For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
دریا بول سکتا ہے ۔ مُنوّر رانا
۱
میں دہشت گرد تھا مرنے پہ بیٹا بول سکتا ہے
حکومت کے اشارے پر تو مردا بول سکتا ہے
۲
کئی چہرے ابھی تک منہ زبانی یاد ہیں اُس کو
کہیں تم پوچھ مت لینا وہ گونگا بول سکتا ہے
۳
یہاں پر نفرتوں نے کیسے کیسے گل کھلائے ہیں
لٹی عصمت بتا دے گی دوپٹّا بول سکتا ہے
۴
حکومت کی توجہ چاہتی ہے یہ جلی بستی
عدالت پوچھنا چاہے تو ملبا بول سکتا ہے
۵
عدالت میں گواہی کے لیے لاشیں نہیں آتیں
وہ آنکھیں بجھ چکی ہیں پھر بھی چشمہ بول سکتا ہے
۶
سیاست ان دنوں انسان کے خوں سے نہاتی ہے
گواہی کی ضرورت ہو تو دریا بول سکتا ہے
۷
بہت سی کرسیاں اس ملک میں لاشوں پہ رکھی ہیں
یہ وہ سچ ہے جسے جھوٹے سے جھوٹا بول سکتا ہے
۸
سیاست کی کسوٹی پر پرکھیے مت وفاداری
کسی دن انتقاماً میرا غصہ بول سکتا ہے
दर्या बोल सकता है – मुनव्वर राना
१
मैं दशहत-गर्द था मरने पे बेटा बोल सकता है
हुकूमत के इशारे पर तो मुर्दा बोल सकता है
२
कई चेहरे अभी तक मुंह-ज़बानी याद हैं उस को
कहीं तुम पूछ मत लेना, वो गूंगा बोल सकता है
३
यहाँ पर नफ़रतौं ने कैसे कैसे गुल खिलाए हैं
लुटी इस्मत बता देगी दुपट्टा बोल सकता है
४
हुकूमत की तवज्जो चाहती है ये जली बस्ती
अदालत पूछना चाहे तो मलबा बोल सकता है
५
अदालत में गवाही के लिए लाशें नहीं आतीं
वो आंखें बुझ चुकी हैं, फिर भी चश्मा बोल सकता है
६
सियासत इन दिनों इंसान के ख़ूं से नहाती है
गवाही की ज़रूरत हो तो दर्या बोल सकता है
७
बहुत सी कुर्सियां इस मुल्क में लाशों पे रक्खी हैं
ये वो सच है जिसे झूठे से झूठा बोल सकता है
८
सियासत की कसौटी पर परखिये मत वफ़ादारी
किसी दिन इन्तेक़ामन मेरा ग़ुस्सा बोल सकता है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed munavvar ali-munavvar raana (1952-2024), raa’e bareili, kolkata, and lukhnau. He was a very popular and dominating presence on the mushaa’era circuit and wrote in hindi as well as urdu, using simple language. His larger family members moved to pakistan but his father chose to stay. He wrote a long book-length nazm called mohaajir-naama which is best understood as sorrow and regret at the differences and loss caused by partition. His bitterness is best understood when after being bestowed the sahitya akademi award for urdu literature in 2014, he returned it in 2015 to protest increasing intolerance. He remained defiant and controversial for the rest of his life.
1
maiN dahshat-gard1 tha marnay peh beTa bol sakta hai
hukoomat2 ke ishaaray3 par to murda4 bol sakta hai 1.terrorist 2.government 3.sign, gesture 4.corpse
This is about killing people in staged encounters and forcing/cajoling/bribing family or friends to testify that the person was a terrorist. Thus, I was a terrorist; after my killing, even my son can be made to say that. On a simple sign/gesture of the governement even a corpse can attest to that.
2
kaii chehray1 abhi tak muNh-zabaani2 yaad haiN uss ko
kahiiN tum poochh mat lena, voh gooNga3 bol sakta hai 1.faces 2.orally, on the tip of the tongue 3.speech impaired, dumb
Even the speech impaired dumb can communicate and bear witness to what went on. They have seen and they remember many faces. Don’t make the mistake of asking them, otherwise the truth will come out.
3
yahaaN par nafratoN1 ne kaisay kaisay gul-khilaa’e2 haiN
luTi3 ismat4 bataa degi dupaTTa5 bol sakta hai 1.hatred 2.gul-khilaana is an expression meaning making mischief, causing problems 3.robbed, violated 4.dignity, chastity 5.shawl
How many different problems hatred has raised here. Violated chastity can speak, shawl/clothing can bear witness.
4
hukoomat1 ki tavajjoh2 chaahti hai yeh jali basti
adaalat3 poochhna chaahay to malba4 bol sakta hai 1.government 2.attention 3.court 4.ruins, heap of debris
This burnt neighbourhood asks for the government’s attention. If the courts want to ask, the ruined homes and ashes can speak.
