ne 1.emperor of the world, also the title of shah jahaaN 2.respected/honoured of the times, also ‘mumtaaz mahal’ was the title that shah jahaaN gave to his wife
Some emperor of the world has laid down his crown here, where the respected/beloved of the times/world has made a home for herself.
5
yaa husn1-e pari-zaad2 chura laaye farishte3
hooraan4-e behishti5 se juRe6 jin ke haiN rishte 1.beauty 2.fairies 3.angels 4.hoor 5.heaven 6.joined, connected, related
Or have the angels stolen the beauty of fairies and brought it down to earth, by angels who are companions of hoor in heaven. Perhaps the implication is that the angels who brought down this beauty are quite used to seeing/appreciating beauty, so this must be better than what they usually see.
6
ek ishq ka be-misl1 fasaana2 hai zamiiN par
yaa husn3-e Khudaa-daad4 hua Khatm5 yahiN par 1.without example 2.legend 3.beauty 4.god-given 5.finished, completed, perfected
Is this a legend on earth of exemplary/unequalled love or is it the perfection of god-given beauty.
7
jamna ke kinaare pe ajab1 shaan-e kaii2 hai
laa-faani3 bat4-e mast5 koii Thahr gaii hai 1.strange, unusual 2.name of a royal dynasty of iran 3.indestructible, eternal 4.swan 5.intoxicating beauty
On the banks of the jamna is an unusual glory, like that of royalty of iraan. It is as if a swan of intoxicating beauty eternally stands there.
8
pariyoN ki kulaahoN1 meN muzayyan2 hue heere
chau3-gosha4 koii chaandi ka sar-posh5 ho jaise 1.caps 2.decorated, embroidered 3.four 4.corner, shelter, home 5.decorative lid like an inverted bowl
For formal servings, dishes are covered by a ceremonial, decorated dome-shaped lid called a ‘sar-posh’. Like diamonds embroidered in the caps of fairies. It is as if on a four cornered plate is placed a dome of silver/marble.
9
ye ishq ki taufeeq1 ki me’raaj2 hai goya3
patthar meN yahaaN husn-e-azal4 ko hai samoya5 1.ability, divine will, blessing 2.climax 3.as if 4.eternal beauty 5.fill, pour, contain
This is like the epitome of blessing of love. Eternal beauty is contained/ecompassed in stone, here.
10
vaa’doN1 ka to har samt2 hai bikhra3 sa fasaana4
aata hai jise shaah-e jahaaN hi ko nibhaana5 1.promises 2.direction 3.spread, scattered 4.tales 5.fulfill/keep promise
Tales of promises made are scattered in every direction, but only shaah jahaaN knows how to keep his promise. Remember sahir ludhianavi …
ek shahanshaah ne daulat ka sahaara le kar
hum GhariiboN ki mohabbat ka uRaaya hai mazaaq
11
be-misl1 zamaane2 meN ye sartaaj-e-jahaaN3 hai
aa’juuba4-e aflaak5-e zamaaN6 ban ke ayaaN7 hai 1.without example 2.times 3.main crown of the world 4.miracle 5.skies, heavens 6.times/world 7.manifestation, appearance
This main/principal crown of the times is without example. It is a heavenly miracle manifested on earth.
12
vajdaan1-e mohabbat hai ye irfaan2-e Khuda hai
marmar meN muzayyan3 hua eemaan-e-vafa4 hai 1.trance 2.mysticism 3.decorated, engraved 4.believing in/fulfilling promise
The taj is like a trance of love, of divine mysticism. It is a fulfillment of a promise of love, carved in marble.
13
gulzaar1-e moGhal dahr2 meN gulzaar-e iram3 hai
qaa-em4 yahiiN firdaus5 ki hooroN ka bharam6 hai 1.garden, also the pen-name of the shaa’er 2.world 3.heaven 4.established, proved 5.heaven 6.respect, dignity
The shaa’er uses his pen-name very effectively. The garden of the moGhal in this world is like the garden of heaven (Garden of Eden). This is a proof of the beauty/grandeur/dignity of the hoor of heaven.
anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-2020), a kashmiri panDit, a scholar and lover of urdu and totally committed to communal harmony. Over his long and fruitful life has written with much love and admiration about many illustrious figures – political, religious and literary. This tribute, an appreciation of the beauty of taj mahal and of the sentiments that went into building it, is quite unlike some others collected together under the Theme Index and linked to icon ‘taj mahal’.
1
kya pahlu1-e jamna meN kaNval taj mahal hai
yaa dahr2 meN ye aqd-e-surayya3 ka badal4 hai
1.side, (river) bank 2.world, earth 3.The Pleiades, seven gem pendant 4.exchange, answer, equal
The taj mahal is a beautiful lotus on the banks of the jamna or is it an answer to the beautiful ‘necklace of the seven sisters’ in the sky.
