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Recitation
shanti hiranand
الزام نہ دے ۔ امیتا پرسورام میتاؔ
۱
صبح روشن کو اندھیروں سے بھری شام نہ دے
دل کے رشتے کو مری جان کوئی نام نہ دے
۲
موڑ آتے ہی مجھے چھوڑ کے جانے والے
پھر سے تنہائیاں بے چینیاں کہرام نہ دے
۳
مجھ کو مت باندھ وفاداری کی زنجیروں میں
میں کہ بادل ہوں بھٹک جانے کا الزام نہ دے
۴
مطمئن دونوں ہیں میں اور میری طرزِ حیات
تشنگی میرے موافق ہے کوئی جام نہ دے
۵
آسماں دینے کا اے دوست دکھاوا مت کر
مجھ کو اُڑنے کی اِجازت تُو تہہ دام نہ دے
۶
ہاں نبھائے ہیں محبت کے فرائض میں نے
مستحق بھی ہوں مگر کوئی بھی انعام نہ دے
۷
دل کے افسانے کا آغاز حسیں ہے میتاؔ
سلسلہ یوں ہی چلے کوئی بھی انجام نہ دے
इल्ज़ाम न दे – अमीता परसुराम मीता
१
सुब्ह-ए-रौशन को अंधेरों से भरी शाम न दे
दिल के रिश्ते को मिरी जान कोई नाम न दे
२
मोड़ आते ही मुझे छोड़ के जाने वाले
फिर से तन्हाइयाँ बे-चैनियाँ कोहराम न दे
३
मुझ को मत बाँध वफ़ादारी की ज़ंजीरों में
मैं कि बादल हूँ भटक जाने का इल्ज़ाम न दे
४
मुतमइन दोनों हैं मैं और मेरी तर्ज़-ए-हयात
तिश्नगी मेरे मुआफ़िक़ है कोई जाम न दे
५
आसमाँ देने का ऐ दोस्त दिखावा मत कर
मुझ को उड़ने की इजाज़त तू तह-ए-दाम न दे
६
हाँ निभाए हैं मोहब्बत के फ़राएज़ मैं ने
मुस्तहिक़ भी हूँ मगर कोई भी इनआम न दे
७
दिल के अफ़्साने का आग़ाज़ हसीं है मीता
सिलसिला यूँही चले कोई भी अंजाम न दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ameeta parsuram meeta (1955-living) a psychologist by profession involved in teaching, training and therapy in naii dehli. She writes in the classical style with an interest in understanding human relationships, especially from a woman’s perspective. This Ghazal portrays a woman addressing her lover-beloved asserting her free spirit. How did meeta come to urdu? Her response ‘I grew up in a family where the spoken languages were Urdu and Panjabi. My father was a genius with exceptional command over Urdu. So conversational Urdu was part of the routine. He also initiated me into poetry by often quoting couplets, discussing poetry with me, teaching life through the medium of Urdu couplets. It grew on me. Later after my Masters in psychology I joined DU Urdu department to learn the script and I have always loved reading works of the poets’.
1
sub’h-e-raushan1 ko aNdheroN se bhari shaam na de
dil ke rishte2 ko meri jaan koi naam3 na de 1.bright morning 2.relationship 3.used in the sense of ‘bad name’, disrepute
Do not give this bright morning the darkness of the night. Do not bring disrepute to this sublime relationship of love.
2
moR aate hi mujhe chhoR ke jaane vaale
phir se tanhaaiyaaN1 be-chainiyaaN2 kohraam3 na de 1.loneliness 2.restlessness 3.wailing, weeping
You, who are willing to leave me as soon as we encounter a turning/difficulty/disagreement along the way, do not give me once again that loneliness, restlessness and sorrow.
3
mujh ko mat baaNdh vafadaari1 ki zanjiroN2 meN
maiN ke baadal3 huN bhaTak jaane ka ilzaam4 na de 1.fidelity 2.chains 3.cloud, free spirit 4.accusation
There are two possible interpretations. One is a continuation of the woman asserting her free spirit. Do not tie me down in the chains of fidelity. I am after all, a free spirit, do not accuse me of wandering (that is my nature, just like a cloud). The other is possibly as a response of the lover to the sentiments in the first two ash’aar. He could be declaring his own free spirit.
