Recitation
چھبیس جنوری – ساحر لدھیانوی
آ وٗ کہ آج غور کر یں اِس سوال پر
دیکھے تھے ہم نے جو وہ حسیں خواب کیا ہوے
دولت بڑھی تو ملک میں اِفلاس کیوں بڑھا
خوش حالیِ عوام کے اسباب کیا ہوے
جو اپنے ساتھ ساتھ چلے کوےٰ دار تک
وہ دوست، وہ رفیق، وہ احباب کیا ہوے
کیا مول لگ رہا ہے شہیدوں کے خون کا
مرتے تھے جن پہ ہم وہ سزایاب کیا ہوے
بیکس برہنگی کو کفن تک نہین نصیب
وہ وعدہ ہاےٰ اطلس و کمخاب کیا ہوے
جمہور یت نواز، بشر دوست، امن خواہ
خود کو جو خود دےٰ تھے وہ القاب کیا ہوے
مذہب کا روگ آج بھی کیوں لاعلاج ہے
وہ نسخہ ہاےٰ نادر و نایاب کیاہوے
ہر کوچہ شعلہ زار ہے ہر شہر قتل گاہ
یکجہتیِ حیات کے آداب کیا ہوے
صحراےٰ تیرگی میں بھٹکتی ہے زندگی
اُبھرے تھے جو اُفق پہ وہ مہتاب کیا ہوے
مجرم ہوں میں اگر تو گنہگار تم بھی ہو
اےٰ رہبرانِ قوم خطاکار تم بھی ہو
छब्बीस जनवरी – साहिर लुधियानवी
आओ के आज ग़ौर करें इस सवाल पर
देखे थे हम ने जो, वो हसीं ख़्वाब क्या हुए
दौलत बढ़ी तो मुल्क में इफ़्लास क्यूँ बढ़ा
ख़ुश हाली-ए अवाम के अस्बाब क्या हुए
जो अपने साथ साथ चले कू-ए दार तक
वो दोस्त, वो रफ़ीक़, वो अहबाब क्या हुए
क्या मोल लग रहा है शहीदों के ख़ून का
मरते थे जिन पे हम वो सज़ा याब क्या हुए
बेकस बरहनगी को कफ़न तक नहीं नसीब
वो वादा-हा-ए अतलस ओ कमख़ाब क्या हुए
जम्हूरियत नवाज़, बशर दोस्त, अम्न ख़्वाह
ख़ुद को जो ख़ुद दिए थे वो अल्क़ाब क्या हुए
मज़हब का रोग आज भी क्यूँ ला इलाज है
वो नुस्ख़ा-हा-ए नादिर ओ नायाब क्या हुए
हर कूचा शोला ज़ार है हर शहर क़त्ल गाह
यकजहती-ए हयात के आदाब क्या हुए
सेहरा-ए तीरगी में भटकती है ज़िन्दगी
उभरे थे जो उफ़क़ पे वो महताब क्या हुए
मुजरिम हूँ मैं तो गुनहगार तुम भी हो
अए रहबरान-ए क़ौम ख़ताकार तुम भी हो
chhabbis janvarie – sahir ludhianavi
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. Written on the occasion of the Republic Day of India, it is thematically similar to compositions by Faiz, Makhdoom, Majaz, Sardar Jafri, Mustafa Zaidi and several others on “aazaadi” – bemoaning the continued marginalization of those who were marginalized during colonial times. Colonization continues under a different guise.
aao ke aaj Ghaur1 kareN is saval par
dekhe the hum ne jo, vo hasiN Khwaab2 kya hue
daulat baDhi to mulk men iflas3 kyun baDha
Khush hali4 e awam5 ke asbab6 kya hue1. think about 2. beautiful dreams 3. poverty 4. wellbeing 5. public 6. means
Come let us ponder on this question – whatever happened to the beautiful dreams and visions that we had nurtured. Wealth has increased, so why is there more destitution? What happened to the means of well-being for all.
jo apne saath saath chale koo7-e daar8 tak
vo dost, vo rafeeq9, vo ahbaab10 kya hue
kya mol lag raha hai shahidoN ke Khoon ka
marte the jin pe hum vo saza yaab11 kya hue7. street 8. platform for hanging 9. friend 10. loved ones 11. those who were jailed (during the independence movement)
Those who walked shoulder to shoulder with us towards the hangman’s noose, those friends and colleagues, where are they today. The blood of martyrs is on sale, where are those we used to hold in great love. This could be a reference to the public at large which participated in the independence struggle or to Communists who were active in the struggle, but in post-independence India, were being jailed.
bekas12 barhnagi13 ko kafan14 tak nahiN nasib15
vo vada16 ha-e atlas o kamKhwab17 kya hue
jamhuriat nawaz18, bashar dost19, amn Khwah20
Khud ko jo Khud diye the vo alqaab21 kya hue12. helpless 13. nakedness 14. burial shroud 15. available 16. promises 17. silk and brocade 18. protector of democracy 19. friend of humanity 20. peace lover 21. titles
The helpless unclothed do not have even a burial shroud. What happened to the promises of silk and brocade that we made. Protector of democracy, friend of humanity, lover of peace – we gave ourselves these grand titles – whatever happened to living up to them.
