taKhallus ka khel-husn-e yaar – qamar jalalavi

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

تخلُّص  کا  کھیل  ۔  حُسنِ  یار  ۔  اِنتخاب  قمرؔ  جلالوی

۱

دیکھی  قمرؔ  کچھ  افشاں،  اُس  مہ  جبیں  کے  رُخ  پر

کتنے  حسین  تارے  ہوتے  ہیں  چاندنی  میں

۲

قمرؔ  افشاں  چنی  ہے  رُخ  پہ  اُس  نے  اِس  سلیقہ  سے

ستارے  آسماں  سے  دیکھنے  کو  آئے  جاتے  ہیں

۳

جلوہ  گر  بزمِ  حسیناں  میں  ہیں  وہ  اِس  شان  سے

چاند  جیسے  ائے  قمرؔ  تاروں  بھری  محفل  میں  ہے

۴

تیرے  قربان  قمرؔ  منہ  سرِ  گلزار  نہ  کھول

صدقے  اِس  چاند  سی  صورت  پہ  نہ  ہو  جائے  بہار

۵

لی  دی  سی  اِک  نگاہ  ستاروں  پہ  ڈال  کے

شرما  گئے  کہ  دیکھ  رہا  ہے  قمرؔ  مجھے

۶

قمرؔ  اچھا  نہیں  گیسو  رُخِ  روشن  پہ  آ  جانا

گہن  جب  بھی  لگا  ہے  چاند  کی  تنویر  بگڑی  ہے

۷

کھلبلی  مچ  گئی  تاروں  میں  قمرؔ  نے  دیکھا

شب  کو  یہ  چاند  سی  صورت  جو  دِکھا  دی  تم  نے

तख़ल्लुस का खेल – हुस्न-ए यार – इन्तेख़ाब क़मर जलालवी

देखी क़मर कुछ अफ़्शाँ उस मह-जबीं के रुख़ पर

कितने हसीन तारे लगते हैं चांदनी में

क़मर अफ़्शाँ चुनी है उस ने रुख़ पे इस सलीक़े से

सितारे आसमां से देखने को आये जाते हैं

जल्वा-गर बज़्म-ए हसीनां में हैं वो इस शान से

चांद जैसे अए क़मर तारौं भरी महफ़िल में हो

तेरे क़ुर्बान क़मर, मुंह सर-ए गुल्ज़ार न खोल

सदक़े इस चांद सी सूरत पे न हो जाए बहार

ली दी सी एक निगाह सितारों पे डाल के

शर्मा गए के देख रहा है क़मर मुझे

क़मर अच्छा नहीं गेसू रुख़-ए रौशन पे आ जाना

गहन जब भी लगा है चांद की तनवीर बिगढी है

खलबुली मच गई तारौं में क़मर ने देखा

शब को ये चांद सी सूरत जो दिखा दी तुम ने

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed husain qamar jalaalavi (1887-1968), was born in jalaali, near aligaRh, moved to pakistan after partition/independence. He was popularly known as ‘ustad’, for his expertise in repairing bicycles, which is how he earned his living and lived in penury, in spite of his excellence as a poet. He wrote Ghazal is chaste classical style, many of which have been put to music. This is one of several thematic collections of his maqta in which he uses his taKhallus with great witticism.
1
dekhi qamar kuchh afshaaN1 us mah-jabiN2 ke ruKh3 par
kitne haseen4 taare lagte haiN chaandni meN   
1.glitter (usually applied to the forehead as glittering particles) 2.moon-forehead, moon-faced 3.face 4.beautiful
The brow/forehead of the beloved is like the moon (say a quarter-moon) – both in shape and in brightness. The glitter on her brow appears like stars around the moon. And because ‘qamar’ is watching, there is chaandni. Thus there is a multiple play on words as the poet/lover looks at the beloved and addresses himself.

2
qamar afshaaN1 chuni2 hai us ne, ruKh3 pe is saleeqe4 se
sitaare aasmaaN se dekhne to aaye jaate haiN   
1.glitter 2.selected, arranged 3.face, brow 4.tastefully, elegance
O qamar, she has arranged glitter on her forehead with such elegance that stars descend from the skies to have a look. Decsending stars could be shooting stars – she is so beautiful that all this tumult happens in the sky and of course, qamar is watching.

3
jalva-gar1 bazm2-e haseenaaN3 meN haiN vo is shaan4 se
chaand jaise aye qamar taarauN bhari mahfil5 meN ho   
1.displaying beauty 2.gathering, assembly 3.beauties 4.elegance 5.assembly, party
The beloved is surrounded by her friends. Her beauty outshines theirs with such elegance that she looks like the moon among many stars. Of course, the poet himself is also ‘qamar’. Thus the poet is (tongue in cheek) praising his own beauty/style.

4
tere qurbaan1 qamar, muNh sar2-e gulzaar3 na khol
sadqe4 is chaand si soorat pe na ho jaaye bahaar5    
1.used colloquially to mean ‘do this for my life’ 2.at the head of 3.garden 4.sacrifice itself
It is spring and the beloved has come for a stroll in the garden. She is about to take her veil off. The poet/lover is alarmed – I beg you upon my life, please don’t take your veil off. Spring will die/sacrifice itself because your moonlike beauty is far superior to the beauty of Spring. Of course, the use of ‘qamar’ and ‘chaand’ goes so well with the name and pen-name of the poet.

