jashn-e Ghalib – sahir ludhianavi

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

جشن  غالب  – ساحر  لدھیانوی

 

اکیس  برس  گزرے  آ زادیِ  کا مل  کو

تب جا کے کہیں  ہم کو  غالب کا خیال  آ یا

تربت ہے  کہاں اُسکی  مسکن تھا کہاں اُسکا

اب اپنے  سخن پرور  ذہنوں میں  سوال آ یا

 

سو  سال سے جو  تر بت  چادر  کو  ترستی  تھی

اب اُس پہ  عقیدت  کے پھولوں کی نمائش ہے

اُ ردو  کے  تعلق  سے  کچھ  بھید  نہیں  کھلتا

یہ  جشن یہ ہنگامہ  خدمت ہے کہ   سازش ہے

 

جن شہروں میں  گونجی  تھی  غالب کی نوا  برسوں

اُن  شہروں میں اب اُردو بے نا م و نشاں  ٹھہری

آ زادیِ کامل  کا  اعلان  ہوا  جس  دِن

معتوب  زباں  ٹھہری، غدار  زباں ٹھہری

 

جِس عہدِ سیاست نے یہ  زندہ زباں کچلی

اُس  عہدِ سیاست کو   مرحوموں  کا  غم کیوں ہے

غالب جسے کہتے  ہیں  اُردو ہی  کا  شاعر  تھا

اُردو  پہ  ستم  ڈھا کر  غالب  پہ  کرم کیوں ہے

 

یہ جشن یہ  ہنگامے دلچسپ  کھلونے ہیں

کچھ لوگوں کی کوشش ہے، کچھ لوگ  بہل جائیں

جو   وعدہ  فردہ  پر  اب ٹل  نہیں سکتے ہیں

ممکن ہے کے کچھ عرصہ  اِس جشن پہ ٹل جائیں

 

یہ جشن مبارک   ہو،   پر   یہ بھی   صداقت ہے

ہم لوگ حقیقت کے  احساس سے عاری   ہیں

گاندھی ہو کہ    غالب ہو، اِنصاف کی نظروں میں

ہم دونوں کے قاتل ہیں، دونوں کی پجاری ہیں

जश्न-ए ग़ालिब – साहिर लुधियानवी

 

एकीस बरस गुज़रे, आज़ादी-ए कामिल को
तब जा के कहीं हम को ग़ालिब का ख़्याल आया
तुर्बत है कहाँ उसकी, मिस्कन था कहाँ उसका

अब अपने सुख़न परवर ज़हनों में सवाल आया

 

सौ साल से जो तुर्बत चादर को तरसती थी
अब उसपे अक़ीदत के फूलों की नुमाइश है
उर्दू के ता’अलुक़ से कुछ भेद नहीं खुलता

ये जश्न ये हंगामा ख़िदमत है के साज़िश है

 

जिन शहरों में गूंजी थी, ग़ालिब की नवा बरसों
उन शहरों में अब उर्दू, बे नाम ओ निशां ठहरी
आज़ादी-ए कामिल का ऐलान हुआ जिस दिन

मा’अतूब ज़बां ठहरी, गद्दार ज़बां ठहरी

 

जिस अहद-ए सियासत ने ये ज़िन्दा ज़बां कुचली
उस अहद-ए सियासत को मरहूमों का ग़म क्यूँ है
ग़ालिब जिसे कहते हैं उर्दू ही का शाएर था

उर्दू पे सितम ढा कर ग़ालिब पे करम क्यूँ है

 

ये जश्न ये हंगामे दिलचस्प खिलोने हैं
कुछ लोगों की कोशिश है, कुछ लोग बहल जाएँ
जो वादा-ए फ़र्दा पर अब टल नहीं सकते हैं

मुमकिन है के कुछ अरसा, इस जश्न पे टल जाएँ

 

ये जश्न मुबारक हो, पर ये भी सदाक़त है
हम लोग हक़ीक़त के एहसास से आ’री हैं
गाँधी हो के ग़ालिब हो, इन्साफ़ कि नज़रों में

