For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ahmad faraz
گماں ہونے لگا تصویر کا ۔ احمد فرازؔ
۱
منتظر کب سے تحیُّر ہے تری تقریر کا
بات کر، تجھ پر گماں ہونے لگا تصویر کا
۲
رات کیا سوئے کہ باقی عمر کی نیند اُڑ گئی
خواب کیا دیکھا، کہ دھڑکا لگ گیا تعبیر کا
۳
کیسے پایا تھا تجھے پھر کس طرح کھویا تجھے
مجھ سا منکر بھی تو قائل ہو گیا تقدیر کا
۴
جس طرح بادل کا سایہ پیاس بھڑکاتا رہے
میں نے یہ عالم بھی دیکھا ہے تری تصویر کا
۵
جانے کس عالم میں تو بچھڑا کہ ہے تیرے بغیر
آج تک ہر نقش فریادی مری تحریر کا
۶
عشق میں سر پھوڑنا بھی کیا، کہ یہ بے مہر لوگ
جوئے خوں کو نام دے دیتے ہیں جوئے شیر کا
۷
جس کو بھی چاہا اُسے شِدّت سے چاہا ہے فرازؔ
سلسلہ ٹوٹا نہیں ہے درد کی زنجیر کا
गुमाँ होने लगा तस्वीर का – अहमद फ़राज़
१
मुंतज़िर कब से तहय्युर है तेरी तक़्रीर का
बात कर, तुझ पर गुमाँ होने लगा तस्वीर का
२
रात क्या सोए के बाक़ी उम्र की नींद उड़ गई
ख़्वाब क्या देखा के धड़का लग गया ताबीर का
३
कैसे पाया था तुझे फिर किस तरह खोया तुझे
मुझ सा मुंकिर भी तो क़ाएल हो गया तक़्दीर का
४
जिस तरह बादल का साया प्यास भड़काता रहे
मैं ने ये आलम भी देखा है तेरी तस्वीर का
५
जाने किस आलम में तू बिछड़ा के है तेरे बग़ैर
आज तक हर नक़्श फ़र्यादी मेरी तहरीर का
६
इश्क़ में सर फोड़ना भी क्या के ये बे-मेहर लोग
जू-ए-ख़ूँ को नाम दे देते हैं जू-ए-शीर का
७
जिस को भी चाहा उसे शिद्दत से चाहा है फ़राज़
सिल्सिला टूटा नहीं है दर्द की ज़ंजीर का
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s lead Ghazal ‘shooKhi-e tahriir ka’. In his oral recitation, faraz acknowledges Ghalib, as he also seems to do in several ash’aar including the matla. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
muntazir1 kab se tahayyur2 hai teri taqriir3 ka
baat kar, tujh par gumaaN4 hone laga tasviir ka 1.expectant, eager, waiting 2.amazement (admiration) 3.speech 4.suspicion
There are three possibilities depending on who you choose the ‘teri’ and ‘tujh’ to be. (a) the beloved – she has been silent for a long time. The poet/lover is eagerly expecting to hear her amazing voice. Speak, or I might suspect that you are only an image (b) god – the poet/sufi wants to hear god to make sure that it is not just imagination and (c) Ghalib – the poet would like to hear his amazing Ghazal. He has been silent far too long (there has not been another like him).
2
raat kya so’e keh baaqi1 umr2 ki niiNd uR gaii
Khwaab kya dekha keh dhaRka3 lag gaya taabiir4 ka 1.remaining 2.life 3.fearful throbbing of the heart 4.interpretation, fulfilment
The restless/sleepless poet/lover finally fell asleep and had a dream. This is guaranteed to rob him of his sleep for the rest of his life. He is fearful of the interpretation/fulfilment of whatever it is that he saw. Thus, it may be that he saw the beloved with the rival or he saw the beloved throw him out.
3
kaise paaya1 tha tujhe phir kis tarah2 khoya3 tujhe
mujh sa munkir4 bhi to qaa’el5 ho gaya taqdiir6 ka 1.achieve, obtain, get 2.which way, how 3.lost 4.denier 5.convinced 6.fate
The poet/lover used to deny pre-ordained fate. But then he won the beloved’s favour and lost it. He does not know how these things happened. So, it must have been because of his fate. Thus, even a denier like me is convinced of pre-ordained fate.
4
jis tarah1 baadal ka saaya2 pyaas bhaRkaata3 rahe
maiN ne ye aalam4 bhi dekha hai teri tasviir ka 1.this way, like this 2.shadow 3.inflame, increase 4.condition
When clouds gather overhead and cast a shadow, they raise expectations. In Indian cultural tradition clouds/rain/saavan are an occasion of joy, song, dance and romance (as well as planting, sowing and renewal). Thus, clouds inflame expectations of the poet/lover. These may be false expectations. In much the same way looking at a picture of the beloved, his expectations are raised (not necessarily fulfilled).
