Recitation
کھنڈر آسیب اور پھول ۔ وحید اَخْتَر
یہ بھی طلسمِ ہوش رُبا ہے
زندہ چلتے پھرتے ہنستے روتے نفرت اور محبت کرتے انسان
صرف ہیولے اور دھویں كے مرغولے ہیں
ہم سب اپنی اپنی لاشیں اپنےتوہّم كےکاندھوں پر لادےسست قدم واماندہ
خاک بہ سَر داماں دریدہ زخمی پیروں سے کاںٹوں اور انگاروں پر چلتے رہتے ہیں
ہم سب اک بڑے قبرستان كے آوارہ بھوت ہیں
جن كے جسم کو ہاتھ لگانے سے تحلیل خلا میں ہوں
جن کی روحوں کا ظاہر سے ظاہر گوشئہ ہاتھ نہ آئے
ہم کو ماضی سے ورثے میں کہنہ قبریں ، گرتے ملبے اور آسیب زدہ کھنڈروں كے ڈھیر ملے ہیں
وہ روشن شب تاب دیئے جن سے ماضی کو نور ملا تھا
اِس آسیب زدہ ماحول میں یوں جلتے ہیں
جیسے اک بیابان كے تیرہ سنّاٹے میں
کچھ بھوتوں نے
رہ گم کردا سیّحاؤں کو بھٹکانے کی خاطر آگ جلائی ہو
اب یہ اُجالے صرف دھواں ہیں
اور آسیب زدہ کھنڈروں کی چھت كے چٹختے شہتیروں كے شور میں کوئی ہنستا ہے
جھڑتا چونا گرتی مٹی نیم معلق دیوار و دَر
چپکے چپکے روتے ہیں
طاقوں كے خاموش دیئے ظلمت کو بڑھاوا دیتے ہیں
صحن كے صد ہا سال پرانے بوڑھے پیڑ
قبروں كے بے درد مجاور بن کر لاشوں پر سوکھے پتّوں كے ڈھیر لگا دیتے ہیں
ہم سب اپنی اپنی لاشیں اپنے انا كے دوش پہ لادے
اک قبرستان کی پُرہول اُداسی سے اُکتائے ہوئے
ایک نئے شمشان کا رستہ ڈھونڈ رہے ہیں
منتظرِ مرگ انبوہِ ہجوم آنکھوں كے خالی کاسے کھولے ہر سوُ دیکھ رہا ہے
جانے کب کوئی آئے گاجو اپنے دامن کی ہوا سے
بھوتوں کا جلنا دیکھے گا
اور سائے گلے مِل مِل کر کھوکھلی آواز وں میں روئیں گے
اِس منظر میں جانے پِھر ایسا کوئی آئے كہ نہ آئے
ہجوِ ویراں مایوس نگاہوں کی خالی جھولی پھیلائے
راکھ میں پھول کُریدے گا
खन्डर आसेब और फूल – वहीद अख़्तर
ये भी तिलस्म-ए होश-रुबा है
ज़िंदा चलते फिरते हंसते रोते नफ़रत और मोहब्बत करते इन्सां
सिर्फ़ हयूले और धुवें के मरग़ूले हैं
हम सब अपनी अपनी लाशें अपने तवहूम के कांधों पर लादे सुस्त-क़दम वामांदा
ख़ाक ब सर दामन दरीदा ज़ख़्मी पैरों से कांटों और अंगारों पर चलते रहते हैं
हम सब एक बड़े क़ब्रिस्तान के आवारा भूत हैं
जिन के जिस्म को हाथ लगाने से तहलील ख़ला में हों
जिन की रूहौं का ज़ाहिर से ज़ाहिर गोशा हाथ ना आए
हम को माज़ी से कोहना क़ब्रें, गिरते मलबे और आसेब ज़दा खंडरों के ढेर मिले हैं
वो रौशन शब-ताब दिए जिन से माज़ी को नूर मिला था
इस आसेब ज़दा माहौल में युं जलते हैं
जैसे एक पूर-हौल बियाबां के तीरा सन्नाटे में
कुच्छ भूतौं ने
रह गुम करदा सय्याहौं को भट्काने की ख़ातिर आग जलाइ हो
अब ये उजाले सिर्फ़ धुआं हैं
और आसेब ज़दा खंडरों की छत के चिटख़ते शहतीरों के शोर में कोई हंसता है
झड़ता चूना गिरती मिट्टि नीम मुअल्लक़ दीवार ओ दर
चुपके चुपके रोते हैं
ताक़ों के ख़ामोश दिए ज़ुल्मत को बढ़ावा देते हैं
सहन के सद-हा साल पुराने बूढ़े पेड़
क़ब्रों के बेदर्द मुजावार बन कर लाशों पर सूखे पत्तौं के ढेर लगा देते हैं
ताक़ों के ख़ामोश दिए ज़ुल्मत को बढ़ावा देते हैं
सहन के सद-हा साल पुराने बूढ़े पेड़
क़ब्रों के बेदर्द मुजावार बन कर लाशों पर सूखे पत्तौं के ढेर लगा देते हैं
हम सब अपनी अपनी लाशें अपनी अना के दोश पे लादे
इक क़ब्रिस्तान की पुर-हौल उदासी से उकताए हुए
एक नऐ शमशान का रास्ता ढून्ड रहे हैं
मुंतज़ीर-ए मर्ग अंबोह-ए हुजूम आंखौं के ख़ाली कासे खोले हर सू देख रहा है
जाने कब कोइ आएगा जो अपने दामन की हवा से
भूतौं का जलना देखेगा
और भयानक साए गले मिल मिल कर खोखली आवाज़ों में रोएंगे
इस मंज़र में जाने फिर ऐसा कोई आए के ना आए
हज्व-ए वीरां मायूस निगाहों की ख़ाली झोली फैलाए
राख में फूल कुरेदेगा
khanDar aaseb aur phool – vaheed aKhtar
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. The poet paints a very depressing picture. We live under the spell of a fairy tale, deceiving ourselves that a saviour will come. We live a mindless, purposeless life (like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times), carrying our corpses (dead hopes) on our shoulders, mechanically going through the motions of life like ants in an ant-heap. Frightened of appartions (of our own creation) we compose verse (in prayer), but no saviour is likely to come.
