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Recitation
امن کا آخری دِن ۔ شیر محمد خاں ابنِ اِنشاؔ
حصّہ ۔ ۱
۱
آج کیوں شام کے اخبار کی ہر سُرخی میں
ایک اِک لفظ بنے جاتا ہے اُلجھے ہوئے جال
وسوسے اُمڈے چلے آتے ہیں بادل بادل
کُلبُلاتے ہیں پڑے ذہن کے گوشوں میں خیال
اب تو ہر سطر سے آنے لگی بارود کی بُو
اب تو ہر صفحے سے بے کھٹکے گُزرنا ہے محال
۲
بہرِ شبخون بڑھے آتے ہیں یادوں کے ہجوم
دیکھیں کیا حال بنے صُبح کے ہوتے ہوتے
اِتنی سوچیں ہیں کہ پہلے کبھی سوچی ہی نہ تھیں
اِتنے چہرے ہیں کہ پہلے کبھی دیکھے ہی نہ تھے
اب تو کابوس کی صُورت ہیں رگ و پے پہ محیط
شام تک وہ جو سبھی نقش تھے دُھندلے دُھندلے
۳
الفؔ آندھی ہے کہ مغرب سے اُٹھا چاہتی ہے
الفؔ اُمّیدؔ چراغِ تہِ داماں ہے ابھی
الفؔ ایٹمؔ ہے بآغوشِ ہزاراں آشوبؔ
الفؔ آدمؔ کہ بہ غم چاک گریباں ہے ابھی
الفؔ اِک امنؔ کہ جاں دی تھی تو پایا تھا اُسے
الفؔ اک اشکؔ کہ مژگاں پہ فروزاں ہے ابھی
۴
بؔ وہ بندوقؔ کہ اِک روز کہیں سر ہوگی
بؔ وہ بمباروں کا جھرمٹ ہے کہ بڑھتا آئے
کبھی دہقاں کے گھروندے پہ تو خرمن پہ کبھی
بے اماں برقؔ کا کوندا ہی پڑا لہرائے
قریے قریے سے لپکتی ہوئی لاٹیں اُٹھیں
بستی بستی کو شراروں سے جھُلستا جائے
۵
پؔ ہے پنشنؔ کہ سپاہی کو شجاعت کے عوض
ایک پہلو میں ٹھمکتی سی بساکھی دے جائے
پؔ وہ پلٹنؔ ہے کہ اُڑ کر سرِ میداں پہنچی
پؔ وہ پیارےؔ ہیں کہ میداں سے نہ واپس آئے
تؔ وہ تمغہؔ ہے کہ برسوں کی ریاضت سے ملے
اور کسی لاش کی چھاتی پہ چمکتا رہ جائے
۶
ٹؔ کسی باغِ جوانی کی لچکتی ٹہنیؔ
بم کے اُڑتے ہوئے ٹکڑوںؔ سے ہے پارا پارا
بوڑھے ماں باپ کی برسوں کی دُعاؤں کا ثمر
ثؔ کِسی اجنبی میدان میں دم توڑ گیا
لوٹتے قدموں سے گونجے گی نہ گھر کی دہلیز
آپ کا لخطِ جگر مُلک پہ قربان ہوا
अमन का आख़िरी दिन – शेर मोहम्मद ख़ां इब्न-ए इन्शा
हिस्सा – १
१
आज क्यूं शाम के अख़्बार कि हर सुर्ख़ी में
ऐक एक लफ़्ज़ बुने जाता है उल्झे हुए जाल
वस्वसे उम्डे चले आते हैं बादल बादल
कुल्बुलाते हैं पड़े ज़हन के गोशौं में ख़याल
अब तो हर सत्र से आने लगि बारूद कि बू
अब तो हर सफ़हे से बे-खटके गुज़रना है महाल
२
बहर-ए शब्ख़ून बढ़े जाते हैं यादौं के हुजूम
देखें क्या हाल बने सुबह के होते होते
इतनी सोचें हैं के पहले कभी सोची हि न थीं
इतने चहरे हैं के पहले कभी देखे हि न थे
अब तो काबूस का सूरत हैं रग ओ पै पे मोहीत
शाम तक वो जो सभि नक़्श थे धुंधले धुंधले
३
‘अलिफ़’ आंधी है के मग़्रिब से उठा चाहती है
‘अलिफ़’ उम्मीद चिराग़-ए तह-ए दामां है अभी
‘अलिफ़’ ऐटम है ब-आग़ोश-ए हज़ारां आशोब
‘अलिफ़’ आदम के ब-ग़म चाक गरेबां है अभी
‘अलिफ़’ एक अम्न के जां दी थि तो पाया था उसे
‘अलिफ़’ एक अश्क के मिज़्श्गां पे फ़रोज़ां है अभी
४
‘बे’ वो बन्दूक़ के एक रोज़ कहीं सर हो गी
‘बे’ वो बम्बारौं का झुरमुट है के बढ़ता आए
कभी दहक़ां के घरोंदे पे तो ख़िर्मन पे कभी
बे-अमां बर्क़ का कूंदा हि पढा लहराए
क़रिये क़रिये से लपकती हुई लाटें उट्ठीं
बस्ती बस्ती को शरारौं से झूलस्ता जाए
५
‘पे’ है पेंशन के सिपाही को शुजाअत के एवज़
एक पहलू में ठुमक्ती सि बेसाखी दे जाए
‘पे’ वो पल्टन है के उढ कर सर-ए मैदां पहुंची
‘पे’ वो प्यारे हैं के मैदां से न वापस आए
‘ते’ वो तम्ग़ा है के बरसौं कि रियाज़त से मिले
और किसी लाश कि छाती पे चमकता रह जाए
