kis ka lahu hai-sahir

singing mahedra kapoor

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی

(فلم دھرم پتر ۱۹۶۱)

 

اے رہبرِ مُلک و قوم ذرا

آنکھیں تو اُٹھا نظریں تو ملا

کچھ ہم بھی سُنیں ہم کو بھی بتا

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے کون مرا

 

دھرتی کی سلگتی چھاتی کے بیچین شرارے پوچھتے ہیں

تم لوگ جنہیں اپنا نہ سکے، وہ خون کے دھارے پوچھتے ہیں

سڑکوں کی زباں چلّاتی ہے، ساگر کے کنارے پوچھتے ہیں

 

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے کون مرا

اے رہبرِ مُلک و قوم بتا

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے کون مرا

 

یہ جلتے ہوئے گھر کِس کے ہیں، یہ کٹتے ہوئے تن کِس کے ہیں

تقسیم کے اندھے طوفاں میں، لُٹتے ہوئے گُلشن کِس کے ہیں

بد بخت فضائیں کِس کی ہیں، برباد نشیمن کِس کے ہیں

 

کچھ ہم بھی سُنیں ہم کو بھی سنا

اے رہبرِ مُلک و قوم بتا

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے کون مرا

 

کِس کام کے ہیں یہ دین دھرم، جو شرم کے دامن چاک کریں

کِس طرح کے ہیں یہ دیش بھگت، جو بستے گھروں کو خاک کریں

یہ روحیں کیسی روحیں ہیں، جو دھرتی کو ناپاک کریں

 

آنکھیں تو اُٹھا نظریں تو ملا

اے رہبرِ مُلک و قوم بتا

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے کون مرا

 

جِس رام کے نام پہ خون بہے، اُس رام کی عزّت کیا ہوگی

جِس دین کے ہاتھوں لاج لُٹے، اُس دین کی قیمت کیا ہوگی

اِنسان کی اِس ذِلّت سے پرے، شیطان کی ذِلّت کیا ہوگی

 

یہ وید ہٹا، قُرآن اُٹھا

اے رہبرِ مُلک و قوم بتا

یہ کِس کا لہو ہے کون مرا

ये किस का लहू है – साहिर लुध्यानवी

(फ़िल्म धर्मपुत्र – १९६१)

 

अए रहबर-ए मुल्क ओ क़ौम ज़रा

आँखें तो उठा नज़रें तो मिला

कुछ हम भी सुनें हम को भी बता

ये किस का लहू है कौन मरा

 

धरती कि सुलगती छाती के बेचैन शरारे पूछते हैं

तुम लोग जिन्हें अपना न सके, वो ख़ून के धारे पूछते हैं

सड़कों कि ज़बां चिल्लाती है, सागर के किनारे पूछते हैं

 

ये किस का लहू है कौन मरा

अए रहबर-ए मुल्क ओ क़ौम बता

ये किस का लहू है कौन मरा

 

ये जलते हुए घर किस के हैं, ये कटते हुए तन किस के हैं

तक़्सीम के अंधे तूफ़ां में, लुटते हुए गुलशन किस के हैं

बद-बख़्त फ़िज़ाएं किस कि हैं, बरबाद नशेमन किस के हैं

 

कुछ हम भी सुनें हम को भी सुना

अए रहबर-ए मुल्क ओ क़ौम बता

ये किस का लहू है कौन मरा

 

किस काम के हैं ये दीन धरम, जो शर्म के दामन चाक करें

किस तरह के हैं ये देश भगत, जो बस्ते घरौं को ख़ाक करें

ये रूहें कैसी रूहें हैं, जो धरती को नापाक करें

 

आँखें तो उठा नज़रें तो मिला

अए रहबर-ए मुल्क ओ क़ौम बता

ये किस का लहू है कौन मरा

 

जिस राम के नाम पे ख़ून बहे, उस राम कि इज़्ज़त क्या होगी

जिस दीन के हाथौं लाज लुटे, उस दीन कि क़ीमत क्या होगी

इंसान कि इस ज़िल्लत से परे, शैतान कि ज़िल्लत क्या होगी

 