ye bhi tilasm1-e hosh-rubaa2 hai
zinda chalte phirte haNste rote nafrat aur mohabbat karte insaaN
sirf hayule3 aur dhuveN ke marGhule4 haiN1.magic spell 2.awareness stealing, mind blowing 3.skeleton, appearance (apparition) 4.spiral
We are under a strange, stunning, mind-numbing spell (of a fairy tale) that living, walking, laughing, crying, hating and loving people are but mere apparitions, unreal like rings of smoke.
hum sab apni apni laasheN apne tavahhum1 ke kaandhauN par laade sust-qadam2 vaamaanda3
Khaak ba sar damaaN dareeda4 zaKhmi pairauN se kaaNTauN aur aNgaarauN par chalte rahte haiN
hum sab ek baRe qabristaaN ke aavara5 bhoot haiN
jin ke jism ko haath lagaane se tahlil6 Khalaa7 meN hoN
jin ki roohauN ka zaahir se zaahir8 gosha haath na aaye1.suspicion, imagination 2.slow paced 3.tired 4.torn/shredded cloak/clothes 5.wandering 6.dissolve 7.space, emptiness 8.most clearly seen
We trudge on slow, tired carrying our own corpse on the shoulders of our imagination (frustrated desires). In Urdu poetry, walking about with ashes on the head and with torn clothes is a sign of great distress. Thus, we are walking in great distress on thorns and hot coals as if we are lost/aimlessly wandering ghosts in a large graveyard. We are like ghosts whose bodies would dissolve into nothingness at the mere touch, ghosts whose most apparent/tangible parts cannot be touched.
hum ko maazi1 se virse2 meN kohna3 qabreN, girte malbe4 aur aaseb-zada5 khanDarauN ke Dher mile haiN
vo raushan shab-taab6 diye jin se maazi1 ko noor7 mila tha
is aaseb-zada5 maahaul8 meN yuN jalte haiN
jaise ek pur-haul9 biyabaaN10 ke teera11 sannaaTe12 meN
kuchh bhootauN ne
rah gum-karda13 sayyaahauN14 ko bhaTkaane ki Khaatir aag jalaaii ho1.past 2.inheritance 3.ancient 4.debris, garbage 5.ghost ridden, haunted 6.night-time 7.light 8.environment 9.frightful 10.wilderness 11.dark 12.silence, stillness 13.lost their way 14.traveller, visitor, tourist
From our past, we have inherited ancient graves, falling debris and heaps of haunted ruins. The night-time lamps that used to give light in the past, in this haunted atmosphere burn as if in a frightful wilderness, dark and still, some ghosts have lit a fire to throw lost travelers off their path. Could this be … we have inherited superstitious beliefs from the past. Such beliefs at one time may have shed light on some issues, but now they are fires that distract us from the path of knowledge.
ab ye ujaale1 sirf dhuaaN2 haiN
aur aaseb-zada3 KhanDarauN ki chhat ke chiTaKhte4 shahtirauN5 ke shor6 meN koii haNsta hai
jhaRta choona, girti miTTi, neem7 muallaq8 deevaar o dar
chupke chupke rote haiN1.light 2.smoke, fog, unreal, deceptive 3.haunted 4.cracking 5.main beam 6.loud sound (of cracking) 7.half 8.suspended, hanging
This light (the light of the fires that the ghosts have lit) is deceptive. And in these haunted ruins, the beams of the roof crack noisily as if someone is laughing loudly. Disintegrating mortar, falling sand, half suspended hanging doors and walls, sob silently. Could this be a metaphorical description of a crumblin belief system.