६
‘टे’ किसी बाग़-ए जवानी कि लचकती टहनी
बम के उढते हुए टुक्ड़ौं से है पारा पारा
बूढ़े मां बाप कि बर्सौं कि दुआऔं का समर
से किसी अज्नबी मैदान में दम तोड़ गया
लौट्ते क़द्मौं से गूंजेगि न घर की दहलीज़
आप का लख़्त-ए जिगर मुल्क पे क़ुर्बान हुआ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sher mohammad KhaaN ibn-e insha (1927-1978), poet, journalist, travelogue writer. A progressive with wide ranging subjects – romance, politics, deep humanism and self deprecating humour. This long nazm, posted in four parts for easy reading is an “a, b, c of war”. He takes every alphabet of urdu and weaves a heart-wrenching story of the horrors of war.
1
aaj kyuN shaam ke aKhbaar ki har surKhi1 meN
ek ek lafz bune jaata hai uljhe2 hue jaal
vasvase3 umDe4 chale aate haiN baadal baadal
kulbulaate5 haiN paRe zahn6 ke goshe7 meN Khyaal
ab to har satr8 se aane lagi baarood ki buu
ab to har safhe9 se be-khaTke guzarna10 hai mahaal11 1.headline 2.tangled 3.doubts, fears 4.emerge, cover/blanket 5.restless, twist and turn 6.mind 7.corner 8.line 9.page 10.pass through 11.difficult
Why is it that in every headline of the newspaper today, words weave a tangled web. Fears rise like a blanket of clouds. Fears that twist and turn in every corner of the mind. Every line carries the smell of gunpowder. It is not possible to turn any page without apprehension.
2
bahr1-e shabKhoon2 baRhe jaate haiN yaadoN ke hujoom3
dekheN kya haal bane subah ke hote hote
itni socheN haiN ke pahle kabhi sochi hi na thiiN
itne chehre haiN ke pahle kabhi dekhe hi na the
ab to kaboos4 ki surat haiN rag-o-pai5 pe moheet6
shaam tak vo jo sabhi naqsh7 the dhundhle dhundhle 1.with the intention of 2.surprise attack 3.crowd 4.nightmare 5.fibre and muscle 6.covering 7.image
Crowds of thoughts advance in an onslaught. I wonder what will happen by daybreak. So many thoughts, I had never thought before. So many faces, I had never seen before. All those images that were blurred earlier in the evening rise now like a nightmare and cover every fibre in my body.
3
‘alif’1 aandhi hai ke maGhrib2 se uTha chaahti hai
‘alif’ ummeed3 chiraaGh-e tah-e-daamaaN4 hai abhi
‘alif’ aTom hai ba-aaGhosh5-e hazaaraaN aashob6
‘alif’ aadam ke ba-Gham chaak-garebaaN7 hai abhi
‘alif’ ek amn8 ke jaaN di thi to paaya tha use
‘alif’ ek ashk9 ke mizshgaaN10 pe farozaaN11 hai abhi 1.first letter of urdu alphabet 2.west 3.hope 4.covered by apron/robe 5.in the lap of 6.terror 7.torn/rent collar 8.peace 9.tear drop 10.eyelashes 11.shining, shimmering
‘alif’ is a storm rising from the west. Hope that is still under covers, carefully protected. It is an atom in the lap of a thousand terrors. It is Adam/human with his clothes rent in distress. It is peace that was earned at the cost of lives. It is a tear shimmering on eyelashes.
