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Recitation
iqra Khilji
دیمک ۔ اقراء خِلجی
۱
فیض ملزم جس زمیں پر اِنقلابی ڈھنگ اُس کا
چھٹپٹاتا ہے وہ ظالم، زرد ہے اب رنگ اُس کا
۲
ہر بدن کی تھرتھراہٹ زلزلوں سی ہو چلی ہے
اِس غلامی کی نسوں میں ولولوں سی ہو چلی ہے
۳
قہقہ تھا حسرتوں پر، اُس اہِن کو چور کر دو
غُربتوں کی بستیوں میں ظلمتوں کو نور کر دو
۴
تم کھنک ہو، مستری تم، ہر ہنر کا ناز ہو تم
پھر چھڑا ہے اِس ہوا سے وہ پرانا ساز ہو تم
۵
طفل بھی نہ جس نے بخشے تم اُسے بدنام کر دو
اِس حکومت، اِس پولیس کی تم حقیقت عام کر دو
۶
شہریت قانون کے تم سب اِرادے خاک کر دو
تم ستم کی ہر عبارت اب جلا کر راکھ کر دو
۷
تم شکستہ گنبدوں کی صورتوں کو یاد کر لو
تم اُٹھا کر نور پرچم ہند کو پھر شاد کر لو
۸
اب کتر دو بیڑیاں یہ، حوصلے پھر سخت کر دو
دیمکوں سے تم جو ٹھہرے، دھول اب یہ تخت کر دو
दीमक – एक़्रा ख़िल्जी
१
फ़ैज़ मुल्ज़िम जिस ज़मीं पर, इन्क़लाबी ढ़ंग उस का
झटपटाता है वो ज़ालिम, ज़र्द है अब रंग उस का
२
हर बदन की थरथराहट ज़ल्ज़लौं सी हो चली है
उस ग़ुलामी की नसौं में वल्चलौं सी हो चली है
३
क़हक़हा था हस्रतौं पर, उस अहिन को चूर कर दो
ग़ुर्बतौं की बस्तियौं में ज़ुल्मतौं को नूर कर दो
४
तुम खनिक हो, मिस्तरी तुम, हर हुनर का नाज़ हो तुम
फिर छिढा है इस हवा से वो पुराना साज़ हो तुम
५
तिफ़्ल भी न जिस ने बख़्शे, तुम उसे बदनाम कर दो
इस हुकूमत, इस पोलिस की तुम हक़ीक़त आ’म कर दो
६
शहरियत क़ानून के तुम सब इरादे ख़ाक कर दो
तुम सितम की हर इबारत अब जला कर ख़ाक कर दो
७
तुम शिकस्ता गुंबदौं कि सूरतौं को याद कर लो
तुम उठा कर नूर पर्चम हिन्द को फिर शाद कर दो
८
अब कतर दो बेढियां ये, हौस्ले फिर सख़्त कर दो
दिमकौं से तुम जो ठहरे, धूल अब ये तख़्त कर दो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. iqra Khilji is young woman from ahmedabad. Trained as a lawyer and intends to practice law in ahmedabad. She writes very well about feminist issues. She has spent time in shaheen baaGh and participated in many “ehtejaaji mushaa’era” that were held all over India around Republic Day.
1
faiz mulzim1 jis zamiN par inqelaabi2 DhaNg us ka
chhaTpaTaata3 hai vo zaalim4 zard5 hai ab raNg us ka 1.accused, blamed 2.revolutionary, protesting 3.restlessly changing sides, worried 4.oppressor 5.pale
This recognizes that right wing extremists labeled faiz ahmed faiz’s “hum dekheNge” as “anti hindu”. It was very soon adopted as an extremely popular protest anthem throughout India. Thus, in whatever land faiz is blamed, that land shows/adopts ways/character of protest. The oppressor gets worried, his face goes pale.