taaqauN1 ke Khaamosh2 diye zulmat3 ko baRhaava4 dete haiN
sahn5 ke sad-ha6 saal puraane booRhe peR
qabrauN ke bedard7 mujaavar8 ban kar laashauN par sookhe pattauN ke Dher laga dete haiN1.alcoves 2.silent, unlit 3.darkness 4.increase 5.yard 6.hundreds 7.heartless, cruel 8.caretakers
Unlit lamps in alcoves, increase the darkness. Hundreds of years old, ancient trees become caretakers of graves and shed heaps dried leaves on the corpses covering them up.
hum sab apni apni laasheN apni anaa1 ke dosh2 pe laade
ik qabristaan ki pur-haul3 udaasi se uktaae4 hue
ek naye shamshaan5 ka raasta DhoonD rahe haiN1.ego 2.shoulder 3.frightful 4.bored, tired 5.crematorium
We carry our own corpses on the shoulder of our egos and tired/bored of the frightful sorrow of this graveyard are looking for a way to a new crematorium. Consider that even as we are tired/bored of this mundane life in the graveyard/city and look for a way out, it is into another frightful place – a crematorium (we go from one blind belief system to another).
muntazir1-e marg2 amboh3-e hujoom4 aaNkhauN ke Khaali kaase5 khole har soo6 dekh raha hai
jaane kab koii aaye ga jo apne daaman ki hava se
bhootauN ka jalna dekhe ga
aur bhayaanak saaye galey mil mil kar khokhli aavaazauN meN roeNge1.waiting 2.death 3.crowd 4.multitude 5.cups, sockets 6.every direction
This milling crowd, simply waiting to die, looking in all directions with their hollow (eyeless) sockets, hoping that sometime someone will come, who will fan the flames with their cloak and burn these ghosts in their own fire (the fire that they have lit) and their frightful shadows will embrace each other and cry in hollow sobs. Thus the multitude is not living but waiting to die and simply hoping that a saviour will come.
is manzar1 meN jaane phir aisa koi aae ke na aae
hajv2-e veeraaN3 maayoos4 nigaahauN ki Khaali jholi phailaae
raakh meN phool kuredega1.scenario 2.satirical/critical verse 3.deserted, barren 4.disappointed, hopeless
Who knows whether anyone (saviour) will come into this frightful scenario. “hajv-e veeraaN” – barren (not fruitful) satirical verse could be interpreted as useless prayers for a saviour to come – conventional religiosity (I don’t quite understand why he uses the word “hajv” which is specific to satire/criticism). Useless prayers, disappointed looks, empty sack – merely scratching in the ashes for a flower.
khanDar aaseb aur phool – vaheed aKhtar
The poet paints a very depressing picture. We live under the spell of a fairy tale, deceiving ourselves that a saviour will come. We live a mindless, purposeless life (like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times), carrying our corpses (dead hopes) on our shoulders, mechanically going through the motions of life like ants in an ant-heap. Frightened of appartions (of our own creation) we compose verse (in prayer), but no saviour is likely to come.
ye bhi tilasm1-e hosh-rubaa2 hai
zinda chalte phirte haNste rote nafrat aur mohabbat karte insaaN
sirf hayule3 aur dhuveN ke marGhule4 haiN
1.magic spell 2.awareness stealing, mind blowing 3.skeleton, appearance (apparition) 4.spiral
We are under a strange, stunning, mind-numbing spell (of a fairy tale) that living, walking, laughing, crying, hating and loving people are but mere apparitions, unreal like rings of smoke.
hum sab apni apni laasheN apne tavahhum1 ke kaandhauN par laade sust-qadam2 vaamaanda3
Khaak ba sar damaaN dareeda4 zaKhmi pairauN se kaaNTauN aur aNgaarauN par chalte rahte haiN
hum sab ek baRe qabristaaN ke aavara5 bhoot haiN
jin ke jism ko haath lagaane se tahlil6 Khalaa7 meN hoN
jin ki roohauN ka zaahir se zaahir8 gosha haath na aaye
1.suspicion, imagination 2.slow paced 3.tired 4.torn/shredded cloak/clothes 5.wandering 6.dissolve 7.space, emptiness 8.most clearly seen
We trudge on slow, tired carrying our own corpse on the shoulders of our imagination (frustrated desires). In Urdu poetry, walking about with ashes on the head and with torn clothes is a sign of great distress. Thus, we are walking in great distress on thorns and hot coals as if we are lost/aimlessly wandering ghosts in a large graveyard. We are like ghosts whose bodies would dissolve into nothingness at the mere touch, ghosts whose most apparent/tangible parts cannot be touched.