2
yaa kahkashaaN1 aaii hai farishtoN2 ke chaman se
ulfat3 hui aflaak4 ko bhi mere vatan5 se
1.constellation, stars 2.angels 3.love 4.skies, heavens 5.homeland
Or have stars descended from the garden of angels to express the love that heavens have for my homeland.
3
raani koii pariyoN ki si jaNgal meN khaRi hai
heere ki koii kaan1 yahaaN aa ke gaRi2 hai
1.mine, treasure 2.buried
Is this the queen of the fairies, standing the in the forest or is it a treasure (mineful) of diamonds buried here.
4
rakkha hai yahaaN taaj kisi shaah-e-jahaaN1 ne
ghar jis ko banaaya kisi mumtaaz-e-zamaaN2 ne
1.emperor of the world, also the title of shah jahaaN 2.respected/honoured of the times, also ‘mumtaaz mahal’ was the title that shah jahaaN gave to his wife
Some emperor of the world has laid down his crown here, where the respected/beloved of the times/world has made a home for herself.
5
yaa husn1-e pari-zaad2 chura laaye farishte3
hooraan4-e behishti5 se juRe6 jin ke haiN rishte
1.beauty 2.fairies 3.angels 4.hoor 5.heaven 6.joined, connected, related
Or have the angels stolen the beauty of fairies and brought it down to earth, by angels who are companions of hoor in heaven. Perhaps the implication is that the angels who brought down this beauty are quite used to seeing/appreciating beauty, so this must be better than what they usually see.
6
ek ishq ka be-misl1 fasaana2 hai zamiiN par
yaa husn3-e Khudaa-daad4 hua Khatm5 yahiN par
1.without example 2.legend 3.beauty 4.god-given 5.finished, completed, perfected
Is this a legend on earth of exemplary/unequalled love or is it the perfection of god-given beauty.
7
jamna ke kinaare pe ajab1 shaan-e kaii2 hai
laa-faani3 bat4-e mast5 koii Thahr gaii hai
1.strange, unusual 2.name of a royal dynasty of iran 3.indestructible, eternal 4.swan 5.intoxicating beauty
On the banks of the jamna is an unusual glory, like that of royalty of iraan. It is as if a swan of intoxicating beauty eternally stands there.
8
pariyoN ki kulaahoN1 meN muzayyan2 hue heere
chau3-gosha4 koii chaandi ka sar-posh5 ho jaise
1.caps 2.decorated, embroidered 3.four 4.corner, shelter, home 5.decorative lid like an inverted bowl
For formal servings, dishes are covered by a ceremonial, decorated dome-shaped lid called a ‘sar-posh’. Like diamonds embroidered in the caps of fairies. It is as if on a four cornered plate is placed a dome of silver/marble.
9
ye ishq ki taufeeq1 ki me’raaj2 hai goya3
patthar meN yahaaN husn-e-azal4 ko hai samoya5
1.ability, divine will, blessing 2.climax 3.as if 4.eternal beauty 5.fill, pour, contain
This is like the epitome of blessing of love. Eternal beauty is contained/ecompassed in stone, here.
10
vaa’doN1 ka to har samt2 hai bikhra3 sa fasaana4
aata hai jise shaah-e jahaaN hi ko nibhaana5
1.promises 2.direction 3.spread, scattered 4.tales 5.fulfill/keep promise
Tales of promises made are scattered in every direction, but only shaah jahaaN knows how to keep his promise. Remember sahir ludhianavi …
ek shahanshaah ne daulat ka sahaara le kar
hum GhariiboN ki mohabbat ka uRaaya hai mazaaq
11
be-misl1 zamaane2 meN ye sartaaj-e-jahaaN3 hai
aa’juuba4-e aflaak5-e zamaaN6 ban ke ayaaN7 hai
1.without example 2.times 3.main crown of the world 4.miracle 5.skies, heavens 6.times/world 7.manifestation, appearance
This main/principal crown of the times is without example. It is a heavenly miracle manifested on earth.
12
vajdaan1-e mohabbat hai ye irfaan2-e Khuda hai
marmar meN muzayyan3 hua eemaan-e-vafa4 hai
1.trance 2.mysticism 3.decorated, engraved 4.believing in/fulfilling promise
The taj is like a trance of love, of divine mysticism. It is a fulfillment of a promise of love, carved in marble.
13
gulzaar1-e moGhal dahr2 meN gulzaar-e iram3 hai
qaa-em4 yahiiN firdaus5 ki hooroN ka bharam6 hai
1.garden, also the pen-name of the shaa’er 2.world 3.heaven 4.established, proved 5.heaven 6.respect, dignity
The shaa’er uses his pen-name very effectively. The garden of the moGhal in this world is like the garden of heaven (Garden of Eden). This is a proof of the beauty/grandeur/dignity of the hoor of heaven.