हम दोनों के क़ातिल हैं, दोनों के पुजारी हैं

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. sahir wrote this poem specifically for Ghalib Centennial celebrations held all over India in 1969 and recited it at a function in the presence of Indira Gandhi. He very effectively uses it to raise questions about the status of Urdu in India.

ekees baras guzre, azadi e kamil1 ko
tab ja ke kahiN hum ko Ghalib ka Khyaal aaya
turbat2 hai kahaN uski, miskan3 tha kahaN uska
ab apne suKhan4 parvar5 zahnoN6 meN savaal aaya
1. complete 2. grave 3. residence 4. speech, poetry, verse 5. nurturing, encouraging 6. minds
Twenty one years have passed since full independence, and only now have our thoughts turned towards Ghalib. Where is his tomb, where did he live, only now our verse loving minds ask.

sau saal se jo turbat2 chaadar ko tarasti thi
ab uspe aqeedat7 ke phooloN ki numaish8 hai
urdu ke ta’aluq9 se kuchh bhed nahiN khulta
ye jashn ye hangama Khidmat10 hai ke saazish11 hai
7. faith, admiration 8. exhibition 9. concerning 10. service 11. conspiracy
For a hundred years this tomb thirsts for attention and only now is there a display of flowers of homage. The mystery with respect to Urdu is not resolved. This celebration, this tumultuous display, is it a service or a conspiracy?

jin shahroN meN goonji thi, Ghalib ki nava12 barsoN
un shahroN meN ab urdu, be naam o nishaaN Thahri
aazadi-e kamil ka elan hua jis din
ma’atub13 zabaN Thahri, Ghaddaar zabaaN Thahri
12. voice, sound 13. hated In the cities where Ghalib’s voice once echoed, there is no longer any sign of Urdu. Since the day complete independence was declared. it has become a hated language, a “disloyal” language.

jis ahd e siyasat14 ne ye zinda zabaN kuchli
us ahd e siyasat ko marhoomoN15 ka Gham kyuN hai
Ghalib jise kahte haiN Urdu hi ka shayer tha
urdu pe sitam16 Dha kar Ghalib pe karam17 kyuN hai
14. political order 15. dead 16. oppression 17. favour
The political order which has trampled a living language, why is this political order so concerned about the dead. He who is known as Ghalib was after all a poet of Urdu. Why is there patronage of Ghalib, and injustice to Urdu. Until 1968 for sure and I don’t know if it is still the case, the Film Censor Board, which issued certificates without which movies could not be screened, did not recognize the existence of Urdu. Even though screen play, dialogues and certainly songs were written by Urdu poets, sometimes in quite classical Urdu, the movies were certified as Hindi movies. Even movies on the life of Ghalib, with many of his Ghazals sung in the movie were certified as Hindi movies!

ye jashn18 ye hangame dilchasp19 khilone haiN
kuchh logoN ki koshish hai, kuchh log bahal jaeN
jo vaada-e farda20 par ab Tal21 nahiN sakte haiN
mumkin hai ke kuchh arsa22, is jashn pe Tal jaeN
18. celebration 19. interesting 20. future 21. postpone, get over 22. some time, period
This celebration, this joyful gathering are interesting toys. Someone is trying that some may be placated, that those not satisfied with future promises may be calmed down for a time by these celebrations.

ye jashn mubarak ho, par ye bhi sadaqat23 hai
hum log haqiqat24 ke ehsaas25 se a’ari26 haiN
gandhi ho ke Ghalib ho, insaaf in nazroN meN
hum donoN ke qatil haiN, donoN ke pujari haiN
23. credible 24. truth, reality 25. feeling, awareness 26. devoid of
May you enjoy these festivities, but it is also apparent that we are devoid of any sense of reality. Whether it be Gandhi or Ghalib, in the eyes of Justice we are the killers of both and devotees of both, offering profuse homage as lip service and doing exactly the opposite.