hum ko maazi1 se virse2 meN kohna3 qabreN, girte malbe4 aur aaseb-zada5 khanDarauN ke Dher mile haiN
vo raushan shab-taab6 diye jin se maazi1 ko noor7 mila tha
is aaseb-zada5 maahaul8 meN yuN jalte haiN
jaise ek pur-haul9 biyabaaN10 ke teera11 sannaaTe12 meN
kuchh bhootauN ne
rah gum-karda13 sayyaahauN14 ko bhaTkaane ki Khaatir aag jalaaii ho
1.past 2.inheritance 3.ancient 4.debris, garbage 5.ghost ridden, haunted 6.night-time 7.light 8.environment 9.frightful 10.wilderness 11.dark 12.silence, stillness 13.lost their way 14.traveller, visitor, tourist
From our past, we have inherited ancient graves, falling debris and heaps of haunted ruins. The night-time lamps that used to give light in the past, in this haunted atmosphere burn as if in a frightful wilderness, dark and still, some ghosts have lit a fire to throw lost travelers off their path. Could this be … we have inherited superstitious beliefs from the past. Such beliefs at one time may have shed light on some issues, but now they are fires that distract us from the path of knowledge.
ab ye ujaale1 sirf dhuaaN2 haiN
aur aaseb-zada3 KhanDarauN ki chhat ke chiTaKhte4 shahtirauN5 ke shor6 meN koii haNsta hai
jhaRta choona, girti miTTi, neem7 muallaq8 deevaar o dar
chupke chupke rote haiN
1.light 2.smoke, fog, unreal, deceptive 3.haunted 4.cracking 5.main beam 6.loud sound (of cracking) 7.half 8.suspended, hanging
This light (the light of the fires that the ghosts have lit) is deceptive. And in these haunted ruins, the beams of the roof crack noisily as if someone is laughing loudly. Disintegrating mortar, falling sand, half suspended hanging doors and walls, sob silently. Could this be a metaphorical description of a crumblin belief system.
taaqauN1 ke Khaamosh2 diye zulmat3 ko baRhaava4 dete haiN
sahn5 ke sad-ha6 saal puraane booRhe peR
qabrauN ke bedard7 mujaavar8 ban kar laashauN par sookhe pattauN ke Dher laga dete haiN
1.alcoves 2.silent, unlit 3.darkness 4.increase 5.yard 6.hundreds 7.heartless, cruel 8.caretakers
Unlit lamps in alcoves, increase the darkness. Hundreds of years old, ancient trees become caretakers of graves and shed heaps dried leaves on the corpses covering them up.
hum sab apni apni laasheN apni anaa1 ke dosh2 pe laade
ik qabristaan ki pur-haul3 udaasi se uktaae4 hue
ek naye shamshaan5 ka raasta DhoonD rahe haiN
1.ego 2.shoulder 3.frightful 4.bored, tired 5.crematorium
We carry our own corpses on the shoulder of our egos and tired/bored of the frightful sorrow of this graveyard are looking for a way to a new crematorium. Consider that even as we are tired/bored of this mundane life in the graveyard/city and look for a way out, it is into another frightful place – a crematorium (we go from one blind belief system to another).
muntazir1-e marg2 amboh3-e hujoom4 aaNkhauN ke Khaali kaase5 khole har soo6 dekh raha hai
jaane kab koii aaye ga jo apne daaman ki hava se
bhootauN ka jalna dekhe ga
aur bhayaanak saaye galey mil mil kar khokhli aavaazauN meN roeNge
1.waiting 2.death 3.crowd 4.multitude 5.cups, sockets 6.every direction
This milling crowd, simply waiting to die, looking in all directions with their hollow (eyeless) sockets, hoping that sometime someone will come, who will fan the flames with their cloak and burn these ghosts in their own fire (the fire that they have lit) and their frightful shadows will embrace each other and cry in hollow sobs. Thus the multitude is not living but waiting to die and simply hoping that a saviour will come.
is manzar1 meN jaane phir aisa koi aae ke na aae
hajv2-e veeraaN3 maayoos4 nigaahauN ki Khaali jholi phailaae
raakh meN phool kuredega
1.scenario 2.satirical/critical verse 3.deserted, barren 4.disappointed, hopeless
Who knows whether anyone (saviour) will come into this frightful scenario. “hajv-e veeraaN” – barren (not fruitful) satirical verse could be interpreted as useless prayers for a saviour to come – conventional religiosity (I don’t quite understand why he uses the word “hajv” which is specific to satire/criticism). Useless prayers, disappointed looks, empty sack – merely scratching in the ashes for a flower.
