For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
دھوکا کیا ہے ۔ رام پرکاش ساحرؔ ہوشیارپوری
۱
پھول بکھرے ہیں زمیں پر یہ تماشا کیا ہے
چشمِ بینا، یہ حقیقت ہے تو دھوکا کیا ہے
۲
کھائے سَو زخم تو اک پھول تبسم کا ملا
تم نہ سمجھوگے مرے شوق کی دنیا کیا ہے
۳
ٹوٹ جائے گا یہ احساس کی اک ٹھوکر سے
کچّی مِٹّی کا گھروندا ہے تمنّا کیا ہے
۴
کوئی موسم ہو کبھی دل کا کنول کھل نہ سکا
زندگی! اور ترا مجھ سے تقاضا کیا ہے
۵
رُت جوانی کی جو بیتی تو سمجھ میں آیا
ڈھلتے سورج سے چڑھے چاند کا رشتہ کیا ہے
۶
چند سانسوں کی مہک، چند خیالات کی ضو
اور ہم اہلِ کرامت کا اثاثہ کیا ہے
۷
حسنِ خود بیں کو بتا دے کوئی اِتنا ساحرؔ
ہے بگڑنا جو مقدّر تو سنورنا کیا ہے
धोका क्या है – राम प्रकाश साहिर होश्यारपूरी
१
फूल बिख्रे हैं ज़मीं पर ये तमाशा क्या है
चश्म-ए बीना, ये हक़ीक़त है तो धोका क्या है
२
खाए सौ ज़ख़्म तो एक फूल तबस्सुम का मिला
तुम न समझोगे मेरे शौक़ की दुनिया क्या है
३
टूट जाएगा ये एहसास की एक ठोकर से
कच्ची मिट्टी का घरोंदा है तमन्ना क्या है
४
कोई मोसम हो, कभी दिल का कंवल खिल न सका
ज़िन्दगी! और तेरा मुझ से तक़ाज़ा क्या है
५
रुत जवानी की जो बीती तो समझ में आया
ढलते सूरज से चढे चांद का रिश्ता क्या है
६
चंद सांसौं कि महक, चंद ख़यालात कि ज़ौ
और हम अहल-ए करामत का असासा क्या है
७
हुस्न-ए ख़ुद-बीं को बता दे कोई इतना साहिर
है बिगढना जो मुक़द्दर तो संवरना क्या है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is one of two by ramprakash sahir, modeled after Ghalib’s ‘ya ilaahi ye maajra kya hai’ and can be considered a tribute to the master. I date this at 1947 (150 years of Ghalib’s birth).
1
phool bikhre haiN zamiN par ye tamaasha1 kya hai
chashm-e-biina2, ye haqiiqat3 hai to dhoka4 kya hai 1.display, scene, spectacle 2.discerning eye 3.truth, reality 4.deception, illusion, hidden
If ‘tamaasha’ is interpreted to mean a beautiful display – then, there are flowers blooming all over the land. If you interpret this to be ‘haqiiqat’, then you miss out on the meaning of ‘dhoka’. Blooming flowers don’t last very long. Thus the attractions of the material world are all ‘maaya’ and not to be taken as reality. ‘chashm-e biina’ – the discerning eye should be able to see through this.
2
khaaye sau zaKhm1 to ek phool tabassum2 ka mila
tum na samjhoge mere shauq3 ki duniya kya hai 1.wounds 2.smile 3.desire, love
The poet/suitor has suffered a hundred wounds at the hands of the beloved. Only after all this torture did he get an occasional smile, but he still persists. She will never understand the steadfast love that drives him.
3
TooT jaayega ye ehsaas1 ki ek Thokar2 se
kachchi miTTi ka gharonda hai tamanna3 kya hai 1.feelings, sentiments 2.kick 3.desire, yearning, love
The sentimental heart of the poet/suitor is fragile, like an unfired clay pot/toy. One slight kick and it will breat into pieces.
4
koii mosam ho, kabhi dil ka kaNval khil na saka
zindagi! aur tera mujh se taqaaza1 kya hai 1.demand
The poet/lover has never had the lotus of love bloom in any season. He has tried everything. What else can he do to get his dreams realized, what else is life demanding from him.
5
rut1 javaani ki jo biiti to samajh meN aaya
Dhalte2 sooraj se chaRhe chaand ka rishta3 kya hai 1.season 2.setting, disappearing 3.relationship
The passing of youth is like the setting sun. ‘chaRha chaand’ may be interpreted as the ascending moon – let us say a few days after new moon when the crescent is high enough to be visible. Such a ‘chaRha chaand’ does not last long in the sky. It sets soon after sunset. Thus, the poet is likening it to old age and its setting to death.
