For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
Ghulaam abbaas
غزالوں کی طرح ۔ جاں نثار اخترؔ
۱
ہم سے بھاگا نہ کرو دور غزالوں کی طرح
ہم نے چاہا ہے تمہیں چاہنے والوں کی طرح
۲
خودبخود نیند سی آنکھوں میں گھلی جاتی ہے
مہکی مہکی ہے شبِ غم ترے بالوں کی طرح
۳
تیرے بن رات کے ہاتھوں پہ یہ تاروں کے ایاغ
خوبصورت ہیں مگر زہر کے پیالوں کی طرح
۴
اور کیا اس سے زیادہ کوئی نرمی برتوں
دل کے زخموں کو چھوا ہے ترے گالوں کی طرح
۵
گنگناتے ہوئے در آ کبھی اُن سینوں میں
تیری خاطر جو مہکتے ہیں شوالوں کی طرح
۶
تیری زلفیں تری آنکھیں ترے ابرو ترے لب
اب بھی مشہور ہیں دنیا میں مثالوں کی طرح
۷
ہم سے مایوس نہ ہو اے شب دوراں کہ ابھی
دل میں کچھ درد چمکتے ہیں اجالوں کی طرح
۸
مجھ سے نظریں تو ملاؤ کہ ہزاروں چہرے
میری آنکھوں میں سلگتے ہیں سوالوں کی طرح
۹
اور تو مجھ کو ملا کیا مری محنت کا صلہ
چند سکے ہیں مرے ہاتھ میں چھالوں کی طرح
۱۰
جستجو نے کسی منزل پہ ٹھہرنے نہ دیا
ہم بھٹکتے رہے آوارہ خیالوں کی طرح
۱۱
زندگی جس کو ترا پیار ملا وہ جانے
ہم تو ناکام رہے چاہنے والوں کی طرح
ग़ज़ालों की तरह – जां निसार अख़्तर
१
हम से भागा न करो दूर ग़ज़ालों की तरह
हम ने चाहा है तुम्हें चाहने वालों की तरह
२
ख़ुद-ब-ख़ुद नींद सी आँखों में घुली जाती है
महकी महकी है शब-ए ग़म तिरे बालों की तरह
३
तेरे बिन रात के हाथों पे ये तारों के अयाग़
ख़ूब-सूरत हैं मगर ज़हर के प्यालों की तरह
४
और क्या इस से ज़्यादा कोई नर्मी बरतूँ
दिल के ज़ख़्मों को छुआ है तेरे गालों की तरह
५
गुनगुनाते हुए दर आ कभी उन सीनों में
तेरी ख़ातर जो महकते हैं शिवालों की तरह
६
तेरी ज़ुल्फ़ें तेरी आँखें तेरे अब्रू तेरे लब
अब भी मश्हूर हैं दुनिया में मिसालों की तरह
७
हम से मायूस न हो अए शब-ए दौराँ के अभी
दिल में कुछ दर्द चमकते हैं उजालों की तरह
८
मुझ से नज़्रें तो मिलाओ के हज़ारों चेहरे
मेरी आँखों में सुलगते हैं सवालों की तरह
९
और तो मुझ को मिला क्या मेरी मेहनत का सिला
चंद सिक्के हैं मेरे हाथ में छालों की तरह
१०
जुस्तुजू ने किसी मंज़िल पे ठहरने न दिया
हम भटकते रहे आवारा ख़यालों की तरह
११
ज़िंदगी जिस को तेरा प्यार मिला वो जाने
हम तो नाकाम रहे चाहने वालों की तरह
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed jaaN nisaar husain razvi, aKhtar (1914-1976) romantic, progressive and revolutionary. Worked in academics and in cinema. Both his father (muztar Khairabadi) and his son (javed aKhtar) are noted poets. This is one of a series of nazm/Ghazal with the radeef ‘ki tarah’ linked under the page ‘radeef-refrain’ with the icon ‘dulhan ki tarah’ named after a poignant Ghazal of parveen shakir.
1
ham se bhaagaa na karo duur GhazaaloN1 ki tarah
ham ne chaahaa hai tumheN chaahne vaaloN ki tarah 1.deer, gazelle
The gazelle is often used as a symbol of a large eyed beauty, watchful and afraid, running away at the slightest misgiving. Thus, don’t run away from me like a scared gazelle. I have loved you like a true lover.