5
adaalat1 meN gavaahi2 ke liye laasheN3 nahiN aatiiN
voh aaNkhen bujh4 chuki haiN, phir bhi chashma5 bol sakta hai 1.court 2.testimony 3.corpses 4.extinguished 5.spectacles
Corpses do not come to court to testify. Those eyes have been extinguished, but the spectacles can bear witness.
6
siyaasat1 in dinoN insaan2 ke KhooN se nahaati hai
gavaahi3 ki zaroorat4 ho to darya5 bol sakta hai 1.politics 2.human 3.testimony 4.need 5.river
These days politics bathes in human blood. If you need testimony, the river of blood can speak.
7
bahut si kursiyaaN1 is mulk meN laashoN2 peh rakkhi haiN
yeh voh sach3 hai jisay jhooTay se jhooTa bol sakta hai 1.chairs, seats of power 2.corpses 3.truth
Many seats of power in this country rest on piles of corpses. This is the kind of truth that even the most blatant liar can testify to.
8
siyaasat1 ki kasauTi2 par parakhiye3 mat vafaadaari4
kisi din inteqaaman5 mera Ghussa6 bol sakta hai 1.politics 2.touchstone, authenticity test 3.examine 4.fidelity, loyalty 5.vengeance 6.anger
Do not test loyalty on the touchstone of politics. Some day my anger might speak out in vengeance.
syed munavvar ali-munavvar raana (1952-2024), raa’e bareili, kolkata, and lukhnau. He was a very popular and dominating presence on the mushaa’era circuit and wrote in hindi as well as urdu, using simple language. His larger family members moved to pakistan but his father chose to stay. He wrote a long book-length nazm called mohaajir-naama which is best understood as sorrow and regret at the differences and loss caused by partition. His bitterness is best understood when after being bestowed the sahitya akademi award for urdu literature in 2014, he returned it in 2015 to protest increasing intolerance. He remained defiant and controversial for the rest of his life.
1
maiN dahshat-gard1 tha marnay peh beTa bol sakta hai
hukoomat2 ke ishaaray3 par to murda4 bol sakta hai
1.terrorist 2.government 3.sign, gesture 4.corpse
This is about killing people in staged encounters and forcing/cajoling/bribing family or friends to testify that the person was a terrorist. Thus, I was a terrorist; after my killing, even my son can be made to say that. On a simple sign/gesture of the governement even a corpse can attest to that.
2
kaii chehray1 abhi tak muNh-zabaani2 yaad haiN uss ko
kahiiN tum poochh mat lena, voh gooNga3 bol sakta hai
1.faces 2.orally, on the tip of the tongue 3.speech impaired, dumb
Even the speech impaired dumb can communicate and bear witness to what went on. They have seen and they remember many faces. Don’t make the mistake of asking them, otherwise the truth will come out.
3
yahaaN par nafratoN1 ne kaisay kaisay gul-khilaa’e2 haiN
luTi3 ismat4 bataa degi dupaTTa5 bol sakta hai
1.hatred 2.gul-khilaana is an expression meaning making mischief, causing problems 3.robbed, violated 4.dignity, chastity 5.shawl
How many different problems hatred has raised here. Violated chastity can speak, shawl/clothing can bear witness.
4
hukoomat1 ki tavajjoh2 chaahti hai yeh jali basti
adaalat3 poochhna chaahay to malba4 bol sakta hai
1.government 2.attention 3.court 4.ruins, heap of debris
This burnt neighbourhood asks for the government’s attention. If the courts want to ask, the ruined homes and ashes can speak.
5
adaalat1 meN gavaahi2 ke liye laasheN3 nahiN aatiiN
voh aaNkhen bujh4 chuki haiN, phir bhi chashma5 bol sakta hai
1.court 2.testimony 3.corpses 4.extinguished 5.spectacles
Corpses do not come to court to testify. Those eyes have been extinguished, but the spectacles can bear witness.
6
siyaasat1 in dinoN insaan2 ke KhooN se nahaati hai
gavaahi3 ki zaroorat4 ho to darya5 bol sakta hai
1.politics 2.human 3.testimony 4.need 5.river
These days politics bathes in human blood. If you need testimony, the river of blood can speak.
7
bahut si kursiyaaN1 is mulk meN laashoN2 peh rakkhi haiN
yeh voh sach3 hai jisay jhooTay se jhooTa bol sakta hai
1.chairs, seats of power 2.corpses 3.truth
Many seats of power in this country rest on piles of corpses. This is the kind of truth that even the most blatant liar can testify to.
8
siyaasat1 ki kasauTi2 par parakhiye3 mat vafaadaari4
kisi din inteqaaman5 mera Ghussa6 bol sakta hai
1.politics 2.touchstone, authenticity test 3.examine 4.fidelity, loyalty 5.vengeance 6.anger
Do not test loyalty on the touchstone of politics. Some day my anger might speak out in vengeance.
