For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
گنگا سے ۔ پروین شاکر
۱
جُگ بیتے
دجلہ سے اِک بھٹکی ہوئی لہر
جب تیرے پَوِتر چرنوں کو چھونے آئی تو
تیری ممتا نے اپنی باہیں پھیلا دیں
۲
اور تیرے ہرے کناروں پر تب
انناس اور کٹھل کے جھنڈ میں گھرے ہوئے
کھپریلوں والے گھروں کے آنگن میں کِلکاریاں گونجیں
میرے پُرکھوں کی کھیتی شاداب ہوئی
۳
اور شگُن کے تیل نے دیے کی لَو کو اونچا کیا
پھر دیکھتے دیکھتے
پیلے پھولوں اور سنہری دِیوں کی جوت
ترے پھولوں والے پُل کی قوس سے ہوتی ہوئی
مہران کی اور تک پہنچ گئی
۴
میں اُسی جوت کی ننہی کرن
پھولوں کا تھال لئے تیرے قدموں میں پھر آ بیٹھی ہوں
اور تجھ سے اب بس ایک دَیا کی طالب ہوں
۵
یوں انت سمے تک تیری جوانی ہنستی رہے
پر یہ شاداب ہنسی
کبھی تیرے کناروں کے لب سے
اتنی نہ چھلک جائے
کہ میری بستیاں ڈوبنے لگ جائیں
۶
گنگا پیاری!
یہ جان
کہ میرے روپہلے راوی اور بھورے مہران کی گیلی مٹھی میں
مری ماں کی جان چھپی ہے
مری ماں کی جان نہ لینا
مجھ سے مرا مان نہ لینا
गंगा से – पर्वीन शाकेर
१
जुग बीते
दज्ला से एक भटकी हुई लहर
जब तेरे पवीत्र चरनौं को छूने आई तो
तेरी ममता ने अपनी बाहें फैला दीं
२
और तेरे हरे किनारौं पर तब
अननास और कठल के झुन्ड में घिरे हुए
खप्रेलौं वाले घरौं के आंगन में किल्कारियां गूंजीं
मेरे पुर्खौं की खेती शादाब हुई
३
और शगुन के तेल ने दिए की लौ को ऊंचा किया
फिर देखते देखते
पीले फूलौं और सुनहरी दियौं की जोत
तेरे फूलौ वाले पुल की क़ौस से होती हुई
महरान कि ओर तक पहुंच गई
४
मैं उसी जोत की नन्ही किरन
फूलौं का थाल लिए तेरे क़द्मौं में फिर आ बैठी हूं
और तुझ से बस अब एक दया कि तालब हूं
५
यूं अंत समय तक तेरी जवानी हंस्ती रहे
पर ये शादाब हंसी
कभी तेरे किनारौं के लब से
इतनी न छलक जाए
के मेरी बस्तीयां डूबने लग जाएं
६
गंगा प्यारी
ये जान
के मेरे रुपहले रावी और भूरे महरान की गीली मिट्ठी में
मेरी मां कि जान छुपी है
मेरी मां की जान न लेना
मुझ से मेरा मान न लेना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. parvin shakir (1952-1994), English literature and linguistics, correspondent, educator, Pakistan Civil Service. Prolific writer bringing new thought and new forthright, feminist style to urdu shaa’eri. This is a very sensitive and loving hand of friendship extended to India. Also see fahmida riaz’s ‘dilli teri chhaauN’.
1
jug1 beete
dajla2 se ek bhaTki hui lahr3
jab tere pavitr4 charnoN5 ko chhoone aaii to
teri mamta ne apni baaheN phaila diN 1.ages, long time 2.Tigris, used as symbolic of muslim settlement in India 3.wave 4.pure, holy 5.feet
Ages ago, a wandering lost wave of the Tigris, came to touch your holi feet. Your nuturing motherhood spread its arms to embrace.
2
aur tere hare kinaaroN par tab
ananaas aur kaThal ke jhunD meN ghire hue
khapreloN vaale gharoN ke aaNgan meN kilkaariyaaN1 gooNjiN
mere purkhoN2 ke kheti shaadaab3 hui 1.celebratory lilting (usually associated with the middle east) 2.ancestors 3.verdant
And on your green banks, among groves of ananaas and kaThal, from the courtyards of tile-roofed houses, joyous lilting echoed. The harvest of my ancestors was plentiful.
3
aur shagun1 ke tel ne diye ki lau2 ko ooNcha kiya
phir dekhte dekhte
peele phooloN aur sunahri diyoN ki jot3
tere phooloN vaale pul ki qaus4 se hoti hui
mahraan5 ki oar6 tak pahuNch gaii 1.auspicious occasion 2.flame 3.jyoti, light 4.arch, rainbow, bridge 5.river is sindh 6.towards
And then, good fortune, raised the wick of the bright lamp. And very soon the light of your yellow flowers and golden lamps, by way of your arched rainbow/bridge, turned towards the river mehraan. Probably a reference to the migration of the poet’s forebears from the Indo-Gangetic plains to sindh.
