For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
غم آشنا رفتہ رفتہ ۔ الزبت کُرین موناؔ
۱
نظر سے جو اوجھل ہوا رفتہ رفتہ
وہ دل پر مرے چھا گیا رفتہ رفتہ
۲
ہے یہ ایک پل کی خوشی کا کرشمہ
ہوئے ہم بھی غم آشنا رفتہ رفتہ
۳
یہ کون آگیا آج دل کے چمن میں
مہکنے لگی کُل فضا رفتہ رفتہ
۴
وہ جب مسکرائے ملا کر نگاہیں
مرے دل کا غنچہ کھلا رفتہ رفتہ
۵
غمِ دل کی دولت ہے اُن کی بدولت
یہ احساس ہم کو ہوا رفتہ رفتہ
۶
نہیں ہوتی ہے پل دو پل میں محبت
کرے ہے اثر یہ نشہ رفتہ رفتہ
۷
وہ میرے یقیں کے یقیناً ہیں قابل
یقیں مجھ کو ہونے لگا رفتہ رفتہ
۸
بڑے ناز سے وہ مناتے تھے مجھ کو
کہ مٹ جاتا ہے ہر گلہ رفتہ رفتہ
۹
کبھی دل غموں سے جو ڈرتا تھا موناؔ
اُسے آرہا ہے مزا رفتہ رفتہ
ग़म-आश्ना रफ़्ता रफ़्ता – एलिज़बेत कुरियन मोना
१
नज़र से जो औझल हुआ रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
वो दिल पर मेरे छा गया रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
२
है ये एक पल की ख़ुशी का करिश्मा
हुए हम भी ग़म-आश्ना रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
३
ये कौन आ गया आज दिल के चमन में
महकने लगी कुल फ़िज़ा रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
४
वो जब मुस्कुराए मिला कर निगाहे
मेरे दिल का ग़ुंचा खिला रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
५
ग़म-ए दिल की दौलत है उन की बदौलत
ये एहसास हम को हुआ रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
६
नहीं होती है पल दो पल में मोहब्बत
करे है असर ये नश’अ रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
७
वो मेरे यक़ीं के यक़ीनन हैं क़ाबिल
यक़ीं मुझ को होने लगा रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
८
बढे नाज़ से वो मनाते थे मुझ को
के मिट जाता है हर गिला रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
९
कभी दिल ग़मौं से जो डरता था मोना
उसे आ रहा है मज़ा रफ़्ता रफ़्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now pursues her passion in poetry.
1
nazar se jo aujhal1 hua rafta rafta2
vo dil par mere chhaa gaya rafta rafta 1.disappear, hide 2.slowly, gradually
He who disappeared from my sight, gradually, spread over/overpowered my heart slowly i.e. as she started to love him, he disappeared.
2
hai ye ek pal ki Khushi ka karishma1
hue hum bhi Gham-aashna2 rafta rafta 1.miracle 2.familiar with sorrow
One moment’s joy/happiness works this miracle. I also become familiar with the pain of love gradually.
3
ye kaun aa gaya aaj dil ke chaman meN
mahakne1 lagi kul2 fiza3 rafta rafta 1.fragrant 2.total 3.air, atmoshphere, ambience
Who is this that has come into the garden my heart, today. All the air has become redolent with fragrance gradually.
4
vo jab muskuraaye mila kar nigaaheN1
mere dil ka Ghuncha2 khila rafta rafta 1.eyes 2.unopened flower bud
When he smiled looking into my eyes, my heart blossomed into a flower gradually.
5
Gham1-e dil ki daulat2 hai un ki badaulat3
ye ehsaas4 hum ko hua rafta rafta 1.pain, sorrow 2.wealth, treasure 3.because of 4.feeling
She considers the pain of love to be a treasure. She thinks that she has this treasure because of him. This feeling has dawned on her gradually.
6
nahiN hoti hai pal do pal meN mohabbat
kare hai asar1 ye nash’a2 rafta rafta 1.effect 2.intoxication
Love does not blossom in a moment or two. This intoxication grows on you, has its full effect only gradually.
7
vo mere yaqiiN1 ke yaqinan2 haiN qaabil3
yaqiN4 mujh ko hone laga rafta rafta 1.trust 2.certainly 3.able, deserving of 4.certain, sure
This is a nice word play between yaqin and yaqinan. He is certainly deserving of my trust. I gradually became certain of this.
8
baRe naaz1 se vo manaate the mujh ko
ke miT jaata hai har gila2 rafta rafta 1.style, grace 2.complaint
He makes up with me/consoles me in such style that all complaints get erased gradually.
9
kabhi dil GhamoN se jo Darta tha mona
use aa raha hai maza rafta rafta Now that the poet is tasting of love, her heart which at one time used to be afraid of the pain of love, is now beginning to enjoy it.
Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now pursues her passion in poetry.
1
nazar se jo aujhal1 hua rafta rafta2
vo dil par mere chhaa gaya rafta rafta
1.disappear, hide 2.slowly, gradually
He who disappeared from my sight, gradually, spread over/overpowered my heart slowly i.e. as she started to love him, he disappeared.
2
hai ye ek pal ki Khushi ka karishma1
hue hum bhi Gham-aashna2 rafta rafta
1.miracle 2.familiar with sorrow
One moment’s joy/happiness works this miracle. I also become familiar with the pain of love gradually.
3
ye kaun aa gaya aaj dil ke chaman meN
mahakne1 lagi kul2 fiza3 rafta rafta
1.fragrant 2.total 3.air, atmoshphere, ambience
Who is this that has come into the garden my heart, today. All the air has become redolent with fragrance gradually.
4
vo jab muskuraaye mila kar nigaaheN1
mere dil ka Ghuncha2 khila rafta rafta
1.eyes 2.unopened flower bud
When he smiled looking into my eyes, my heart blossomed into a flower gradually.
5
Gham1-e dil ki daulat2 hai un ki badaulat3
ye ehsaas4 hum ko hua rafta rafta
1.pain, sorrow 2.wealth, treasure 3.because of 4.feeling
She considers the pain of love to be a treasure. She thinks that she has this treasure because of him. This feeling has dawned on her gradually.
6
nahiN hoti hai pal do pal meN mohabbat
kare hai asar1 ye nash’a2 rafta rafta
1.effect 2.intoxication
Love does not blossom in a moment or two. This intoxication grows on you, has its full effect only gradually.
7
vo mere yaqiiN1 ke yaqinan2 haiN qaabil3
yaqiN4 mujh ko hone laga rafta rafta
1.trust 2.certainly 3.able, deserving of 4.certain, sure
This is a nice word play between yaqin and yaqinan. He is certainly deserving of my trust. I gradually became certain of this.
8
baRe naaz1 se vo manaate the mujh ko
ke miT jaata hai har gila2 rafta rafta
1.style, grace 2.complaint
He makes up with me/consoles me in such style that all complaints get erased gradually.
9
kabhi dil GhamoN se jo Darta tha mona
use aa raha hai maza rafta rafta
Now that the poet is tasting of love, her heart which at one time used to be afraid of the pain of love, is now beginning to enjoy it.
