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Recitation
غریب الوطنی ۔ سکندر علی وجد
۱
دُشمن کو نہ ہو رنج غریب الوطنی کا
ہر سانس پہ ہوتا ہے گماں دشنہ زنی کا
ہر پھول دِکھاتا ہے سماں بے کفنی کا
کلیوں میں بھی انداز ہے برچھے کی انی کا
۲
فرحت کے عوض ہوتا ہے دِل خون چمن میں
سبزے کی لہک آگ لگاتی ہے بدن میں
۳
برسات میں جب جھوم کے آتی ہیں گھٹائیں
میخانے لُٹاتے ہوئے پھرتی ہیں ہوائیں
کہتی ہیں چلو عیش کی گنگا میں نہائیں
غم کو خس و خاشاک کے مانند بہائیں
دِل خِرمنِ باطِل کو جلانے نہیں دیتا
شعلہ ہے مگر آگ لگانے نہیں دیتا
۴
قاتل ہیں مسافر کے لئے چاندنی راتیں
بے نور نظر آتی ہیں تاروں کی براتیں
ہر گام پہ یاد آتی ہیں احباب کی باتیں
کھاتی ہے خِرد دِل سے ہر اِک چال پہ ماتیں
۵
رُخ زرد ہی آتا ہے نظر شمس و قمر کا
انداز نرالا ہے یہاں شام و سحر کا
۶
تنہائی مصیبت پہ مصیبت ہے سفر میں
ہوُک اُٹھتی ہے دِل میں تو کبھی درد جگر میں
رہتا ہے جہاں تیرہ و تاریک نظر میں
ہر سانس پہ شعلے سے بھڑک اُٹھتے ہیں سر میں
۷
دم بھر کے لئے یاس کی گردن نہیں جھکتی
سونے میں بھی اشکوں کی روانی نہیں رُکتی
۸
گُل ہی نہیں، یاد آتا ہے ہر خار وطن کا
آنکھوں میں کھٹکتا ہے ہر اِک پھول چمن کا
مہتاب کی ضو رنگ دِکھاتی ہے کفن کا
جھولے پہ تو ہوتا ہے گماں دار و رسن کا
۹
منظر کبھی پردیس کا بھاتا نہیں کوئی
جُز یادِ وطن دِل کو لبھاتا نہیں کوئی
۱۰
دو دِن میں بدل جاتی ہے پیری میں جوانی
آتی بھی نہیں یاد محبّت کی کہانی
رہتی نہیں زوروں پہ طبیعت کی روانی
ہوتی ہے قتیلِ غمِ دِل سحر بیانی
۱۱
مِلتا ہے سکوں نالہ زنی نوحہ گری میں
کٹتی ہے رہِ عمرِ رواں بے خبری میں
۱۲
خوش بخت ہیں ناواقفِ آفاتِ زمانہ
دِل جِن کے نہیں ناوکِ دوری کا نشانہ
ہے وِردِ زباں حُسن و محبّت کا ترانہ
آنکھوں سے چھلکتی ہے مئے عیشِ شبانہ
۱۳
جوبن گُل و ریحاں کا نکھرتا ہے چمن میں
فردوس میں رہتے ہیں جو رہتے ہیں وطن میں
ग़रीब-उल-वतनी – सिकंदर अली वज्द
१
दुश्मन को न हो रंज ग़रीब-उल-वतनी का
हर सांस म्पे हटा है गुमां दुश्ना-ज़नी का
हर फूल दिखाता है समां बे-कफ़नी का
कालियों में भी अन्दाज़ है बरछे कि अनि का
२
फ़रहत के एवज़ होता है दिल ख़ून चमन में
सब्ज़े कि लहक आग लगाती है बदन में
३
बरसात में जब झूम के आती हैं घटाएं
मैख़ाने लुटाते हुए फिरती हैं हवाएं
कहती हैं चलो ऐश कि गंगा में नहाएं
ग़म को ख़स ओ ख़ाशाक के मानिन्द बहाएं
दिल ख़िर्मन-ए बातिल को जलाने नहीं देता
शो’ला है मगर आग लगाने नहीं देता
४
क़ातिल हैं मुसाफ़िर के लिए चांदनी रातें
बे-नूर नज़र आती हैं तारों कि बरातें
हर गाम पे याद आती हैं अहबाब कि बातें
खाती है ख़िरद दिल से हर एक चाल पे मातें
५
रुख़ ज़र्द ही आता है नज़र शम्स ओ क़मर का
अंदाज़ निराला है यहां शाम ओ सहर का
६
तन्हाई मुसीबत पे मुसीबत है सफ़र में
हूक उठती है दिल में तो कभी दर्द जिगर में
रहता है जहां तीरा ओ तारीक नज़र में
हर सांस पे शो’ले से भड़क उठते हैं सर में
७
दम भर के लिए यास कि गर्दन नहीं झुकती
सोने में भी अस्खौं कि रवानी नहीं रूकती
८
गुल ही नहीं, याद आता है हर ख़ार वतन का
आंखों में खटकता है हर एक फूल चमन का
महताब कि ज़ौ रंग दिखाती है कफ़न का
झूले पे तो होता है गुमां दार ओ रसन का
९