 

jashn e Ghalib – sahir ludhianavi

Overall Comments

sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu.  He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level.  Supported labour movements.  sahir wrote this poem specifically for Ghalib Centennial celebrations held all over India in 1969 and recited it at a function in the presence of Indira Gandhi.  He very effectively uses it to raise questions about the status of Urdu in India.

ekees baras guzre, azadi e kamil1 ko
tab ja ke kahiN hum ko Ghalib ka Khyaal aaya
turbat2 hai kahaN uski, miskan3 tha kahaN uska
ab apne suKhan4 parvar5 zahnoN6 meN savaal aaya

1. complete 2. grave 3. residence 4. speech, poetry, verse 5. nurturing, encouraging 6. minds
Twenty one years have passed since full independence, and only now have our thoughts turned towards Ghalib.  Where is his tomb, where did he live, only now our verse loving minds ask.

sau saal se jo turbat2 chaadar ko tarasti thi
ab uspe aqeedat7 ke phooloN ki numaish8 hai
urdu ke ta’aluq9 se kuchh bhed nahiN khulta
ye jashn ye hangama Khidmat10 hai ke saazish11 hai

7. faith, admiration 8. exhibition 9. concerning 10. service 11. conspiracy
For a hundred years this tomb thirsts for attention and only now is there a display of flowers of homage.  The mystery with respect to Urdu is not resolved.  This celebration, this tumultuous display, is it a service or a conspiracy? 

jin shahroN meN goonji thi, Ghalib ki nava12 barsoN
un shahroN meN ab urdu, be naam o nishaaN Thahri
aazadi-e kamil ka elan hua jis din
ma’atub13 zabaN Thahri, Ghaddaar zabaaN Thahri

12. voice, sound 13. hated
In the cities where Ghalib’s voice once echoed, there is no longer any sign of Urdu.  Since the day complete independence was declared. it has become a hated language, a “disloyal” language.

jis ahd e siyasat14 ne ye zinda zabaN kuchli
us ahd e siyasat ko marhoomoN15 ka Gham kyuN hai
Ghalib jise kahte haiN Urdu hi ka shayer tha
urdu pe sitam16 Dha kar Ghalib pe karam17 kyuN hai

14. political order 15. dead 16. oppression 17. favour
The political order which has trampled a living language, why is this political order so concerned about the dead.  He who is known as Ghalib was after all a poet of Urdu.  Why is there patronage of Ghalib, and injustice to Urdu.  Until 1968 for sure and I don’t know if it is still the case, the Film Censor Board, which issued certificates without which movies could not be screened, did not recognize the existence of Urdu.  Even though screen play, dialogues and certainly songs were written by Urdu poets, sometimes in quite classical Urdu, the movies were certified as Hindi movies.  Even movies on the life of Ghalib, with many of his Ghazals sung in the movie were certified as Hindi movies! 

ye jashn18 ye hangame dilchasp19 khilone haiN
kuchh logoN ki koshish hai, kuchh log bahal jaeN
jo vaada-e farda20 par ab Tal21 nahiN sakte haiN
mumkin hai ke kuchh arsa22, is jashn pe Tal jaeN

18. celebration 19. interesting 20. future 21. postpone, get over 22. some time, period
This celebration, this joyful gathering are interesting toys.  Someone is trying that some may be placated, that those not satisfied with future promises may be calmed down for a time by these celebrations.

ye jashn mubarak ho, par ye bhi sadaqat23 hai
hum log haqiqat24 ke ehsaas25 se a’ari26 haiN
Gandhi ho ke Ghalib ho, insaaf in nazroN meN
hum donoN ke qatil haiN, donoN ke pujari haiN

23. credible 24. truth, reality 25. feeling, awareness 26. devoid of
May you enjoy these festivities, but it is also apparent that we are devoid of any sense of reality.  Whether it be Gandhi or Ghalib, in the eyes of Justice we are the killers of both and devotees of both, offering profuse homage as lip service and doing exactly the opposite. 

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