For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
چُستی و رفتار دیکھ کر ۔ جمنہ پرشاد راہیؔ
۱
حیراں نہیں ہوں دستِ خریدار دیکھ کر
بکتا ہوں صرف گرمیِ بازار دیکھ کر
۲
افسردہ حرف حرف ہوں بیمار دیکھ کر
تحریرِ خامہ رفت بہ آزار دیکھ کر
۳
ہوتا ہوں خستہ حالیِ خانہ پہ منہدم
گرتا ہوں بے ثباتیِ دیوار دیکھ کر
۴
گشتِ غزالِ مست قدم ہے خرامِ ناز
مرتا ہوں اُس کی چستی و رفتار دیکھ کر
۵
بے جا ہوائے تند نے باندھی ہے دشمنی
نشو و نمائے شاخِ ثمردار دیکھ کر
۶
تنہا کھڑا ہوں دیر سے رشتوں کی بھیڑ میں
بیٹے کے سر پہ باپ کی دستار دیکھ کر
۷
خوش وقعتی کی دل سے توقع ہی اُٹھ گئی
خود سے جہانِ تنگ کو بیزار دیکھ کر
۸
خنجر بہ دست آئی ہے اُس جنگجو کی یاد
اک اجنبی کے ہاتھ میں تلوار دیکھ کر
۹
طوطی نوا ہوں چاہنے والوں کے شور میں
حیرت زدہ ہوں حالِ درِ یار دیکھ کر
चुस्ती ओ रफ़्तार देख कर – जमना परशाद राही
१
हैरां नहीं हूं दस्त-ए ख़रीदार देख कर
बिकता हुं सिर्फ़ गर्मी-ए बाज़ार देख कर
२
अफ़्सुर्दा हर्फ़ हर्फ़ हुं बीमार देख कर
तहरीर-ए ख़ामा रफ़्त ब-आज़ार देख कर
३
होता हुं ख़स्ता-हाली-ए ख़ाना पे मुनहदिम
गिरता हुं बे-सबाती-ए दीवार देख कर
४
गश्त-ए ग़ज़ाल-ए मस्त-क़दम है ख़राम-ए नाज़
मरता हुं उस की चुस्ती ओ रफ़्तार देख कर
५
बे-जा हवा-ए तुन्द ने बांधी है दुश्मनी
नश्व-ओ-नुमा-ए शाख़-ए समरदार देख कर
६
तन्हा खढा हुं देर से रिश्तौं कि भीढ में
बेटे के सर पे बाप कि दस्तार देख कर
७
ख़ुश-वक़’अती कि दिल से तवक़्क़’ओ भी उठ गई
ख़ुद से जहान-ए तंग को बेज़ार देख कर
८
ख़ंजर ब-दस्त आई है उस जंग-जू कि याद
एक अजनबी के हाथ में तल्वार देख कर
९
तूती-नवा हुं चाहने वालौं के शोर में
हैरत-ज़दा हुं हाल-ए दर-ए यार देख कर
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jamna parshad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh. Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee. President, Progressive Writers’ Association. He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi, though not a shaagird of Ghalib, was deeply influenced by him. He has a 200+ page book of Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib called, ‘baazgasht-e Ghalib’. This Ghazal is in the style of Ghalib’s “dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar” and is linked to an appropriate icon under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ on the Theme Index page.
1
hairaaN1 nahiN huN dast2-e Khariidaar3 dekh kar
bikta4 huN sirf5 garmi6-e baazaar dekh kar 1.puzzled 2.hand 3.buyer 4.getting sold 5.only 6.enthusiasm, admiration
He offers himself up for anyone to take (gives away his poetic offering) only in return for the enthusiasm/admiration of the audience. So, he is not puzzled at the extended hand of the buyer willing to accept his offering. This is similar in thought to Ghalib …
surma-e muft-nazar huN meri qiimat ye hai
keh rahe chashm-e Khariidaar pe ehsaaN mera
2
afsurda1 harf2 harf huN biimaar3 dekh kar
tahriir4-e Khaama5 raft6 ba-aazaar7 dekh kar 1.dejected 2.word 3.sick, weak 4.writing 5.pen 6.exit, come out, emerge 7.in pain
Perhaps he is writing about his own poetry. How difficult it is for him to confine his thoughts within the bounds of words. Many poets including Ghalib have said so, eloquently. When I see that every word is so weak (compared to the thought), I get dejected as I see writing emerge from the pen in such pain. Said Ghalib …
naqsh faryaadi hai kis ki shooKhi-e tahriir ka
kaaGhazi hai pairahan har paikar-e tasviir ka
3
hota huN Khasta-haali1-e Khaana2 pe mun’hadim3
girta huN be-sabaati4-e diivaar5 dekh kar 1.dilapidated condition 2.house, heart 3.ruined, rubble 4.without foundation, not steadfast 5.wall, protection
The poet is reduced to a rubble by contemplating the dilapidated condition of his heart/house. It is as if he collapses to the ground simply on seeing the shaky wall. Beyond this literal meaning, the figurative appears with some speculation. Perhaps the theme of difficulty to composing verse continues. He sees the weakness of his heart/mind when confronted with the idea of composing and collapses.