2
har badan ki thartharaahaT1 zalzaloN2 si ho chali hai
is Ghulaami ki nasoN3 meN valvaloN4 si ho chali hai 1.trembling (with fear) 2.earthquake, shaking vigorously 3.fiber 4.passion
The bodies that used to tremble in fear have risen to shake up this land. Every fiber of subservience now throbs with passion.
3
qahqaha1 tha hasratoN2 par, us ahin3 ko choor4 kar do
GhurbatoN5 ki bastiyoN meN zulmatoN6 ko noor kar do 1.derisive laughter, making fun 2.desires, longings, demands 3.snake (hindi) 4.crush 5.poverty 6.darkness
An extremist right wing, BJP MP, tejasvi surya said in a speech that “puncture fixers” (people who fix bicycle tubes on the roadside – a derisive term used for muslims) and illiterates were demonstrating in shaheen baaGh. This she’r is in response. He laughed at our desires/goals/demands. Crush such a snake (tendency to deride/laugh). In poverty stricken neighourhoods turn darkness to light (through education).
4
tum khanik1 ho, mistry2 tum, har hunar3 ka naaz4 ho tum
phir chhiRa hai is hava se vo puraana saaz5 ho tum 1.mine labour (hindi), used here to mean manual labourer/worker 2.master mason 3.talent, skill 4.pride 5.tune, song
There was derision of manual labour and in particular of muslims as capable only of manual labour. You are skilled worker and master mason too. You are the pride of every skill. You are the cry that has risen to protest again, like the cry of protest of earlier times. This refers to the cry of ‘inqelaab zindabaad’ coined by hasrat mohani and to the even earlier cry for independence raised by fazl-ul-haq Khairabadi.
5
tifl1 bhi na jis ne baKhshe2 tum use bad-naam3 kar do
is hukoomat4 is police ki tum haqeeqat5 aa’m6 kar do 1.toddler, child 2.spare 3.used here to mean expose 4.rule 5.reality, truth 6.commonplace
Even little children were not spared by the UP police in their cruelty against demonstrators. Thus, the rule/government/power that did not even spare children, you expose them. Reveal the truth one and all.
6
shahriyat-qanoon1 ke tum sub iraade2 Khaak3 kar do
tum sitam4 ki har ibaarat5 ab jala kar raakh kar do 1.citizenship law 2.intention, scheme 3.dust 4.oppression 5.writing
Crush into dust every intention of the citizenship law. Burn to ashes every writing of oppressive orders.
7
tum shikasta1 gumbadoN2 ki sooratoN ko yaad kar lo
tum uTha kar noor-parcham3 hind ko phir shaad4 kar lo 1.broken 2.domes 3.banner of light/justice 4.happy, peaceful, thriving
This has reference to the domes of babari masjid that were destroyed by an organized mob claiming that it was built on the birthplace of ram. Remember what happened to the domes of babari masjid. Raise the banner of justice and restore peace to hindustan.
8
ab katar do beRiyaaN1 ye, hausle2 phir saKht3 kar do
deemakoN4 se tum jo Thahre, dhool ab ye taKht5 kar do 1.shackles 2.courage, determination 3.hard, strong 4.termites 5.throne, seat of power
In a public speech, amit shah, the home minister of India, referred to “illegal refugees” as “termites”. It was generally understood that he was referring to baNgla deshi muslims who supposedly migrated to/took refuge in India, but the undertone was for all muslims. Chew through your shackles, make your determination stronger. Now that you have been declared “termites” reduce the seat of power to dust.
iqra Khilji is young woman from ahmedabad. Trained as a lawyer and intends to practice law in ahmedabad. She writes very well about feminist issues. She has spent time in shaheen baaGh and participated in many “ehtejaaji mushaa’era” that were held all over India around Republic Day.
