For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
چلو میکدے چلیں ۔ کرشن بہاری نورؔ
۱
یارو گِھر آئی شام چلو میکدے چلیں
یاد آ رہے ہیں جام چلو میکدے چلیں
۲
دیر و حرم پہ کُھل کے جہاں بات ہو سکے
ہے ایک ہی مقام چلو میکدے چلیں
۳
اچھا نہیں پئیں گے جو پینا حرام ہے
جینا نہ ہو حرام چلو میکدے چلیں
۴
یارو جو ہوگا دیکھیں گے غم سے تو ہو نجات
لے کر خدا کا نام چلو میکدے چلیں
۵
ساقی بھی ہے شراب بھی آزادیاں بھی ہیں
سب کچھ ہے انتظام چلو میکدے چلیں
۶
ایسی فضا میں لطفِ عبادت نہ آئے گا
لینا ہے اُس کا نام چلو میکدے چلیں
۷
فرصت غموں سے پانا اگر ہے تو آؤ نورؔ
سب کو کریں سلام چلو میکدے چلیں
चलो मय-कदे चलें – क्रिष्ण बेहारी नूर
१
यारो घिर आई शाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
याद आ रहे हैं जाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
२
दैर-ओ-हरम पे खुल के जहाँ बात हो सके
है एक ही मक़ाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
३
अच्छा नहीं पियेंगे जो पीना हराम है
जीना न हो हराम चलो मय-कदे चलें
४
यारो जो होगा देखेंगे ग़म से तो हो नजात
ले कर ख़ुदा का नाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
५
साक़ी भी है शराब भी आज़ादियाँ भी हैं
सब कुछ है इंतेज़ाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
६
ऐसी फ़ज़ा में लुत्फ़-ए इबादत न आएगा
लेना है उस का नाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
७
फ़ुर्सत ग़मों से पाना अगर है तो आओ नूर
सब को करें सलाम चलो मय-कदे चलें
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. kishan bihari noor (1926 – 2003), was born and grew up in lucknow. In a lot of his work he gracefully reaches across communal lines both in the social/political and religious fields. He also was a great lover of urdu.
1
yaaro ghir1 aaii shaam chalo mai-kade2 chaleN
yaad aa rahe haiN jaam3 chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.surrounding, overwhelming 2.tavern, a symbol of liberal space 3.cups
In urdu poetic tradition the tavern is a symbol of a liberal space welcoming all and protesting orthodoxy. Friends, the night surrounds us, let us all go to the tavern. I remember/miss goblets of wine, let us go to the tavern.
2
dair1-o-haram2 pe khul ke jahaaN3 baat ho sake
hai ek hi maqaam4 chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.temple 2.mosque 3.where 4.place
There is only one place where we can openly talk about (the cruelties of) the temple and mosque. Let us go to the tavern.
3
achchha nahiN piyeNge jo piina haraam1 hai
jiina na ho haraam chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.forbidden
All right, we will not drink (wine), if drinking is forbidden. I fear now that even living will be forbidden, let us go to the tavern.
4
yaaro jo hoga dekheNge Gham se to ho najaat1
le kar Khuda ka naam chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.deliverance, freedom
Presumably, he means that drinking wine frees one from pain/sorrow. Thus, O friends, we will deal with whatever happens, let us get deliverance from pain. Invoking god’s name, let us go to the tavern.
5
saaqi bhi hai sharaab bhi aazaadiyaaN1 bhi haiN
sab kuchh hai intezaam2 chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.freedom 2.arrangements, provision
The saaqi to serve wine, wine and freedom to drink, all is provided. Let us go to the tavern.
6
aisi faza1 meN lutf2-e ibaadat3 na aa’ega
lena hai us ka naam chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.atmosphere, ambience, conditions 2.pleasure 3.prayer, worship, adoration
In these conditions there is no pleasure in worship. We have to invoke his name, let us go to the tavern i.e., we cannot invoke god in the atmosphere of the temple or mosque. For that, we have to go to the tavern.
7
fursat1 GhamoN2 se paana agar hai to aao noor3
sab ko kareN salaam4 chalo mai-kade chaleN 1.freedom 2.pain, sorrow 3.pen-name of the poet 4.used in the sense of bidding farewell
O noor, if you want freedom from pain, let us bid farewell to all and head to the tavern.
kishan bihari noor (1926 – 2003), was born and grew up in lucknow. In a lot of his work he gracefully reaches across communal lines both in the social/political and religious fields. He also was a great lover of urdu.
1
yaaro ghir1 aaii shaam chalo mai-kade2 chaleN
yaad aa rahe haiN jaam3 chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.surrounding, overwhelming 2.tavern, a symbol of liberal space 3.cups
In urdu poetic tradition the tavern is a symbol of a liberal space welcoming all and protesting orthodoxy. Friends, the night surrounds us, let us all go to the tavern. I remember/miss goblets of wine, let us go to the tavern.
2
dair1-o-haram2 pe khul ke jahaaN3 baat ho sake
hai ek hi maqaam4 chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.temple 2.mosque 3.where 4.place
There is only one place where we can openly talk about (the cruelties of) the temple and mosque. Let us go to the tavern.
3
achchha nahiN piyeNge jo piina haraam1 hai
jiina na ho haraam chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.forbidden
All right, we will not drink (wine), if drinking is forbidden. I fear now that even living will be forbidden, let us go to the tavern.
4
yaaro jo hoga dekheNge Gham se to ho najaat1
le kar Khuda ka naam chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.deliverance, freedom
Presumably, he means that drinking wine frees one from pain/sorrow. Thus, O friends, we will deal with whatever happens, let us get deliverance from pain. Invoking god’s name, let us go to the tavern.
5
saaqi bhi hai sharaab bhi aazaadiyaaN1 bhi haiN
sab kuchh hai intezaam2 chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.freedom 2.arrangements, provision
The saaqi to serve wine, wine and freedom to drink, all is provided. Let us go to the tavern.
6
aisi faza1 meN lutf2-e ibaadat3 na aa’ega
lena hai us ka naam chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.atmosphere, ambience, conditions 2.pleasure 3.prayer, worship, adoration
In these conditions there is no pleasure in worship. We have to invoke his name, let us go to the tavern i.e., we cannot invoke god in the atmosphere of the temple or mosque. For that, we have to go to the tavern.
7
fursat1 GhamoN2 se paana agar hai to aao noor3
sab ko kareN salaam4 chalo mai-kade chaleN
1.freedom 2.pain, sorrow 3.pen-name of the poet 4.used in the sense of bidding farewell
O noor, if you want freedom from pain, let us bid farewell to all and head to the tavern.