ये वेद हटा, क़ुर’आन उठा

अए रहबर-ए मुल्क ओ क़ौम बता

ये किस का लहू है कौन मरा

ye kis ka lahu hai – sahir ludhianavi
(movie dharmputr -1961)

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for word meanings and discussion.  sahir wrote a poem in the same style in 1946 when naval officers who mutinied against British rule were persuaded by the Indian National Congress to surrender and later sentenced and hanged. The Congress could have prevented this and after independence reduced their sentence but chose not to do so. sahir demanded answers … ye kis ka lahu hai, kaun mara. Later, in 1961, he adapted his nazm to a movie set during partition, dharmputr, using the same refrain and the same opening stanza, modifying the rest. It can equally be applied to ask about victims of communal riots.

aye rahbar1-e mulk o qaum zara
aaNkheN to uTha nazreN to mila
kuchh hum bhi suneN hum ko bhi bataa
ye kis ka lahu2 hai kaun maraa
1.guide, leader 2.blood
sahir demands answers … O leader of the country and nation, raise your eyes and look us in the face, tell us we want to know – who are these that have been killed, whose blood has been spilled.

dharti ki sulagti chhaati ke be-chain1 sharaare2 poochhte haiN
tum log jinheN apna3 na sake, vo Khoon ke dhaare poochhte haiN
saRkauN ki zabaaN chillaati hai, saagar ke kinaare poochhte haiN
1.restless, flickering 2.sparks/flames 3.take ownership of, admit
The flickering flames of the bosom of the earth ask. The streams of blood that you fail to recognize, want to know. The people on the street are shouting, all the shores of he country demand an answer …

ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa
ae rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa
… who has been killed, whose blood is this, O leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

ye jalte hue ghar kis ke haiN, ye kaTte hue tan kis ke haiN
taqsim1 ke andhe toofaaN meN, luTte2 hue gulshan3 kis ke haiN
bad-baKht4 fizaa’eN5 kis ki haiN, barbaad6 nasheman7 kis ke haiN
1.division/partition 2.being looted 3.gardens 4.bad omen 5.winds 6.destroyed 7.nests/homes
Whose houses are these that burn. Whose bodies are being cut down. In this blind storm of partition, whose gardens/homes are these that being looted. Where does this ill-wind blow from? Whose nests/homes are these that are destroyed.

kuchh hum bhi suneN hum ko bhi suna
aye rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa
Do tell us, we want to hear, O leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

kis kaam ke haiN ye deen1 dharam2, jo sharm ke daaman3 chaak4 kareN
kis tarah ke haiN ye desh-bhagat5, jo baste6 gharauN ko Khaak kareN
ye rooheN7 kaisi rooheN haiN, jo dharti8 ko naapaak9 kareN
1.faith (Islamic) 2.religion (Hindu) 3.apron, robe 4.tear 5.patriots 6.inhabited 7.soul 8.earth 9.impure, polluted, defiled
Of what use are these religions which tear off garments/cover/pretense of shame. What kinds of patriots are these who burn inhabited houses. What kind of (holy) souls are these that defile the earth.

aaNkhen to uTha nazreN to mila
aye rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa
Raise your eyes, look us in the face, O, leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

jis ram ke naam pe Khoon bahe1, us ram ki izzat2 kya hogi
jis deen3 ke haathauN laaj4 luTe5, us deen ki qeemat6 kya hogi
insaan ki is zillat7 se pare8, shaitaan ki zillat kya hogi
1.flow 2.respect, honor 3.faith (Islamic) 4.(woman’s) honor 5.looted 6.value 7.dishonor, humiliation
When blood flows in the name of Ram, how can that Ram be respected. When a woman’s honor is violated in the name of Islamic faith, how can that faith have any value. How can even satan/devil be any more dishonourable than man.