2
Khud-ba-Khud1 niind si aaNkhoN meN ghulii2 jaatii hai
mahki3 mahki hai shab4-e Gham tere baaloN ki tarah 1.by itself, without trying 2.dissolved 3.fragrance spreading 4.night
Normally the poet/lover spends the night of sorrow (of separation) sleepless and agitated. But for some unstated reason, all by itself, “sleep dissolves in his eyes” i.e., he falls into a gentle sleep-like, peaceful daydream. The night of separation is fragrant like the beloved’s hair.
3
tere bin1 raat ke haathoN pe ye taaroN ke ayaaGh2
Khuub-suurat haiN magar zahr ke pyaaloN ki tarah 1.without 2.cup
The shaa’er likens stars to cups (of wine), perhaps because the beloved’s eyes also shine like stars and are intoxicating (cups of wine). The night holds cups of wine (stars) in its hand and offers it to the poet/lover, but without the beloved these cups, even though they are beautiful, are like cups of poison.
4
aur kya is se ziyaada1 koii narmii2 bartuuN3
dil ke zaKhmoN ko chhuaa hai tere gaaloN4 ki tarah 1.more 2.softness, gentleness 3.use 4.cheeks
How much more gentleness/softness can I use. I have rubbed the wounds of my heart gently, like touching your cheeks.
5
gungunaate1 hue dar2 aa kabhii un siinoN3 meN
terii Khaatir4 jo mahakte5 haiN shivaaloN6 ki tarah 1.humming, softly singing 2.enter, break into 3.bosom, heart 4.for the sake of 5.give fragrance 6.shiv temple, temple
Come, humming a song and enter uimpeded, the hearts that are fragrant like temples, waiting for you.
6
terii zulfeN1, terii aaNkheN, tere abruu2, tere lab3
ab bhii mash’huur4 haiN duniya meN misaaloN5 ki tarah 1.hair 2.eyebrows 3.lips 4.famous 5.example
Your hair, your eyes, your eyebrows and your lips are still famous and are talked about as examples/standards of beauty.
7
mujh se nazreN1 to milaao keh hazaaroN chehre2
merii aaNkhoN meN sulagte3 haiN savaaloN4 ki tarah 1.eyes 2.faces 3.glow, burn 4.questions
Look at me directly in the eyes and see that a thousand images of your face glow in them like questions (asking you to reciprocate my love). I am tempted to stretch the interpretation to the progressive/socialist possibility. This could be a call to look into the eyes of the oppressed and see the thousands of questions they have about justice.
8
mujh se nazreN1 to milaao keh hazaaroN chehre2
merii aaNkhoN meN sulagte3 haiN savaaloN4 ki tarah 1.eyes 2.faces 3.glow, burn 4.questions
Look at me directly in the eyes and see that a thousand images of your face glow in them like questions (asking you to reciprocate my love). I am tempted to stretch the interpretation to the progressive/socialist possibility. This could be a call to look into the eyes of the oppressed and see the thousands of questions they have about justice.
9
aur to mujh ko milaa kya merii mehnat1 ka sila2
chand3 sikke4 haiN mere haath meN chhaaloN5 ki tarah 1.hard work 2.compensation, reward 3.a few 4.coins 5.blisters
What else did I get for my hard work except a few coins like blisters in my palms.
10
justujuu1 ne kisii manzil2 pe Thaharne na diyaa
ham bhaTakte3 rahe aavaara4 KhayaaloN5 ki tarah 1.search 2.way station on the way to the destination 3.wander 4.lost, incoherent 5.thoughts
The poet/seeker is on a mission to his destination. His passion/search does not let him stop any where. He keeps searching, keeps wandering like confused/incoherent thoughts. This has an energetic undertone … we will keep searching for our destination.
11
zindagii jis ko tera pyaar milaa vo jaane
ham to naakaam1 rahe chaahne vaaloN ki tarah 1.unsuccessful
O life, those who have received your love will know. We have not been successful like true lovers are. This again has the same energetic undertone of the previous she’r – true lovers are passionate in their effort, even if they have not been successful.
syed jaaN nisaar husain razvi, aKhtar (1914-1976) romantic, progressive and revolutionary. Worked in academics and in cinema. Both his father (muztar Khairabadi) and his son (javed aKhtar) are noted poets. This is one of a series of nazm/Ghazal with the radeef ‘ki tarah’ linked under the page ‘radeef-refrain’ with the icon ‘dulhan ki tarah’ named after a poignant Ghazal of parveen shakir.