मंज़र कभी परदेस का भाता नहीं कोई
जुज़ याद-ए वतन दिल को लुभाता नहीं कोई
१०
दो दिन में बदल जाती है पीरी में जवानी
आती भी नहीं याद मोहब्बत कि कहानी
रहती नहीं ज़ोरौं पे तबिय्यत कि रवानी
होती है क़तील-ए ग़म-ए दिल सहर बयानी
११
मिलता है सुकूं नाला-ज़नी नौहा-गरी में
कटती है रह-ए उम्र-ए रवां बे-ख़बरी में
१२
ख़ुश-बख़्त हैं ना-वाक़िफ़-ए आफ़ात-ए ज़माना
दिल जिन के नहीं नावक-ए दूरी का निशाना
है विर्द-ए ज़बां हुस्न ओ मोहब्बत का तराना
आंखों से छलकती है मै-ए ऐश-ए शबाना
१३
जोबन गुल ओ रेहाँ का निखरता है चमन में
फ़िरदौस में रहते हैं जो रहते हैं वतन में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sikandar ali vajd was born in auraNgabad, but it is quite possible that he considered hyderabad his home. At the time of re-organization of states he was a judge in auraNgabad, which peeled off from the erstwhile hyderabad state and became a part of maharashtra. It is just possible that this triggered a sense of loss of home which resulted in this nazm. Also see his ode to hyderabad, and my own (shahed-shuru’aat) ‘vatan ki galiyaaN’.
1
dushman ko na ho ranj1 Gharib-ul-vatani2 ka
har saaNs pe hota hai gumaaN3 dushna-zani4 ka
har phool dikhaata hai samaaN5 be-kafani6 ka
kaliyauN meN bhi andaaz hai barchhe7 ki ani8 ka 1.sorrow 2. loss of homeland, homesickness 3.suspicion 4.cut of a dagger 5.atmosphere, ambience 6.without burial shroud, exposed, naked 7.dagger 8.point
May even an enemy not suffer the pangs of being away from home. (When you are away) every breath feels like the cut of a dagger. Normally a flower in bloom or a closed bud are considered beautiful and pleasurable. But these are not flowers of home. So to the poet an open flower appears as if exposed like a corpse without a shroud. The pointed bud looks like the point of a spear.
2
farhat1 ke evaz2 hota hai dil Khoon chaman meN
sabze3 ki lahak4 aag lagaati hai badan meN 1.pleasure 2.instead 3.greenery 4.swaying (as in a breeze)
His heart bleeds instead of getting pleasure in the garden. Swaying greenery, looks like leaping flames and sets fire to his body.
3
barsaat meN jab jhoom ke aati haiN ghaTaa’eN
maiKhaane1 luTaate hue phirti haiN havaa’eN
kahti haiN chalo aysh2 ki gaNga meN nahaa’eN
Gham ko Khas3 o Khaashaak4 ke maanind5 bahaa’eN
dil Khirman6-e baatil7 ko jalaane nahiN deta
sho’la8 hai magar aag lagaane nahiN deta 1.tavern 2.luxury 3.straw 4.dry leaves 5.like, similar to 6.harvest of 7.unreality, imagination 8.flame
Normally, rains are an occasion for celebration. When winds blow it feels as if they are serving up wine. They call for bathing in the river of luxury and blow all worries like straw and leaves. But the harvest of imagination (the memory of home) cannot be dismissed, cannot be set on fire, even though a flame is handy.