5
jaane1 kis aalam2 meN tu bichhRa3 keh hai tere baGhair4
aaj tak har naqsh5 fariyaadi6 meri tahriir7 ka 1.who knows 2.condition 3.separated 4.without 5.mark, word 6.appeal 7.writing
Who knows under what conditions/for what reasons you separated from me. Without you, to this day, every word of my writing, appeals/protests this loss.
6
ishq meN sar phoRnaa bhi kya keh ye be-mehr1 log
juu2-e KhuuN ko naam de dete haiN juu-e shiir3 ka 1.unkind, cruel 2.river 3.milk
The whole class of ‘beloved’ is ‘be-mehr log’ – cruel people. What is the use of banging my head against the wall. It will crack and a river of blood will flow. But these unkind people consider it to be a river of milk/honey and are pleased to see it.
7
jis ko bhi chaaha use shiddat1 se chaaha hai faraaz2
silsila3 TuuTa nahiN hai dard4 ki zanjiir5 ka 1.intensity 2.pen-name of the poet 3.continuation, series 4.pain 5.chain
The poet portrays himself as a serial lover. He has gone from beloved to beloved, each time with great intensity. He feels the pain of love every time. The chain of pain is continuous, without a break.
ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s lead Ghazal ‘shooKhi-e tahriir ka’. In his oral recitation, faraz acknowledges Ghalib, as he also seems to do in several ash’aar including the matla. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
muntazir1 kab se tahayyur2 hai teri taqriir3 ka
baat kar, tujh par gumaaN4 hone laga tasviir ka
1.expectant, eager, waiting 2.amazement (admiration) 3.speech 4.suspicion
There are three possibilities depending on who you choose the ‘teri’ and ‘tujh’ to be. (a) the beloved – she has been silent for a long time. The poet/lover is eagerly expecting to hear her amazing voice. Speak, or I might suspect that you are only an image (b) god – the poet/sufi wants to hear god to make sure that it is not just imagination and (c) Ghalib – the poet would like to hear his amazing Ghazal. He has been silent far too long (there has not been another like him).
2
raat kya so’e keh baaqi1 umr2 ki niiNd uR gaii
Khwaab kya dekha keh dhaRka3 lag gaya taabiir4 ka
1.remaining 2.life 3.fearful throbbing of the heart 4.interpretation, fulfilment
The restless/sleepless poet/lover finally fell asleep and had a dream. This is guaranteed to rob him of his sleep for the rest of his life. He is fearful of the interpretation/fulfilment of whatever it is that he saw. Thus, it may be that he saw the beloved with the rival or he saw the beloved throw him out.
3
kaise paaya1 tha tujhe phir kis tarah2 khoya3 tujhe
mujh sa munkir4 bhi to qaa’el5 ho gaya taqdiir6 ka
1.achieve, obtain, get 2.which way, how 3.lost 4.denier 5.convinced 6.fate
The poet/lover used to deny pre-ordained fate. But then he won the beloved’s favour and lost it. He does not know how these things happened. So, it must have been because of his fate. Thus, even a denier like me is convinced of pre-ordained fate.
4
jis tarah1 baadal ka saaya2 pyaas bhaRkaata3 rahe
maiN ne ye aalam4 bhi dekha hai teri tasviir ka
1.this way, like this 2.shadow 3.inflame, increase 4.condition
When clouds gather overhead and cast a shadow, they raise expectations. In Indian cultural tradition clouds/rain/saavan are an occasion of joy, song, dance and romance (as well as planting, sowing and renewal). Thus, clouds inflame expectations of the poet/lover. These may be false expectations. In much the same way looking at a picture of the beloved, his expectations are raised (not necessarily fulfilled).
5
jaane1 kis aalam2 meN tu bichhRa3 keh hai tere baGhair4
aaj tak har naqsh5 fariyaadi6 meri tahriir7 ka
1.who knows 2.condition 3.separated 4.without 5.mark, word 6.appeal 7.writing
Who knows under what conditions/for what reasons you separated from me. Without you, to this day, every word of my writing, appeals/protests this loss.
6
ishq meN sar phoRnaa bhi kya keh ye be-mehr1 log
juu2-e KhuuN ko naam de dete haiN juu-e shiir3 ka
1.unkind, cruel 2.river 3.milk
The whole class of ‘beloved’ is ‘be-mehr log’ – cruel people. What is the use of banging my head against the wall. It will crack and a river of blood will flow. But these unkind people consider it to be a river of milk/honey and are pleased to see it.
7
jis ko bhi chaaha use shiddat1 se chaaha hai faraaz2
silsila3 TuuTa nahiN hai dard4 ki zanjiir5 ka
1.intensity 2.pen-name of the poet 3.continuation, series 4.pain 5.chain
The poet portrays himself as a serial lover. He has gone from beloved to beloved, each time with great intensity. He feels the pain of love every time. The chain of pain is continuous, without a break.