ye ved1 haTaa, qur’aan uTha
aye rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa
1.Hindu scripture
Remove this ved, take away the qur’aan, O leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

ye kis ka lahu hai – sahir ludhianavi
(movie dharmputr -1961)

sahir wrote a poem in the same style in 1946 when naval officers who mutinied against British rule were persuaded by the Indian National Congress to surrender and later sentenced and hanged.  The Congress could have prevented this and after independence reduced their sentence but chose not to do so.  sahir demanded answers … ye kis ka lahu hai, kaun mara.  Later, in 1961, he adapted his nazm to a movie set during partition, dharmputr, using the same refrain and the same opening stanza, modifying the rest.  It can equally be applied to ask about victims of communal riots.

aye rahbar1-e mulk o qaum zara
aaNkheN to uTha nazreN to mila
kuchh hum bhi suneN hum ko bhi bataa
ye kis ka lahu2 hai kaun maraa

1.guide, leader 2.blood

sahir demands answers … O leader of the country and nation, raise your eyes and look us in the face, tell us we want to know – who are these that have been killed, whose blood has been spilled.

dharti ki sulagti chhaati ke be-chain1 sharaare2 poochhte haiN
tum log jinheN apna3 na sake, vo Khoon ke dhaare poochhte haiN
saRkauN ki zabaaN chillaati hai, saagar ke kinaare poochhte haiN

1.restless, flickering 2.sparks/flames 3.take ownership of, admit

The flickering flames of the bosom of the earth ask.  The streams of blood that you fail to recognize, want to know.  The people on the street are shouting, all the shores of he country demand an answer …

ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa
ae rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa

… who has been killed, whose blood is this, O leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

ye jalte hue ghar kis ke haiN, ye kaTte hue tan kis ke haiN
taqsim1 ke andhe toofaaN meN, luTte2 hue gulshan3 kis ke haiN
bad-baKht4 fizaa’eN5 kis ki haiN, barbaad6 nasheman7 kis ke haiN

1.division/partition 2.being looted 3.gardens 4.bad omen 5.winds 6.destroyed 7.nests/homes

Whose houses are these that burn.  Whose bodies are being cut down.  In this blind storm of partition, whose gardens/homes are these that being looted.  Where does this ill-wind blow from?  Whose nests/homes are these that are destroyed.

kuchh hum bhi suneN hum ko bhi suna
aye rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa

Do tell us, we want to hear, O leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

kis kaam ke haiN ye deen1 dharam2, jo sharm ke daaman3 chaak4 kareN
kis tarah ke haiN ye desh-bhagat5, jo baste6 gharauN ko Khaak kareN
ye rooheN7 kaisi rooheN haiN, jo dharti8 ko naapaak9 kareN

1.faith (Islamic) 2.religion (Hindu) 3.apron, robe 4.tear 5.patriots 6.inhabited 7.soul 8.earth 9.impure, polluted, defiled

Of what use are these religions which tear off garments/cover/pretense of shame.  What kinds of patriots are these who burn inhabited houses.  What kind of (holy) souls are these that defile the earth.

aaNkhen to uTha nazreN to mila
aye rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa

Raise your eyes, look us in the face, O, leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

jis ram ke naam pe Khoon bahe1, us ram ki izzat2 kya hogi
jis deen3 ke haathauN laaj4 luTe5, us deen ki qeemat6 kya hogi
insaan ki is zillat7 se pare8, shaitaan ki zillat kya hogi

1.flow 2.respect, honor 3.faith (Islamic) 4.(woman’s) honor 5.looted 6.value 7.dishonor, humiliation

When blood flows in the name of Ram, how can that Ram be respected.  When a woman’s honor is violated in the name of Islamic faith, how can that faith have any value.  How can even satan/devil be any more dishonourable than man.

ye ved1 haTaa, qur’aan uTha
aye rahbar-e mulk o qaum bataa
ye kis ka lahu hai kaun maraa

1.Hindu scripture

Remove this ved, take away the qur’aan, O leader of the country/nation, we want to know.

 

Search Words:  Indo-Pak Friendship, India Pakistan, Peace Now and Forever, Communal Harmony, Communal Riots, Hindu-Muslim Unity