4
qaatil1 haiN musaafir2 ke liye chaandni raateN
be-noor3 nazar4 aati haiN taarauN ki baraateN
har gaam5 pe yaad aati haiN ahbaab6 ki baateN
khaati hai Khirad7 dil se har ek chaal8 pe maateN9 1.killer 2.traveller 3.without brilliance 4.appear 5.step 6.friends 7.knowledge 8.move (as in chess) 9.defeat, loss
The traveller (missing home) is sorrowful even on moonlit nights. He/she cannot see any brilliance even in a constellation of stars. At every step he remembers his friends. There is a conflict between the mind and the heart. The mind urges him to enjoy what is available, but is defeated at every step by the heart which yearns for home.
5
ruKh1 zard2 hi aata hai nazar shams3 o qamar4 ka
andaaz5 niraala6 hai yahaaN shaam o sahr7 ka 1.face 2.pale 3.sun 4.moon 5.style 6.strange 7.morning
Even the sun and moon appear pale/colourless. The mornings and the evenings of this place are strange/unusual.
6
tanhaaii1 museebat2 pe museebat hai safar3 meN
huuk4 uThti hai dil meN to kabhi dard jigar5 meN
rahta hai jahaaN6 teera7 o taareek8 nazar meN
har saaNs pe sho’le9 se bhaRak uThte haiN sar meN 1.loneliness 2.difficulty, misery 3.travel 4.pain (of longing) 5.liver 6.world 7.black 8.dark 9.flames
Loneliness of travel is like misery upon misery. A pain rises in the heart and the whole world appears dark and cheerless. Every breath is as if the head is bursting into flames.
7
dum1 bhar ke liye yaas2 ki gardan nahiN jhukti
sone meN bhi ashkauN3 ki ravaani4 nahiN rukti 1.moment 2.yearning 3.tears 4.flow
Yearning does not give up, even for a moment. The flow of tears continues even in sleep.
8
gul1 hi nahiN, yaad aata hai har Khaar2 vatan ka
aaNkhauN meN khaTakta hai har ek phool chaman ka
mahtaab3 ki zau4 raNg dikhaati hai kafan5 ka
jhoole pe to hota hai gumaaN6 daar-o-rasan7 ka 1.flowers 2.thorn 3.full moon 4.light 5.burial shroud 6.suspicion 7.hangman’s platform and rope
He remembers/misses not just flowers but every thorn of the homeland. Blooming flowers around appear painful (because they remind him of what he is missing). The light of the moon appears like the colour (white) of a burial shroud and even swings look like a hangman’s noose.
9
manzar1 kabhi pardes ka bhaata nahiN koii
juz2 yaad-e vatan dil ko lubhaata3 nahiN koii 1.scene 2.except for 3.pleases, comforts
No scene of the foreign land sooths. Except for the memory of the homeland, nothing gives comfort.
10
do din meN badal jaati hai piiri1 meN javaani
aati bhi nahiN yaad mohabbat ki kahaani
rahti nahiN zorauN2 pe tabi’yyat3 ki ravaani4
hoti hai qateel5-e Gham-e dil sahr-bayaani6 1.old age 2.strength, vigour 3.feeling 4.flow 5.killed, victim 6.morning song, poetic composition/verse
In a few days the traveler loses his youth. He cannot even remember the stories of his young love. There is no vigour in the flow of his feelings. His poetic verse falls victim to the sorrow of his heart.
11
milta hai sukooN1 naala-zani2, nauha-gari3 meN
kaTti hai rah4-e umr5-e ravaaN6 be-Khabari7 meN 1.comfort 2.wailing 3.sorrowful singing 4.path 5.age/time 6.flowing 7.unaware, lost, trance-like
The only comfort is wailing and sorrowful singing. Time flows as if in a trance, mechanically doing what needs to be done.