1
faiz mulzim1 jis zamiN par inqelaabi2 DhaNg us ka
chhaTpaTaata3 hai vo zaalim4 zard5 hai ab raNg us ka
1.accused, blamed 2.revolutionary, protesting 3.restlessly changing sides, worried 4.oppressor 5.pale
This recognizes that right wing extremists labeled faiz ahmed faiz’s “hum dekheNge” as “anti hindu”. It was very soon adopted as an extremely popular protest anthem throughout India. Thus, in whatever land faiz is blamed, that land shows/adopts ways/character of protest. The oppressor gets worried, his face goes pale.
2
har badan ki thartharaahaT1 zalzaloN2 si ho chali hai
is Ghulaami ki nasoN3 meN valvaloN4 si ho chali hai
1.trembling (with fear) 2.earthquake, shaking vigorously 3.fiber 4.passion
The bodies that used to tremble in fear have risen to shake up this land. Every fiber of subservience now throbs with passion.
3
qahqaha1 tha hasratoN2 par, us ahin3 ko choor4 kar do
GhurbatoN5 ki bastiyoN meN zulmatoN6 ko noor kar do
1.derisive laughter, making fun 2.desires, longings, demands 3.snake (hindi) 4.crush 5.poverty 6.darkness
An extremist right wing, BJP MP, tejasvi surya said in a speech that “puncture fixers” (people who fix bicycle tubes on the roadside – a derisive term used for muslims) and illiterates were demonstrating in shaheen baaGh. This she’r is in response. He laughed at our desires/goals. Crush such a snake (tendency to deride/laugh). In poverty stricken neighourhoods turn darkness to light (through education).
4
tum khanik1 ho, mistry2 tum, har hunar3 ka naaz4 ho tum
phir chhiRa hai is hava se vo puraana saaz5 ho tum
1.mine labour (hindi), used here to mean manual labourer/worker 2.master mason 3.talent, skill 4.pride 5.tune, song
There was derision of manual labour and in particular of muslims as capable only of manual labour. You are skilled worker and master mason too. You are the pride of every skill. You are the cry that has risen to protest again, like the cry of protest of earlier times. This refers to the cry of ‘inqelaab zindabaad’ coined by hasrat mohani and to the even earlier cry for independence raised by fazl-ul-haq Khairabadi.
5
tifl1 bhi na jis ne baKhshe2 tum use bad-naam3 kar do
is hukoomat4 is police ki tum haqeeqat5 aa’m6 kar do
1.toddler, child 2.spare 3.used here to mean expose 4.rule 5.reality, truth 6.commonplace
Even little children were not spared by the UP police in their cruelty against demonstrators. Thus, the rule/government/power that did not even spare children, you expose them. Reveal the truth one and all.
6
shahriyat-qanoon1 ke tum sub iraade2 Khaak3 kar do
tum sitam4 ki har ibaarat5 ab jala kar raakh kar do
1.citizenship law 2.intention, scheme 3.dust 4.oppression 5.writing
Crush into dust every intention of the citizenship law. Burn to ashes every writing of oppressive orders.
7
tum shikasta1 gumbadoN2 ki sooratoN ko yaad kar lo
tum uTha kar noor-parcham3 hind ko phir shaad4 kar lo
1.broken 2.domes 3.banner of light/justice 4.happy, peaceful, thriving
This has reference to the domes of babari masjid that were destroyed by an organized mob claiming that it was built on the birthplace of ram. Remember what happened to the domes of babari masjid. Raise the banner of justice and restore peace to hindustan.
8
ab katar do beRiyaaN1 ye, hausle2 phir saKht3 kar do
deemakoN4 se tum jo Thahre, dhool ab ye taKht5 kar do
1.shackles 2.courage, determination 3.hard, strong 4.termites 5.throne, seat of power
In a public speech, amit shah, the home minister of India, referred to “illegal refugees” as “termites”. It was generally understood that he was referring to baNgla deshi muslims who supposedly migrated to/took refuge in India, but the undertone was for all muslims. Chew through your shackles, make your determination stronger. Now that you have been declared “termites” reduce the seat of power to dust.
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