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Recitation
کڑی رات کٹے ۔ ساغر نظامی
۱
دوستو دُرد پلاؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
مے میں کچھ اور ملاؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
۲
آنسوؤں سے یہ کڑی رات نہیں کٹ سکتی
آج مے خانہ لنڈھاؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
۳
نغمے بازار میں مہنگے ہیں تو کیا غم یارو
نوحے کو نغمہ بناؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
۴
زیست اور موت اساطیرِ کہن ہیں یارو
نیا افسانہ سناؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
۵
کوئی مشہود ہے اب اور نہ کوئی شاہد
اور اگر ہے تو دکھاؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
۶
یہ بھی ایمان ہی کا دوسرا رخ ہے لوگو
کفر کو دین بناؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
۷
یہ اندھیرا یہ سمندر یہ تلاطم آؤ
آؤ اور مجھ میں سماؤ کہ کڑی رات کٹے
कड़ी रात कटे – साग़र निज़ामी
१
दोस्तो दुर्द पिलाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
मय में कुछ और मिलाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
२
आँसुओं से ये कड़ी रात नहीं कट सकती
आज मय-ख़ाना लुंढाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
३
नग़्मे बाज़ार में महँगे हैं तो क्या ग़म यारो
नौहे को नग़्मा बनाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
४
ज़ीस्त और मौत असातीर-ए-कुहन हैं यारो
नया अफ़्साना सुनाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
५
कोई मशहूद है अब और न कोई शाहेद
और अगर है तो दिखाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
६
ये भी ईमान ही का दूसरा रुख़ है लोगो
कुफ़्र को दीन बनाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
७
ये अँधेरा ये समंदर ये तलातुम आओ
आओ और मुझ में समाओ के कड़ी रात कटे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. samad yaar KhaaN saaGhar nizaami (1905-1984) was one of the early shaagird of seemab akbarabadi. A progressive shaa’er with strong nationalist inclinations. He was awarded padma bhushan.
1
dosto durd1 pilaao ke kaRi2 raat kaTe
mai3 meN kuchh aur milaao ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.bottom layer/dregs of wine cask, considered particularly strong 2.hard, difficult 3.wine
The night of oppression (or separation from the beloved) is unbearable. The poet/lover/revolutionary wants an escape. Strong wine might do it. The dregs of wine is considered strong and he wants friends to serve it up. This layer could also be a metaphor for particularly difficult tasks facing the revolutionaries.
2
aaNsuoN se ye kaRi raat nahiN kaT sakti
aaj mai-Khaana luNDhaao1 ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.splurge, turn over and let flow
This tough night will not be easy to pass with tears. Let the wine in the whole tavern be poured out to flow. Thus, enough complaining, we now have to make real sacrifices.
3
naGhme1 baazaar meN mahNge haiN to kya Gham yaaro
nauhe2 ko naGhma banaao ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.cheerful song 2.sorrowful song, lament
Everyone is in difficulty/sorrow. Cheerful songs will be difficult to find. No matter. Just use laments as cheerful songs so that this night may pass.
4
ziist1 aur maut asaatir-e-kuhan2 haiN yaaro
naya afsaana3 sunaao ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.life 2.old myths, old tales 3.story
Stories of life and death are the same old stuff. Relate a new story (of a new hopeful dawn of social justice) so this night may pass.
5
koi mash’huud1 hai ab aur na koi shahed2
aur agar hai to dikhaao ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.that which is witnessed 2.witness
One possible interpretation is that shahed o mash’huud are creator and creation and there is no difference between the creator and the universe in keeping with sufiyaana and advaita philosophies. Here it is delivered as a message of equality. A second interpretation is that this probably has an oblique reference to the story of creation in the qur’aan. god created mohammed first who was the witness (shahed) of creation of the universe (mash’huud). Is the poet saying that he does not believe in these stories?? He appears to have been a conventional in his religious observance although I found a few irreverent snippets in his writing.
6
ye bhi imaan hi ka doosra ruKh1 hai logo
kufr2 ko diin banaao ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.face 2.un-belief, unorthodoxy
This follows the long tradition of secularism in urdu poetry. Faith and unfaith (other faith) are two sides of the same coin. One should own the other. It is also just possible that this is written in response to the raging discussion about ‘kufr o imaan’, in the 1930s and 40s about the future of ‘faith’ in a land of a different belief/faith. We need harmony for this oppressive night to pass.
7
ye aNdhera ye samundar ye talaatum1 aao
aao aur mujh meN samaao ke kaRi raat kaTe 1.tumult, storm
The poet/revolutionary is ready to face darkness and stormy seas so that this night of oppression may pass.
samad yaar KhaaN saaGhar nizaami (1905-1984) was one of the early shaagird of seemab akbarabadi. A progressive shaa’er with strong nationalist inclinations. He was awarded padma bhushan.
1
dosto durd1 pilaao ke kaRi2 raat kaTe
mai3 meN kuchh aur milaao ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.bottom layer/dregs of wine cask, considered particularly strong 2.hard, difficult 3.wine
The night of oppression (or separation from the beloved) is unbearable. The poet/lover/revolutionary wants an escape. Strong wine might do it. The dregs of wine is considered strong and he wants friends to serve it up. This layer could also be a metaphor for particularly difficult tasks facing the revolutionaries.
2
aaNsuoN se ye kaRi raat nahiN kaT sakti
aaj mai-Khaana luNDhaao1 ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.splurge, turn over and let flow
This tough night will not be easy to pass with tears. Let the wine in the whole tavern be poured out to flow. Thus, enough complaining, we now have to make real sacrifices.
3
naGhme1 baazaar meN mahNge haiN to kya Gham yaaro
nauhe2 ko naGhma banaao ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.cheerful song 2.sorrowful song, lament
Everyone is in difficulty/sorrow. Cheerful songs will be difficult to find. No matter. Just use laments as cheerful songs so that this night may pass.
4
ziist1 aur maut asaatir-e-kuhan2 haiN yaaro
naya afsaana3 sunaao ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.life 2.old myths, old tales 3.story
Stories of life and death are the same old stuff. Relate a new story (of a new hopeful dawn of social justice) so this night may pass.
5
koi mash’huud1 hai ab aur na koi shahed2
aur agar hai to dikhaao ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.that which is witnessed 2.witness
One possible interpretation is that shahed o mash’huud are creator and creation and there is no difference between the creator and the universe in keeping with sufiyaana and advaita philosophies. Here it is delivered as a message of equality. A second interpretation is that this probably has an oblique reference to the story of creation in the qur’aan. god created mohammed first who was the witness (shahed) of creation of the universe (mash’huud). Is the poet saying that he does not believe in these stories?? He appears to have been a conventional in his religious observance although I found a few irreverent snippets in his writing.
6
ye bhi imaan hi ka doosra ruKh1 hai logo
kufr2 ko diin banaao ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.face 2.un-belief, unorthodoxy
This follows the long tradition of secularism in urdu poetry. Faith and unfaith (other faith) are two sides of the same coin. One should own the other. It is also just possible that this is written in response to the raging discussion about ‘kufr o imaan’, in the 1930s and 40s about the future of ‘faith’ in a land of a different belief/faith. We need harmony for this oppressive night to pass.
7
ye aNdhera ye samundar ye talaatum1 aao
aao aur mujh meN samaao ke kaRi raat kaTe
1.tumult, storm
The poet/revolutionary is ready to face darkness and stormy seas so that this night of oppression may pass.
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