mazhab22 ka rog aaj bhi kyuN la-ilaj23 hai
vo nusKha24-ha-e nadir o nayaab25 kya hue
har koocha26 shola zar27 hai har shahr qatl gah28
yekjahti29 e hayat30 ke aadaab31 kya hue22. religion (communalism) 23. without cure 24. prescription/cure 25. rare (effective) 26. street 27. on fire 28. place of killing 29. unity 30. life 31. traditions, culture
Why is the disease of bigotry still without cure. What happened to those unique cures we had. Every street is on fire and every city a killing field, whatever happened to the culture of unity.
sehra32-e tiragi33 meN bhaTakti34 hai zindagi
ubhre35 the jo ufaq36 pe vo mahtab37 kya hue
mujrim38 huN maiN to gunahgaar39 tum bhi ho
aye rahbaraan40-e qaum41 Khatakaar42 tum bhi ho32. desert, wilderness 33. darkness 34. wanders 35. emerged 36. horizon 37. moon 38. criminal 39. sinner 40. leader 41. community 42. culprit
Life wanders aimlessly through dark wilderness, what happened to the bright leaders of yesteryear who had emerged on the horizon. I am culpable and so are you, O leaders of the nation, you are guilty too.
chhabbis janvarie – sahir ludhianavi
Overall Comments: Written on the occasion of the Republic Day of India, it is thematically similar to compositions by Faiz, Makhdoom, Majaz, Sardar Jafri, Mustafa Zaidi and several others on “aazaadi” – bemoaning the continued marginalization of those who were marginalized during colonial times. Colonization continues under a different guise.
aao ke aaj Ghaur1 kareN is saval par
dekhe the hum ne jo, vo hasiN Khwaab2 kya hue
daulat baDhi to mulk men iflas3 kyun baDha
Khush hali4 e awam5 ke asbab6 kya hue
1. think about 2. beautiful dreams 3. poverty 4. wellbeing 5. public 6. means
Come let us ponder on this question – whatever happened to the beautiful dreams and visions that we had nurtured. Wealth has increased, so why is there more destitution? What happened to the means of well-being for all.
jo apne saath saath chale koo7-e daar8 tak
vo dost, vo rafeeq9, vo ahbaab10 kya hue
kya mol lag raha hai shahidoN ke Khoon ka
marte the jin pe hum vo saza yaab11 kya hue
7. street 8. platform for hanging 9. friend 10. loved ones 11. those who were jailed (during the independence movement)
Those who walked shoulder to shoulder with us towards the hangman’s noose, those friends and colleagues, where are they today. The blood of martyrs is on sale, where are those we used to hold in great love. This could be a reference to the public at large which participated in the independence struggle or to Communists who were active in the struggle, but in post-independence India, were being jailed.
bekas12 barhnagi13 ko kafan14 tak nahiN nasib15
vo vada16 ha-e atlas o kamKhwab17 kya hue
jamhuriat nawaz18, bashar dost19, amn Khwah20
Khud ko jo Khud diye the vo alqaab21 kya hue
12. helpless 13. nakedness 14. burial shroud 15. available 16. promises 17. silk and brocade 18. protector of democracy 19. friend of humanity 20. peace lover 21. titles
The helpless unclothed do not have even a burial shroud. What happened to the promises of silk and brocade that we made. Protector of democracy, friend of humanity, lover of peace – we gave ourselves these grand titles – whatever happened to living up to them.
mazhab22 ka rog aaj bhi kyuN la-ilaj23 hai
vo nusKha24-ha-e nadir o nayaab25 kya hue
har koocha26 shola zar27 hai har shahr qatl gah28
yekjahti29 e hayat30 ke aadaab31 kya hue
22. religion (communalism) 23. without cure 24. prescription/cure 25. rare (effective) 26. street 27. on fire 28. place of killing 29. unity 30. life 31. traditions, culture
Why is the disease of bigotry still without cure. What happened to those unique cures we had. Every street is on fire and every city a killing field, whatever happened to the culture of unity.
sehra32-e tiragi33 meN bhaTakti34 hai zindagi
ubhre35 the jo ufaq36 pe vo mahtab37 kya hue
mujrim38 huN maiN to gunahgaar39 tum bhi ho
aye rahbaraan40-e qaum41 Khatakaar42 tum bhi ho
32. desert, wilderness 33. darkness 34. wanders 35. emerged 36. horizon 37. moon 38. criminal 39. sinner 40. leader 41. community 42. culprit
Life wanders aimlessly through dark wilderness, what happened to the bright leaders of yesteryear who had emerged on the horizon. I am culpable and so are you, O leaders of the nation, you are guilty too.
Key Search Words: social justice, equality, progressive