6
chand1 saaNsoN ki mahak2, chand1 Khayaalaat3 ki zau4
aur ham ahl-e-karaamat5 ka asaasa6 kya hai 1.a few 2.fragrance 3.thoughts, dreams 4.brilliance 5.people of miracles, people who perform miracles 6.basis, foundation
Here ‘people who perform miracles’ are poets. They create beautiful images. The basis of their actions is the fragrance of a few breaths/words and the brilliance of few dreams, nothing else.
7
husn1-e Khud-biiN2 ko bataa de koii itna saahir3
hai bigaRna jo muqaddar4 to saNvarna kya hai 1.beauty 2.self-regarding 3.pen-name of the poet 4.fate
‘husn-e Khud-biiN’ – self-regarding beauty can either be the beloved, in an egotistical sense or it can be god, in the sense he/she is the only one who can regard him/herself. In either case it is the actions/decisions of the the self-regarding beauty that have given the poet/suitor/devotee a bad fate. Because that is the case, someone had better ask him/her what they are going to do about improving his fate.
ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is one of two by ramprakash sahir, modeled after Ghalib’s ‘ya ilaahi ye maajra kya hai’ and can be considered a tribute to the master. I date this at 1947 (150 years of Ghalib’s birth).
1
phool bikhre haiN zamiN par ye tamaasha1 kya hai
chashm-e-biina2, ye haqiiqat3 hai to dhoka4 kya hai
1.display, scene, spectacle 2.discerning eye 3.truth, reality 4.deception, illusion, hidden
If ‘tamaasha’ is interpreted to mean a beautiful display – then, there are flowers blooming all over the land. If you interpret this to be ‘haqiiqat’, then you miss out on the meaning of ‘dhoka’. Blooming flowers don’t last very long. Thus the attractions of the material world are all ‘maaya’ and not to be taken as reality. ‘chashm-e biina’ – the discerning eye should be able to see through this.
2
khaaye sau zaKhm1 to ek phool tabassum2 ka mila
tum na samjhoge mere shauq3 ki duniya kya hai
1.wounds 2.smile 3.desire, love
The poet/suitor has suffered a hundred wounds at the hands of the beloved. Only after all this torture did he get an occasional smile, but he still persists. She will never understand the steadfast love that drives him.
3
TooT jaayega ye ehsaas1 ki ek Thokar2 se
kachchi miTTi ka gharonda hai tamanna3 kya hai
1.feelings, sentiments 2.kick 3.desire, yearning, love
The sentimental heart of the poet/suitor is fragile, like an unfired clay pot/toy. One slight kick and it will breat into pieces.
4
koii mosam ho, kabhi dil ka kaNval khil na saka
zindagi! aur tera mujh se taqaaza1 kya hai
1.demand
The poet/lover has never had the lotus of love bloom in any season. He has tried everything. What else can he do to get his dreams realized, what else is life demanding from him.
5
rut1 javaani ki jo biiti to samajh meN aaya
Dhalte2 sooraj se chaRhe chaand ka rishta3 kya hai
1.season 2.setting, disappearing 3.relationship
The passing of youth is like the setting sun. ‘chaRha chaand’ may be interpreted as the ascending moon – let us say a few days after new moon when the crescent is high enough to be visible. Such a ‘chaRha chaand’ does not last long in the sky. It sets soon after sunset. Thus, the poet is likening it to old age and its setting to death.
6
chand1 saaNsoN ki mahak2, chand1 Khayaalaat3 ki zau4
aur ham ahl-e-karaamat5 ka asaasa6 kya hai
1.a few 2.fragrance 3.thoughts, dreams 4.brilliance 5.people of miracles, people who perform miracles 6.basis, foundation
Here ‘people who perform miracles’ are poets. They create beautiful images. The basis of their actions is the fragrance of a few breaths/words and the brilliance of few dreams, nothing else.
7
husn1-e Khud-biiN2 ko bataa de koii itna saahir3
hai bigaRna jo muqaddar4 to saNvarna kya hai
1.beauty 2.self-regarding 3.pen-name of the poet 4.fate
‘husn-e Khud-biiN’ – self-regarding beauty can either be the beloved, in an egotistical sense or it can be god, in the sense he/she is the only one who can regard him/herself. In either case it is the actions/decisions of the the self-regarding beauty that have given the poet/suitor/devotee a bad fate. Because that is the case, someone had better ask him/her what they are going to do about improving his fate.