1
ham se bhaagaa na karo duur GhazaaloN1 ki tarah
ham ne chaahaa hai tumheN chaahne vaaloN ki tarah
1.deer, gazelle
The gazelle is often used as a symbol of a large eyed beauty, watchful and afraid, running away at the slightest misgiving. Thus, don’t run away from me like a scared gazelle. I have loved you like a true lover.
2
Khud-ba-Khud1 niind si aaNkhoN meN ghulii2 jaatii hai
mahki3 mahki hai shab4-e Gham tere baaloN ki tarah
1.by itself, without trying 2.dissolved 3.fragrance spreading 4.night
Normally the poet/lover spends the night of sorrow (of separation) sleepless and agitated. But for some unstated reason, all by itself, “sleep dissolves in his eyes” i.e., he falls into a gentle sleep-like, peaceful daydream. The night of separation is fragrant like the beloved’s hair.
3
tere bin1 raat ke haathoN pe ye taaroN ke ayaaGh2
Khuub-suurat haiN magar zahr ke pyaaloN ki tarah
1.without 2.cup
The shaa’er likens stars to cups (of wine), perhaps because the beloved’s eyes also shine like stars and are intoxicating (cups of wine). The night holds cups of wine (stars) in its hand and offers it to the poet/lover, but without the beloved these cups, even though they are beautiful, are like cups of poison.
4
aur kya is se ziyaada1 koii narmii2 bartuuN3
dil ke zaKhmoN ko chhuaa hai tere gaaloN4 ki tarah
1.more 2.softness, gentleness 3.use 4.cheeks
How much more gentleness/softness can I use. I have rubbed the wounds of my heart gently, like touching your cheeks.
5
gungunaate1 hue dar2 aa kabhii un siinoN3 meN
terii Khaatir4 jo mahakte5 haiN shivaaloN6 ki tarah
1.humming, softly singing 2.enter, break into 3.bosom, heart 4.for the sake of 5.give fragrance 6.shiv temple, temple
Come, humming a song and enter uimpeded, the hearts that are fragrant like temples, waiting for you.
6
terii zulfeN1, terii aaNkheN, tere abruu2, tere lab3
ab bhii mash’huur4 haiN duniya meN misaaloN5 ki tarah
1.hair 2.eyebrows 3.lips 4.famous 5.example
Your hair, your eyes, your eyebrows and your lips are still famous and are talked about as examples/standards of beauty.
7
ham se maayuus1 na ho aye shab2-e dauraaN3 keh abhii
dil meN kuchh dard chamakte haiN ujaaloN4 ki tarah
1.disappointed, hopeless 2.night 3.times, present period 4.light
The times are dark – oppressed and hopeless. The night of sorrow is looking for lamps/lights. O darkness of the night of present times, don’t lose hope in us. We still have some hearts that shine like lamps with the light of pain. This could well mean the darkness of an oppressive social system and the light of hope offered by progressive poets.
8
mujh se nazreN1 to milaao keh hazaaroN chehre2
merii aaNkhoN meN sulagte3 haiN savaaloN4 ki tarah
1.eyes 2.faces 3.glow, burn 4.questions
Look at me directly in the eyes and see that a thousand images of your face glow in them like questions (asking you to reciprocate my love). I am tempted to stretch the interpretation to the progressive/socialist possibility. This could be a call to look into the eyes of the oppressed and see the thousands of questions they have about justice.
9
aur to mujh ko milaa kya merii mehnat1 ka sila2
chand3 sikke4 haiN mere haath meN chhaaloN5 ki tarah
1.hard work 2.compensation, reward 3.a few 4.coins 5.blisters
What else did I get for my hard work except a few coins like blisters in my palms.
10
justujuu1 ne kisii manzil2 pe Thaharne na diyaa
ham bhaTakte3 rahe aavaara4 KhayaaloN5 ki tarah
1.search 2.way station on the way to the destination 3.wander 4.lost, incoherent 5.thoughts
The poet/seeker is on a mission to his destination. His passion/search does not let him stop any where. He keeps searching, keeps wandering like confused/incoherent thoughts. This has an energetic undertone … we will keep searching for our destination.
11
zindagii jis ko tera pyaar milaa vo jaane
ham to naakaam1 rahe chaahne vaaloN ki tarah
1.unsuccessful
O life, those who have received your love will know. We have not been successful like true lovers are. This again has the same energetic undertone of the previous she’r – true lovers are passionate in their effort, even if they have not been successful.
