For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
چراغانِ بہار ۔ سیمابؔ اکبرآبادی
(دیوالی پر نظم کہنے کی فرمائش میں)
۱
ہیں وطن کو آج کل درپیش ایسے مرحلے
جیسے ہیبت آفریں ہوں راستے ظلمات کے
۲
ہے بظاہر روشنی، باطن کی تاریکی نہ پوچھ
گور سے تاریک تر گوشے ہیں محسوسات کے
۳
آج اِنساں آزما ہے فطرتِ انسانیت
رُخ پر اپنے ڈال کر پردے صفات و ذات کے
۴
اِتّحاد و صلح سے بیزار ہیں اہلِ وطن
ہر طرف پُر شور کچھ طوفان ہیں جذبات کے
۵
اِن کی فطرت کو جگا دے اے چراغانِ بہار
پھر چمک اُٹّھیں یہ پروانے اندھیری رات کے
चराग़ान-ए बहार – सीमाब अक्बराबादी
(दिवाली पर नज़्म कहने की फ़र्माएश में)
१
हैं वतन को आजकल दरपेश ऐसे मरहले
जैसे हैबत आफ़्रीं हों रास्ते ज़ुल्मात के
२
है बज़ाहर रौशनी, बातिन कि तारीकी न पूछ
गोर से तारीक-तर गोशे हैं महसूसात के
३
आह इंसां आज़्मा है फ़ित्रत-ए इन्सानियत
रुख़ पर अपने डाल कर पर्दे सिफ़ात ओ ज़ात के
४
इत्तेहाद ओ सुलह से बेज़ार हैं अहल-ए वतन
हर तरफ़ पुर-शोर कुछ तूफ़ान हैं जज़्बात के
५
इन की फ़ित्रत को जगा दे अए चराग़ान-ए बहार
फिर चमक उट्ठें ये परवाने अंधेरी रात के
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. He apparently was asked by someone (he does not say who) to compose a poem for divaali. He composed this poignant prayer/wish for communal harmony. It is dated 1935 but is very reflective of the situation in India today.
1
haiN vatan ko aajkal darpesh1 aise marhale2
jaise haibat-aafriiN3 hoN raaste zulmaat4 ke 1.confronting, facing 2.problems 3.creating terror 4.darkness
The problems facing the homeland these days are such that they create terror like dark pathways.
2
hai ba-zaahir1 raushni2, baatin3 ki taariiki4 na poochh
gor5 se taariik-tar6 goshe7 haiN mahsoosaat8 ke 1.apparent, on the surface 2.brilliance 3.hidden 4.darkness 5.grave 6.darker 7.corners 8.feelings, emotions
On the surface is brightness, but don’t ask about the hidden/inner darkness. The corners/nooks for emotions are darker than the grave.
3
aah insaaN-aazma hai fitrat-e insaaniyat
ruKh par apne Daal kar parde sifaat o zaat ke 1.alas 2.trying the character of humans 3.nature, character 4.human-ness 5.face 6.attributes of divinity 7.divine being
Alas the nature of humanity is trying (putting to a test) human character, covering its face with claims of divine sanction.
4
ittehaad1 o sul’h2 se bezaar3 haiN ahl4-e vatan
har taraf5 pur-shor6 kuchh tuufaan7 haiN jazbaat8 ke 1.harmony, unity 2.peace 3.tired, uninterested 4.people of 5.direction 6.loud 7.storms 8.emotions
The people of the homeland seem uninterested in peace and harmony. In every direction there are loud storms of emotions.
5
in ki fitrat1 ko jagaa2 de aye charaaGhaan3-e bahaar4
phir chamak uTTheN ye parvaane5 andheri raat ke 1.nature 2.wake up, renew 3.lamps 4.spring, renewal, new year 5.moth
The ‘in’ refers to the ‘people of the homeland’ from the previous she’r. Also, the moth’s love for the lamp is used as a symbol of love even in the face of death. Thus, O lamps of spring, rejunenate the (good) nature of the people of the homeland so that once again these moths/lovers of the dark night might begin to shine. Darkness here is symbolic of hatred and light is symbolic of love.
syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. He apparently was asked by someone (he does not say who) to compose a poem for divaali. He composed this poignant prayer/wish for communal harmony. It is dated 1935 but is very reflective of the situation in India today.
1
haiN vatan ko aajkal darpesh1 aise marhale2
jaise haibat-aafriiN3 hoN raaste zulmaat4 ke
1.confronting, facing 2.problems 3.creating terror 4.darkness
The problems facing the homeland these days are such that they create terror like dark pathways.
2
hai ba-zaahir1 raushni2, baatin3 ki taariiki4 na poochh
gor5 se taariik-tar6 goshe7 haiN mahsoosaat8 ke
1.apparent, on the surface 2.brilliance 3.hidden 4.darkness 5.grave 6.darker 7.corners 8.feelings, emotions
On the surface is brightness, but don’t ask about the hidden/inner darkness. The corners/nooks for emotions are darker than the grave.
3
aah insaaN-aazma hai fitrat-e insaaniyat
ruKh par apne Daal kar parde sifaat o zaat ke
1.alas 2.trying the character of humans 3.nature, character 4.human-ness 5.face 6.attributes of divinity 7.divine being
Alas the nature of humanity is trying (putting to a test) human character, covering its face with claims of divine sanction.
4
ittehaad1 o sul’h2 se bezaar3 haiN ahl4-e vatan
har taraf5 pur-shor6 kuchh tuufaan7 haiN jazbaat8 ke
1.harmony, unity 2.peace 3.tired, uninterested 4.people of 5.direction 6.loud 7.storms 8.emotions
The people of the homeland seem uninterested in peace and harmony. In every direction there are loud storms of emotions.
5
in ki fitrat1 ko jagaa2 de aye charaaGhaan3-e bahaar4
phir chamak uTTheN ye parvaane5 andheri raat ke
1.nature 2.wake up, renew 3.lamps 4.spring, renewal, new year 5.moth
The ‘in’ refers to the ‘people of the homeland’ from the previous she’r. Also, the moth’s love for the lamp is used as a symbol of love even in the face of death. Thus, O lamps of spring, rejunenate the (good) nature of the people of the homeland so that once again these moths/lovers of the dark night might begin to shine. Darkness here is symbolic of hatred and light is symbolic of love.