4
gasht1-e Ghazaal2-e mast-qadam3 hai Kharaam4-e naaz5
marta huN us ki chusti6 o raftaar7 dekh kar 1.walking with attendants following, procession, walking 2.deer, graceful walking beloved 3.intoxicating gait 4.walk 5.coquetry 6.rapidity 7.speed
I could not see anything beyond word meaning. The beloved is out on her coquettish walk, graceful like a deer with an intoxicating gait and a following of admirers. The poet/lover is ready to lay down his life at her style and speed.
5
be-jaa1 havaa-e tund2 ne baandhi hai dushmani
nashv-o-numa3-e shaaKh4-e samardaar5 dekh kar 1.without justification 2.gusty, fast 3.features and appearance 4.branch 5.laden with fruit
This builds of the on the convention that fate is cruel to the poet … lightning strikes the nest, lightning burns up the harvest, flower picker picks off the rose etc. In this case the branch is laden with fruit. Out of sheer meanness, without any justification gusty winds pick enmity with, anger against the branch/tree and blow all fruit down.
6
tanha1 khaRa huN der se rishtoN2 ki bhiiR3 meN
beTe ke sar pe baap ki dastaar4 dekh kar 1.alone 2.relations, friends 3.crowd 4.ceremonial cap of honour
This is probably about the succession of the nawaab of rampur. Speculation – the poet used to receive some stipend/patronage from the father. But when the son inherited the position, he seems to h ave lost his patronage and is standing unnoticed among the crowd of aspirants to establish a new relationship.
7
Khush-vaq’ati1 ki dil se tavaqq’o2 bhi uTh gaii
Khud se jahaan3-e taNg4 ko bezaar5 dekh kar 1.good valuation, receiving due honour 2.expectation, hope 3.world 4.narrow 5.uninterested
This is probably a continuation of the same theme. The poet has lost all expectation of getting honourable recognition from the rampur court. ‘jahaan-e taNg’ could either be a reflection of narrow interests or of different financial priorities.
8
Khanjar1 ba-dast2 aaii hai us jaNg-juu3 ki yaad
ek ajnabi4 ke haath meN talwaar dekh kar 1.dagger 2.in hand, gripping 3.war-monger, beloved 4.stranger
This is also a very conventional theme. The beloved is often described as angry and coming at the poet/lover with daggers drawn. He is so used to this sight that even when he sees a total stranger with sword in hand, he remembers the beloved with daggers drawn.
9
tuuti-navaa1 huN chaahne vaaloN ke shor2 meN
hairat-zada3 huN haal4-e dar5-e yaar6 dekh kar 1.parrot voiced 2.noise, applause, acclamation 3.suprise stricken, disappointed 4.condition 5.door, domain 6.friend, beloved
This could apply to the beloved or perhaps even goes back to the theme of lack of patronage in the domain of the nawab. The poet gets noisy applause and is considered ‘parrot-voiced’ by the crowd of admirers. But he is disappointed at the condition (lack of response) from the domain of the beloved/friend/nawab.
jamna parshad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh. Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee. President, Progressive Writers’ Association. He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi, though not a shaagird of Ghalib, was deeply influenced by him. He has a 200+ page book of Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib called, ‘baazgasht-e Ghalib’. This Ghazal is in the style of Ghalib’s “dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar” and is linked to an appropriate icon under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ on the Theme Index page.