12
Khush-baKht1 haiN na-vaaqif2-e aafaat3-e zamaana4
dil jin ke nahiN naavak5-e duuri ka nishaana
hai vird6-e zabaaN husn7 o mohabbat ka taraana
aaNkhauN se chhalakti8 hai mai9-e aysh10-e shabaana11 1.good fortune 2.unfamiliar with, not experience 3.calamities of 4.times 5.arrow 6.repetition (as in chanting) 7.beauty 8.overflows 9.wine 10.luxury 11.evening/night
They are fortunate, who have not eperienced the calamities of times, those whose hearts have not been targets of the arrows of distance (from home). Chants of songs of love/happiness are on their lips. Their eyes brim with the wine of luxuries of the evening.
13
joban1 gul2 o rehaaN3 ka nikharta4 hai chaman meN
firdaus5 meN rahte haiN jo rahte haiN vatan6 meN 1.youth 2.rose 3.fragrant herb 4.freshens 5.heaven 6.homeland
The garden (of home) is fresh with the fragrance of rose and herbs. Those who live in the homeland, live like they are in heaven.
sikandar ali vajd was born in auraNgabad, but it is quite possible that he considered hyderabad his home. At the time of re-organization of states he was a judge in auraNgabad, which peeled off from the erstwhile hyderabad state and became a part of maharashtra. It is just possible that this triggered a sense of loss of home which resulted in this nazm. Also see his ode to hyderabad, and my own(shahed-shuru’aat) ‘vatan ki galiyaaN’.
1
dushman ko na ho ranj1 Gharib-ul-vatani2 ka
har saaNs pe hota hai gumaaN3 dushna-zani4 ka
har phool dikhaata hai samaaN5 be-kafani6 ka
kaliyauN meN bhi andaaz hai barchhe7 ki ani8 ka
1.sorrow 2.loss of homeland, homesickness 3.suspicion 4.cut of a dagger 5.atmosphere, ambience 6.without burial shroud, exposed, naked 7.dagger 8.point
May even an enemy not suffer the pangs of being away from home. (When you are away) every breath feels like the cut of a dagger. Normally a flower in bloom or a closed bud are considered beautiful and pleasurable. But these are not flowers of home. So to the poet an open flower appears as if exposed like a corpse without a shroud. The pointed bud looks like the point of a spear.
2
farhat1 ke evaz2 hota hai dil Khoon chaman meN
sabze3 ki lahak4 aag lagaati hai badan meN
1.pleasure 2.instead 3.greenery 4.swaying (as in a breeze)
His heart bleeds instead of getting pleasure in the garden. Swaying greenery, looks like leaping flames and sets fire to his body.
3
barsaat meN jab jhoom ke aati haiN ghaTaa’eN
maiKhaane1 luTaate hue phirti haiN havaa’eN
kahti haiN chalo aysh2 ki gaNga meN nahaa’eN
Gham ko Khas3 o Khaashaak4 ke maanind5 bahaa’eN
dil Khirman6-e baatil7 ko jalaane nahiN deta
sho’la8 hai magar aag lagaane nahiN deta
1.tavern 2.luxury 3.straw 4.dry leaves 5.like, similar to 6.harvest of 7.unreality, imagination 8.flame
Normally, rains are an occasion for celebration. When winds blow it feels as if they are serving up wine. They call for bathing in the river of luxury and blow all worries like straw and leaves. But the harvest of imagination (the memory of home) cannot be dismissed, cannot be set on fire, even though a flame is handy.
4
qaatil1 haiN musaafir2 ke liye chaandni raateN
be-noor3 nazar4 aati haiN taarauN ki baraateN
har gaam5 pe yaad aati haiN ahbaab6 ki baateN
khaati hai Khirad7 dil se har ek chaal8 pe maateN9
1.killer 2.traveller 3.without brilliance 4.appear 5.step 6.friends 7.knowledge 8.move (as in chess) 9.defeat, loss
The traveller (missing home) is sorrowful even on moonlit nights. He/she cannot see any brilliance even in a constellation of stars. At every step he remembers his friends. There is a conflict between the mind and the heart. The mind urges him to enjoy what is available, but is defeated at every step by the heart which yearns for home.