5
lee-dee1 si ek nigaah2 sitaaroN pe Daal ke
sharma gaye ke dekh raha hai qamar mujhe   
1.an expression used to mean ‘casual’ 2.glance
The beloved cast a casual glance at the stars and was embarrassed to see that the full moon/poet/lover staring at her.

6
qamar achha nahiN gesu1 ruKh2-e raushan pe aa jaana
gahan3 jab bhi laga hai chaand ki tanveer4 bigRi hai   
1.hair, locks 2.face, forehead, cheeks 3.eclipse 4.brilliance
There is beautiful play in praising the beauty of the beloved and at the same time tongue in cheek praising his own good looks because his name and pen-name is ‘qamar’. The locks of the beloved come loose and blow in front of her face. The poet/lover likens it to an eclipse and admonishes the beloved to be careful about spoiling the beauty of the moon.

7
khalbali1 much gayee taarauN meN qamar2 ne dekha
shab ko ye chaand si surat jo dikha di tum ne   
1.disturbance, panic 2.full moon, poet’s pen-name
On the surface it is straightforward praise of the beauty of the beloved. She shows her moonlike face, and all the stars are in a state of excitement at seeing this spectacle. But the play on words suggests that he may be praising his own beauty.

mohammed husain qamar jalaalavi (1887-1968), was born in jalaali, near aligaRh, moved to pakistan after partition/independence.  He was popularly known as ‘ustad’, for his expertise in repairing bicycles, which is how he earned his living and lived in penury, in spite of his excellence as a poet.  He wrote Ghazal is chaste classical style, many of which have been put to music.  This is one of several thematic collections of his maqta in which he uses his taKhallus with great witticism.
1
dekhi qamar kuchh afshaaN1 us mah-jabiN2 ke ruKh3 par
kitne haseen4 taare lagte haiN chaandni meN

1.glitter (usually applied to the forehead as glittering particles) 2.moon-forehead, moon-faced 3.face 4.beautiful

The brow/forehead of the beloved is like the moon (say a quarter-moon) – both in shape and in brightness.  The glitter on her brow appears like stars around the moon.  And because ‘qamar’ is watching, there is chaandni.  Thus there is a multiple play on words as the poet/lover looks at the beloved and addresses himself.
2
qamar afshaaN1 chuni2 hai us ne, ruKh3 pe is saleeqe4 se
sitaare aasmaaN se dekhne to aaye jaate haiN

1.glitter 2.selected, arranged 3.face, brow 4.tastefully, elegance

O qamar, she has arranged glitter on her forehead with such elegance that stars descend from the skies to have a look.  Decsending stars could be shooting stars – she is so beautiful that all this tumult happens in the sky and of course, qamar is watching.
3
jalva-gar1 bazm2-e haseenaaN3 meN haiN vo is shaan4 se
chaand jaise aye qamar taarauN bhari mahfil5 meN ho

1.displaying beauty 2.gathering, assembly 3.beauties 4.elegance 5.assembly, party

The beloved is surrounded by her friends.  Her beauty outshines theirs with such elegance that she looks like the moon among many stars.  Of course, the poet himself is also ‘qamar’.  Thus the poet is (tongue in cheek) praising his own beauty/style.
4
tere qurbaan1 qamar, muNh sar2-e gulzaar3 na khol
sadqe4 is chaand si soorat pe na ho jaaye bahaar5

1.used colloquially to mean ‘do this for my life’ 2.at the head of 3.garden 4.sacrifice itself

It is spring and the beloved has come for a stroll in the garden.  She is about to take her veil off.  The poet/lover is alarmed – I beg you upon my life, please don’t take your veil off.  Spring will die/sacrifice itself because your moonlike beauty is far superior to the beauty of Spring.  Of course, the use of ‘qamar’ and ‘chaand’ goes so well with the name and pen-name of the poet.
5
lee-dee1 si ek nigaah2 sitaaroN pe Daal ke
sharma gaye ke dekh raha hai qamar mujhe

1.an expression used to mean ‘casual’ 2.glance

The beloved cast a casual glance at the stars and was embarrassed to see that the full moon/poet/lover staring at her.
6
qamar achha nahiN gesu1 ruKh2-e raushan pe aa jaana
gahan3 jab bhi laga hai chaand ki tanveer4 bigRi hai

1.hair, locks 2.face, forehead, cheeks 3.eclipse 4.brilliance

There is beautiful play in praising the beauty of the beloved and at the same time tongue in cheek praising his own good looks because his name and pen-name is ‘qamar’.  The locks of the beloved come loose and blow in front of her face.  The poet/lover likens it to an eclipse and admonishes the beloved to be careful about spoiling the beauty of the moon.
7
khalbali1 much gayee taarauN meN qamar2 ne dekha
shab ko ye chaand si surat jo dikha di tum ne

1.disturbance, panic 2.full moon, poet’s pen-name

On the surface it is straightforward praise of the beauty of the beloved.  She shows her moonlike face, and all the stars are in a state of excitement at seeing this spectacle.  But the play on words suggests that he may be praising his own beauty.