1
hairaaN1 nahiN huN dast2-e Khariidaar3 dekh kar
bikta4 huN sirf5 garmi6-e baazaar dekh kar
1.puzzled 2.hand 3.buyer 4.getting sold 5.only 6.enthusiasm, admiration
He offers himself up for anyone to take (gives away his poetic offering) only in return for the enthusiasm/admiration of the audience. So, he is not puzzled at the extended hand of the buyer willing to accept his offering. This is similar in thought to Ghalib …
surma-e muft-nazar huN meri qiimat ye hai
keh rahe chashm-e Khariidaar pe ehsaaN mera
2
afsurda1 harf2 harf huN biimaar3 dekh kar
tahriir4-e Khaama5 raft6 ba-aazaar7 dekh kar
1.dejected 2.word 3.sick, weak 4.writing 5.pen 6.exit, come out, emerge 7.in pain
Perhaps he is writing about his own poetry. How difficult it is for him to confine his thoughts within the bounds of words. Many poets including Ghalib have said so, eloquently. When I see that every word is so weak (compared to the thought), I get dejected as I see writing emerge from the pen in such pain. Said Ghalib …
naqsh faryaadi hai kis ki shooKhi-e tahriir ka
kaaGhazi hai pairahan har paikar-e tasviir ka
3
hota huN Khasta-haali1-e Khaana2 pe mun’hadim3
girta huN be-sabaati4-e diivaar5 dekh kar
1.dilapidated condition 2.house, heart 3.ruined, rubble 4.without foundation, not steadfast 5.wall, protection
The poet is reduced to a rubble by contemplating the dilapidated condition of his heart/house. It is as if he collapses to the ground simply on seeing the shaky wall. Beyond this literal meaning, the figurative appears with some speculation. Perhaps the theme of difficulty to composing verse continues. He sees the weakness of his heart/mind when confronted with the idea of composing and collapses.
4
gasht1-e Ghazaal2-e mast-qadam3 hai Kharaam4-e naaz5
marta huN us ki chusti6 o raftaar7 dekh kar
1.walking with attendants following, procession, walking 2.deer, graceful walking beloved 3.intoxicating gait 4.walk 5.coquetry 6.rapidity 7.speed
I could not see anything beyond word meaning. The beloved is out on her coquettish walk, graceful like a deer with an intoxicating gait and a following of admirers. The poet/lover is ready to lay down his life at her style and speed.
5
be-jaa1 havaa-e tund2 ne baandhi hai dushmani
nashv-o-numa3-e shaaKh4-e samardaar5 dekh kar
1.without justification 2.gusty, fast 3.features and appearance 4.branch 5.laden with fruit
This builds of the on the convention that fate is cruel to the poet … lightning strikes the nest, lightning burns up the harvest, flower picker picks off the rose etc. In this case the branch is laden with fruit. Out of sheer meanness, without any justification gusty winds pick enmity with, anger against the branch/tree and blow all fruit down.
6
tanha1 khaRa huN der se rishtoN2 ki bhiiR3 meN
beTe ke sar pe baap ki dastaar4 dekh kar
1.alone 2.relations, friends 3.crowd 4.ceremonial cap of honour
This is probably about the succession of the nawaab of rampur. Speculation – the poet used to receive some stipend/patronage from the father. But when the son inherited the position, he seems to h ave lost his patronage and is standing unnoticed among the crowd of aspirants to establish a new relationship.
7
Khush-vaq’ati1 ki dil se tavaqq’o2 bhi uTh gaii
Khud se jahaan3-e taNg4 ko bezaar5 dekh kar
1.good valuation, receiving due honour 2.expectation, hope 3.world 4.narrow 5.uninterested
This is probably a continuation of the same theme. The poet has lost all expectation of getting honourable recognition from the rampur court. ‘jahaan-e taNg’ could either be a reflection of narrow interests or of different financial priorities.
8
Khanjar1 ba-dast2 aaii hai us jaNg-juu3 ki yaad
ek ajnabi4 ke haath meN talwaar dekh kar
1.dagger 2.in hand, gripping 3.war-monger, beloved 4.stranger
This is also a very conventional theme. The beloved is often described as angry and coming at the poet/lover with daggers drawn. He is so used to this sight that even when he sees a total stranger with sword in hand, he remembers the beloved with daggers drawn.
9
tuuti-navaa1 huN chaahne vaaloN ke shor2 meN
hairat-zada3 huN haal4-e dar5-e yaar6 dekh kar
1.parrot voiced 2.noise, applause, acclamation 3.suprise stricken, disappointed 4.condition 5.door, domain 6.friend, beloved
This could apply to the beloved or perhaps even goes back to the theme of lack of patronage in the domain of the nawab. The poet gets noisy applause and is considered ‘parrot-voiced’ by the crowd of admirers. But he is disappointed at the condition (lack of response) from the domain of the beloved/friend/nawab.
