Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ananth iyer faani (1989-living) dehli, beNgaluru. BSc, Applied Physics followed by MBA. He manages partnerships in a fintech company and is also a writer and percussionist in karnaaTak music. I don’t know how he got interested in urdu but I find the combination of youth, non-muslim background and urdu fascinating. He started composing around 2022, because while interest in urdu poetry was always in the background, the urge to express began bubbling up from the inside. He chose ‘faani-mortal’ as his taKhallus as a contrast with ‘ananth-without end, immortal’. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
paTak kar baar-haa¹ yaadoN kii lahr aahista aahista
zamiiN ko nam² kiye jaataa hai bahr³ aahista aahista    1.repeatedly/again and again 2.moist/wet 3.sea/ocean
The poet paints a picture of memories washing over the heart, much like gentle waves lapping at the shore. The action of the ‘waves of memories’ crashing repeatedly suggests that remembrance is not a sudden or forceful event but a quiet, persistent process. The moistening of the earth symbolizes the emotional impact these memories have – perhaps tears, longing, or quiet sorrow seeping into one’s being over time. The use of “aahista aahista” (slowly, slowly) emphasizes the gradual nature of this emotional process. It hints at the quiet, almost unnoticed accumulation of grief, love, or nostalgia that subtly changes a person, much like how persistent waves slowly shape the land.
2
yakaayak⁴ kaNTh⁵ neele varn⁶ ka hotaa hai peete hii
ya karta hai asar duniya ka zahr⁷ aahista aahista?    4.all of a sudden/immediately 5.throat 6.color 7.poison/venom
The ‘blue throat’ is a reference to the legend of creation of life forms on earth during saagar manthan when during the churning of the ocean when poison came up and there was nowhere to throw it without causing harm, shiva drank it retaining it in his throat to save the world. The poison turned his throat blue, earning him the name neelkanTh (Blue-Throated One). In a broader sense, the poet uses this imagery to explore how the emotional or psychological poison we encounter in life – bitterness, betrayal, sorrow, or the burdens of existence instantly leave a mark. Initially, we might not notice the impact of how life’s hardships and disappointments accumulate over time, but eventually, they may leave a mark as profound as a blue throat – a symbol of endurance, sacrifice, and quiet suffering.
3
bhale hi kaarKhaane⁸ se nikal aayaa ho ’ujlat⁹ meN
magar aabaad¹⁰ to hotaa hai dahr¹¹ aahista aahista    8.factory/workshop 9.haste/hurry 10.populated/prosperous 11.the world/universe
The ‘workshop’ (kaarKhaana) here symbolizes Creation – a place where things are shaped and molded (mir taqi mir calls it kaargah-e shiisha gari-glass blower’s workshop). Rushing out of it in haste (’ujlat) is a reference to how all the world is believed to have been created in seven days. As jaun aeliya put it …
haasil-e-kun hai ye jahaan-e-Kharaab
yahi mumkin tha itni ’ujlat meiN
The result of the command, kun– or be – is this miserable world. What else could have been achieved in such haste. However, the second misra offers a quiet, wise reminder: it may have come into being in a hurry, but the process of development, of prospering, of population, is gradual. The verse also contrasts the views of Creationism and Evolution- Creationism posits a sudden event, whereas Evolution implies a continuous and gradual process.
4
Khafaa¹² yakdam¹³ hii ho jaanaa kahaaN andaaz¹⁴ hai uss kaa
voh barsaa’ega ham logoN pe qahr¹⁵ aahista aahista    12.angry/displeased 13.suddenly 14.manner 15.wrath/fury/divine anger
The poet paints a picture of someone whose anger is not impulsive but calculated – a quiet storm brewing beneath the surface. The subject’s displeasure doesn’t explode instantly; rather, it unfolds gradually, with a controlled intensity. This kind of anger is perhaps more dangerous, as it simmers quietly and builds over time, eventually expressing itself in subtle but devastating ways.
The phrase “qahr aahista aahista” (wrath, slowly, slowly) evokes a sense of impending doom — not through sudden outbursts but through a steady, almost imperceptible punishment. It could symbolize emotional withdrawal, silent resentment, or a slow unraveling of relationships or the effect of global warming. On a broader level, this she’r might reflect power dynamics, where those in authority don’t lash out impulsively but let their displeasure simmer, ensuring that their eventual response is cold, calculated, and long-lasting.
5
phir aise chhoRkar, faani¹⁶ gayiiN KhushiyaaN mujhe saarii
hu’e viiraan¹⁷ jaise koii shahr¹⁸ aahista aahista    16.the pen-name of the poet 17.deserted/desolated 18.city
The poet, Faani, speaks of a profound sense of loss. Happiness didn’t just slip away-it abandoned him, leaving a void. The manner of joy’s departure and the slow, creeping desolation that followed is likened to a once-thriving city falling into ruin over time. The imagery of a city becoming viiraan (desolate) evokes a haunting stillness. It suggests that the aftermath of loss is rarely immediate. Initially, there’s shock, but then a quiet emptiness seeps into every corner of life, unnoticed at first but steadily taking over. The repetition of ‘aahista aahista’ highlights the inevitability of this emotional erosion, where each day feels a little emptier than the last. On a deeper level, this verse could reflect not just personal grief but the universal experience of watching something beautiful – love, relationships, dreams – fade into nothingness, slowly and quietly. The abandoned city becomes a metaphor for the heart, once bustling with joy, now silent and barren.