4
‘be’ vo bandooq ke ek roz kahiN sar1 hogi
‘be’ vo bambaaroN ka jhurmuT2 hai ke baRhta aaye
kabhi dahqaaN3 ke gharonde pe to Khirman4 pe kabhi
be-amaaN5 barq-ka-koonda6 hi paRa lahraaye
qariye7 qariye se lapakti hui laaTeN8 uTThiN
basti basti ko sharaaroN9 se jhulasta jaaye 1.bear fruit 2.onslaught 3.farmer 4.harvest pile 5.unsparing, without refuge 6.lightning strike 7.village, region 8.towering flames 9.sparks
‘be’ is a bandooq/gun that some day will bear fruit/kill. It is an onslaught of bombers dropping bombs on the huts of farmers and on their harvest stock, unsparing like lightning strikes. Flames arise from every village. Sparks scorch every neighbourhood.
5
‘pe’ hai penshun ke sipaahi ko shujaa’at1 ke evaz2
ek pahlu3 meN Thumakti si besaakhi4 de jaaye
‘pe’ vo palTan hai ke uR kar sar-e maidaaN pahuNchi
‘pe’ vo pyaare haiN ke maidaaN se na vaapas aaye
‘te’ vo tamGha5 hai ke barsoN ki riyaazat6 se mile
aur kisi laash7 ki chhaati pe chamakta rah jaaye 1.bravery 2.used here to mean reward 3.side, arm 4.crutch 5.medal 6.penance, sacrifice 7.corpse
‘pe’ is the pension that the soldier gets as a reward and leaves him with a clicking crutch under his arm. It is platoon that is flown to the head of the field (of battle). It is the loved ones who do not return from the battlefield. ‘te’ is the medal that is earned after years of sacrifice and lays shining on the chest of a corpse.
6
‘Te’ kisi baaGh-e javaani ki lachakti Tahni
bum ke uRte hue TukRoN se hai paara-paara1
booRhe maaN baap ki barsoN ki duaaoN ka samar2
‘se’ kisi ajnabi3 maidaan meN dam toR gaya
lauTte qadmoN se gooNjegi ki na ghar ki dehleez4
aap ka laKht-e-jigar5 mulk pe qurbaan6 hua 1.shreds 2.fruit 3.foreign 4.threshold 5.piece of liver/part of life, loved more than life 6.sacrifice
‘Te’ is a supple bough of the garden of youth, which was shredded to pieces by an exploding bomb. ‘se’ is the fruit of many years of prayers of old mother and father who lost his life in a foreign land. Returning footsteps will not echo at the threshold of this house. The love of your life has been sacrificed for the homeland.
sher mohammad KhaaN ibn-e insha (1927-1978), poet, journalist, travelogue writer. A progressive with a wide ranging subjects – romance, politics, deep humanism and self deprecating humour. This long nazm, posted in four parts for easy reading is an “a, b, c of war”. He takes every alphabet of urdu and weaves a heart-wrenching story of the horrors of war.
1
aaj kyuN shaam ke aKhbaar ki har surKhi1 meN
ek ek lafz bune jaata hai uljhe2 hue jaal
vasvase3 umDe4 chale aate haiN baadal baadal
kulbulaate5 haiN paRe zahn6 ke goshe7 meN Khyaal
ab to har satr8 se aane lagi baarood ki buu
ab to har safhe9 se be-khaTke guzarna10 hai mahaal11
1.headline 2.tangled 3.doubts, fears 4.emerge, cover/blanket 5.restless, twist and turn 6.mind 7.corner 8.line 9.page 10.pass through 11.difficult
Why is it that in every headline of the newspaper today, words weave a tangled web. Fears rise like a blanket of clouds. Fears that twist and turn in every corner of the mind. Every line carries the smell of gunpowder. It is not possible to turn any page without apprehension.
