hindostaaN hamaara – sahir ludhianavi

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This is a sarcastic parody on iqbal’s taraana-e hindi and taraana-e milli. It cuts at two levels. First, iqbal transforms from a nationalistic to a trans-nationalistic position but his internationalism is confined to the muslim community replacing nation with religion/culture. sahir presents a larger internationalism. Second, iqbal sings of past glory and sahir brings it down to earth. sahir uses many of the same words/phrases that iqbal uses.

cheen-o-arab hamaara, hindostaaN hamaara
rahne ko ghar nahiiN hai, saara jahaaN hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara … China, Arabia is ours, India is ours … not in the sense of belongs to us but in the sense of ‘workers of the world, unite. iqbal claims, “muslim haiN hum vatan hai saara jahaaN hamaara” to which sahir responds “rahne ko ghar nahiN hai”!

kholi bhi chhin gayi hai, bencheN bhii chhin gaiiN haiN
saRkauN pe ghoomtaa hai, ab kaarvaaN hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara… sahir picks up the theme as a condition of the working class which has lost its hut and can’t even sleep on park benches, so their caravan is thrown out on the streets.

jebeN haiN apni Khaali, kyuN detaa varnaa gaali
vo santari¹ hamaara, vo paasabaaN² hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara… 1.sentry 2.guardian
With iqbal, himalaya is the “santari” and “paasbaaN” which guards the people of India or kaaba which provides guidance to the muslim ummah. With sahir the only sentry around is the one who is guarding the residence of the wealthy and shooing away the homeless.

jitni bhi bilDiNgeN thiiN, seThauN ne baaNT lii haiN
fuTpaath bambaii ke haiN aashiyaaN¹ hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara… 1.nest, home
The capitalists/seTh have divided up all buildings among themselves. Our home is now the pavement of Bombay. This reminds me of munawwar rana’s she’r
so jaate haiN fuTpaath pe aKhbar bichha kar
mazdoor kabhi neend ki goli nahiN khaate

sone ko ham qalandar¹, aate haiN bori-bandar
har ek quli yahaaN hai raazdaaN² hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara…. 1.mendicant, poor, deprived 2.confidant, friend
All the oppressed and dispossessed come together to sleep on the footpath, sharing their misery. An expression of solidarity among the working class.

taaliim hai adhuri¹, miltii nahiiN majuurii
maaloom kya kisi ko, dard-e-nihaaN² hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara… 1.incomplete 2.hidden pain
iqbal also uses “dard-e nihaaN” in a much more benign sense. Here of course, no one knows the “hidden pain” of the working poor.

patlaa hai haal apnaa, laikin lahu hai gaaRhaa
faulaad¹ se banaa hai, har naujavaaN hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara… 1.steel
Our condition is precarious but our resolve is strong (gaaRha lahu). Our young are of steely disposition (and we will take back our rights).

mil-jul ke is vatan ko, aisaa sajaayeNge ham
hairat se muNh takegaa, saaraa jahaaN hamaara
cheen-o-arab hamaara…. sahir ends on an optimistic note about solidarity of the working class and of communities who will come together to fashion a new India which will amaze the world.