4
maiN usi jot1 ki nanhi kiran
phooloN ki thaal liye phir tere qadmoN2 meN aa baiThi huN
aur tujh se bas ab ek daya3 ki taalib4 huN 1.light 2.feet 3.kindness, favour 4.desirous, asking
I am a small ray of that same light (which migrated to sindh). I come, sitting at your feet, bearing a tray of flowers and ask for just one favour …
5
yuN aNt1 samay2 tak teri javaani haNsti rahe
par ye shaadaab3 haNsi
kabhi tere kinaaroN ke lab4 se
itni na chhalak jaaye
ke meri bastiyaaN Doobne lag jaayeN 1.end 2.time 3.fresh, verdant 4.lips
May your youth flourish to the end of time. But may your joyous laughter not spill over your banks and drown my neighbourhood.
6
gaNga pyaari
ye jaan1
ke mere rupahle2 raavi3 aur bhoore mahraan4 ki giili miTThi meN
meri maaN ki jaan chhupi hai
meri maaN ki jaan na lena
mujh se mera maan5 na lena 1.know, be aware 2.silvery, bright 3.river raavi 4.river mahraan 5.self-respect
Dear gaNga, be aware that in the damp soil of the silvery raavi and the muddy mahraan, is hidden the body of my mother. Do not sap the her life, do not violate my self-respect.
parvin shakir (1952-1994), English literature and linguistics, correspondent, educator, Pakistan Civil Service. Prolific writer bringing new thought and new forthright, feminist style to urdu shaa’eri. This is a very sensitive and loving hand of friendship extended to India. Also see fahmida riaz’s ‘dilli teri chhaauN’.
1
jug1 beete
dajla2 se ek bhaTki hui lahr3
jab tere pavitr4 charnoN5 ko chhoone aaii to
teri mamta ne apni baaheN phaila diN
1.ages, long time 2.Tigris, used as symbolic of muslim settlement in India 3.wave 4.pure, holy 5.feet
Ages ago, a wandering lost wave of the Tigris, came to touch your holi feet. Your nuturing motherhood spread its arms to embrace.
2
aur tere hare kinaaroN par tab
ananaas aur kaThal ke jhunD meN ghire hue
khapreloN vaale gharoN ke aaNgan meN kilkaariyaaN1 gooNjiN
mere purkhoN2 ke kheti shaadaab3 hui
1.celebratory lilting (usually associated with the middle east) 2.ancestors 3.verdant
And on your green banks, among groves of ananaas and kaThal, from the courtyards of tile-roofed houses, joyous lilting echoed. The harvest of my ancestors was plentiful.
3
aur shagun1 ke tel ne diye ki lau2 ko ooNcha kiya
phir dekhte dekhte
peele phooloN aur sunahri diyoN ki jot3
tere phooloN vaale pul ki qaus4 se hoti hui
mahraan5 ki oar6 tak pahuNch gaii
1.auspicious occasion 2.flame 3.jyoti, light 4.arch, rainbow, bridge 5.river is Sindh 6.towards
And then, good fortune, raised the wick of the bright lamp. And very soon the light of your yellow flowers and golden lamps, by way of your arched rainbow/bridge, turned towards the river mehraan. Probably a reference to the migration of the poet’s forebears from the Indo-Gangetic plains to sindh.
4
maiN usi jot1 ki nanhi kiran
phooloN ki thaal liye phir tere qadmoN2 meN aa baiThi huN
aur tujh se bas ab ek daya3 ki taalib4 huN
1.light 2.feet 3.kindness, favour 4.desirous, asking
I am a small ray of that same light (which migrated to sindh). I come, sitting at your feet, bearing a tray of flowers and ask for just one favour …
5
yuN aNt1 samay2 tak teri javaani haNsti rahe
par ye shaadaab3 haNsi
kabhi tere kinaaroN ke lab4 se
itni na chhalak jaaye
ke meri bastiyaaN Doobne lag jaayeN
1.end 2.time 3.fresh, verdant 4.lips
May your youth flourish to the end of time. But may your joyous laughter not spill over your banks and drown my neighbourhood.
6
gaNga pyaari
ye jaan1
ke mere rupahle2 raavi3 aur bhoore mahraan4 ki giili miTThi meN
meri maaN ki jaan chhupi hai
meri maaN ki jaan na lena
mujh se mera maan5 na lena
1.know, be aware 2.silvery, bright 3.river raavi 4.river mahraan 5.self-respect
Dear gaNga, be aware that in the damp soil of the silvery raavi and the muddy mahraan, is hidden the body of my mother. Do not sap the her life, do not violate my self-respect.
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