2
bahr1-e shabKhoon2 baRhe jaate haiN yaadoN ke hujoom3
dekheN kya haal bane subah ke hote hote
itni socheN haiN ke pahle kabhi sochi hi na thiiN
itne chehre haiN ke pahle kabhi dekhe hi na the
ab to kaboos4 ki surat haiN rag-o-pai5 pe moheet6
shaam tak vo jo sabhi naqsh7 the dhundhle dhundhle
1.with the intention of 2.surprise attack 3.crowd 4.nightmare 5.fibre and muscle 6.covering 7.image
Crowds of thoughts advance in an onslaught. I wonder what will happen by daybreak. So many thoughts, I had never thought before. So many faces, I had never seen before. All those images that were blurred earlier in the evening rise now like a nightmare and cover every fibre in my body.
3
‘alif’1 aandhi hai ke maGhrib2 se uTha chaahti hai
‘alif’ ummeed3 chiraaGh-e tah-e-daamaaN4 hai abhi
‘alif’ aTom hai ba-aaGhosh5-e hazaaraaN aashob6
‘alif’ aadam ke ba-Gham chaak-garebaaN7 hai abhi
‘alif’ ek amn8 ke jaaN di thi to paaya tha use
‘alif’ ek ashk9 ke mizshgaaN10 pe farozaaN11 hai abhi
1.first letter of urdu alphabet 2.west 3.hope 4.covered by apron/robe 5.in the lap of 6.terror 7.torn/rent collar 8.peace 9.tear drop 10.eyelashes 11.shining, shimmering
‘alif’ is a storm rising from the west. Hope that is still under covers, carefully protected. It is an atom in the lap of a thousand terrors. It is Adam/human with his clothes rent in distress. It is peace that was earned at the cost of lives. It is a tear shimmering on eyelashes.
4
‘be’ vo bandooq ke ek roz kahiN sar1 hogi
‘be’ vo bambaaroN ka jhurmuT2 hai ke baRhta aaye
kabhi dahqaaN3 ke gharonde pe to Khirman4 pe kabhi
be-amaaN5 barq-ka-koonda6 hi paRa lahraaye
qariye7 qariye se lapakti hui laaTeN8 uTThiN
basti basti ko sharaaroN9 se jhulasta jaaye
1.bear fruit 2.onslaught 3.farmer 4.harvest pile 5.unsparing, without refuge 6.lightning strike 7.village, region 8.towering flames 9.sparks
‘be’ is a bandooq/gun that some day will bear fruit/kill. It is an onslaught of bombers dropping bombs on the huts of farmers and on their harvest stock, unsparing like lightning strikes. Flames arise from every village. Sparks scorch every neighbourhood.
5
‘pe’ hai penshun ke sipaahi ko shujaa’at1 ke evaz2
ek pahlu3 meN Thumakti si besaakhi4 de jaaye
‘pe’ vo palTan hai ke uR kar sar-e maidaaN pahuNchi
‘pe’ vo pyaare haiN ke maidaaN se na vaapas aaye
‘te’ vo tamGha5 hai ke barsoN ki riyaazat6 se mile
aur kisi laash7 ki chhaati pe chamakta rah jaaye
1.bravery 2.used here to mean reward 3.side, arm 4.crutch 5.medal 6.penance, sacrifice 7.corpse
‘pe’ is the pension that the soldier gets as a reward and leaves him with a clicking crutch under his arm. It is platoon that is flown to the head of the field (of battle). It is the loved ones who do not return from the battlefield. ‘te’ is the medal that is earned after years of sacrifice and lays shining on the chest of a corpse.
6
‘Te’ kisi baaGh-e javaani ki lachakti Tahni
bum ke uRte hue TukRoN se hai paara-paara1
booRhe maaN baap ki barsoN ki duaaoN ka samar2
‘se’ kisi ajnabi3 maidaan meN dam toR gaya
lauTte qadmoN se gooNjegi ki na ghar ki dehleez4
aap ka laKht-e-jigar5 mulk pe qurbaan6 hua
1.shreds 2.fruit 3.foreign 4.threshold 5.piece of liver/part of life, loved more than life 6.sacrifice
‘Te’ is a supple bough of the garden of youth, which was shredded to pieces by an exploding bomb. ‘se’ is the fruit of many years of prayers of old mother and father who lost his life in a foreign land. Returning footsteps will not echo at the threshold of this house. The love of your life has been sacrificed for the homeland.
Key Search Words:
The more we grow older, the more we are able to discern the games nation play for supremacy at the cost of cannon fodder, the young ones, who go enthusiastically in the name of patriotism but never return.