5
ruKh1 zard2 hi aata hai nazar shams3 o qamar4 ka
andaaz5 niraala6 hai yahaaN shaam o sahr7 ka
1.face 2.pale 3.sun 4.moon 5.style 6.strange 7.morning
Even the sun and moon appear pale/colourless. The mornings and the evenings of this place are strange/unusual.
6
tanhaaii1 museebat2 pe museebat hai safar3 meN
huuk4 uThti hai dil meN to kabhi dard jigar5 meN
rahta hai jahaaN6 teera7 o taareek8 nazar meN
har saaNs pe sho’le9 se bhaRak uThte haiN sar meN
1.loneliness 2.difficulty, misery 3.travel 4.pain (of longing) 5.liver 6.world 7.black 8.dark 9.flames
Loneliness of travel is like misery upon misery. A pain rises in the heart and the whole world appears dark and cheerless. Every breath is as if the head is bursting into flames.
7
dum1 bhar ke liye yaas2 ki gardan nahiN jhukti
sone meN bhi ashkauN3 ki ravaani4 nahiN rukti
1.moment 2.yearning 3.tears 4.flow
Yearning does not give up, even for a moment. The flow of tears continues even in sleep.
8
gul1 hi nahiN, yaad aata hai har Khaar2 vatan ka
aaNkhauN meN khaTakta hai har ek phool chaman ka
mahtaab3 ki zau4 raNg dikhaati hai kafan5 ka
jhoole pe to hota hai gumaaN6 daar-o-rasan7 ka
1.flowers 2.thorn 3.full moon 4.light 5.burial shroud 6.suspicion 7.hangman’s platform and rope
He remembers/misses not just flowers but every thorn of the homeland. Blooming flowers around appear painful (because they remind him of what he is missing). The light of the moon appears like the colour (white) of a burial shroud and even swings look like a hangman’s noose.
9
manzar1 kabhi pardes ka bhaata nahiN koii
juz2 yaad-e vatan dil ko lubhaata3 nahiN koii
1.scene 2.except for 3.pleases, comforts
No scene of the foreign land sooths. Except for the memory of the homeland, nothing gives comfort.
10
do din meN badal jaati hai piiri1 meN javaani
aati bhi nahiN yaad mohabbat ki kahaani
rahti nahiN zorauN2 pe tabi’yyat3 ki ravaani4
hoti hai qateel5-e Gham-e dil sahr-bayaani6
1.old age 2.strength, vigour 3.feeling 4.flow 5.killed, victim 6.morning song, poetic composition/verse
In a few days the traveler loses his youth. He cannot even remember the stories of his young love. There is no vigour in the flow of his feelings. His poetic verse falls victim to the sorrow of his heart.
11
milta hai sukooN1 naala-zani2, nauha-gari3 meN
kaTti hai rah4-e umr5-e ravaaN6 be-Khabari7 meN
1.comfort 2.wailing 3.sorrowful singing 4.path 5.age/time 6.flowing 7.unaware, lost, trance-like
The only comfort is wailing and sorrowful singing. Time flows as if in a trance, mechanically doing what needs to be done.
12
Khush-baKht1 haiN na-vaaqif2-e aafaat3-e zamaana4
dil jin ke nahiN naavak5-e duuri ka nishaana
hai vird6-e zabaaN husn7 o mohabbat ka taraana
aaNkhauN se chhalakti8 hai mai9-e aysh10-e shabaana11
1.good fortune 2.unfamiliar with, not experience 3.calamities of 4.times 5.arrow 6.repetition (as in chanting) 7.beauty 8.overflows 9.wine 10.luxury 11.evening/night
They are fortunate, who have not eperienced the calamities of times, those whose hearts have not been targets of the arrows of distance (from home). Chants of songs of love/happiness are on their lips. Their eyes brim with the wine of luxuries of the evening.
13
joban1 gul2 o rehaaN3 ka nikharta4 hai chaman meN
firdaus5 meN rahte haiN jo rahte haiN vatan6 meN
1.youth 2.rose 3.fragrant herb 4.freshens 5.heaven 6.homeland
The garden (of home) is fresh with the fragrance of rose and herbs. Those who live in the homeland, live like they are in heaven.
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