4
mutma’in1 donoN haiN maiN aur meri tarz-e-hayaat2
tishnagi3 mere muaafiq4 hai koi jaam5 na de 1.satisfied 2.way/style of life 3.thirst (for more) 4.agreeable, compatible 5.cup
This and the following ash’aar can also be interpreted in two ways – a continuation of the assertion of the woman or a response from her lover. I and my style of life are satisfied with this. Thirst is agreeable to me. Do not offer me any cup (of the wine of love).
5
aasmaaN dene ka ai dost dikhaavaa mat kar
mujh ko uRne ki ijaazat1 tu tah-e-daam2 na de 1.permission 2.under the net/web
Do not make a show of giving me the liberties of the sky. What you are really doing is giving me permission to fly, while still under a net.
6
haaN nibhaaye1 haiN mohabbat ke faraa’ez2 maiN ne
mustahiq3 bhi huN magar koi bhi in’aam4 na de 1.fulfilled 2.obligations 3.deserving 4.reward
I have fulfilled all the obligations of love. I am deserving but do not give me any reward.
7
dil ke afsaane1 ka aaGhaaz2 hasiN hai miita3
silsila4 yuNhi chale, koi bhi anjaam5 na de 1.story 2.beginning 3.pen-name of poet 4.continuity 5.end, finality
O, meeta, the story of love has had a good beginning. Let it continue like this, do not try to bring it to a close.
ameeta parasuram (1955-living) a psychologist by profession involved in teaching, training and therapy in naii dehli. She writes in the classical style with an interest in understanding human relationships, especially from a woman’s perspective. This Ghazal portrays a woman addressing her lover-beloved asserting her free spirit. How did meeta come to urdu? Her response ‘I grew up in a family where the spoken languages were Urdu and Panjabi. My father was a genius with exceptional command over Urdu. So conversational Urdu was part of the routine. He also initiated me into poetry by often quoting couplets, discussing poetry with me, teaching life through the medium of Urdu couplets. It grew on me. Later after my Masters in psychology I joined DU Urdu department to learn the script and I have always loved reading works of the poets’.
1
sub’h-e-raushan1 ko aNdheroN se bhari shaam na de
dil ke rishte2 ko meri jaan koi naam3 na de
1.bright morning 2.relationship 3.used in the sense of ‘bad name’, disrepute
Do not give this bright morning the darkness of the night. Do not bring disrepute to this sublime relationship of love.
2
moR aate hi mujhe chhoR ke jaane vaale
phir se tanhaaiyaaN1 be-chainiyaaN2 kohraam3 na de
1.loneliness 2.restlessness 3.wailing, weeping
You, who are willing to leave me as soon as we encounter a turning/difficulty/disagreement along the way, do not give me once again that loneliness, restlessness and sorrow.
3
mujh ko mat baaNdh vafadaari1 ki zanjiroN2 meN
maiN ke baadal3 huN bhaTak jaane ka ilzaam4 na de
1.fidelity 2.chains 3.cloud, free spirit 4.accusation
There are two possible interpretations. One is a continuation of the woman asserting her free spirit. Do not tie me down in the chains of fidelity. I am after all, a free spirit, do not accuse me of wandering (that is my nature, just like a cloud). The other is possibly as a response of the lover to the sentiments in the first two ash’aar. He could be declaring his own free spirit.
4
mutma’in1 donoN haiN maiN aur meri tarz-e-hayaat2
tishnagi3 mere muaafiq4 hai koi jaam5 na de
1.satisfied 2.way/style of life 3.thirst (for more) 4.agreeable, compatible 5.cup
This and the following ash’aar can also be interpreted in two ways – a continuation of the assertion of the woman or a response from her lover. I and my style of life are satisfied with this. Thirst is agreeable to me. Do not offer me any cup (of the wine of love).
5
aasmaaN dene ka ai dost dikhaavaa mat kar
mujh ko uRne ki ijaazat1 tu tah-e-daam2 na de
1.permission 2.under the net/web
Do not make a show of giving me the liberties of the sky. What you are really doing is giving me permission to fly, while still under a net.
6
haaN nibhaaye1 haiN mohabbat ke faraa’ez2 maiN ne
mustahiq3 bhi huN magar koi bhi in’aam4 na de
1.fulfilled 2.obligations 3.deserving 4.reward
I have fulfilled all the obligations of love. I am deserving but do not give me any reward.
7
dil ke afsaane1 ka aaGhaaz2 hasiN hai miita3
silsila4 yuNhi chale, koi bhi anjaam5 na de
1.story 2.beginning 3.pen-name of poet 4.continuity 5.end, finality
O, meeta, the story of love has had a good beginning. Let it continue like this, do not try to bring it to a close.
