Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shahid aziz ravish siddiqui (1909-1971) was brought up in a religious atmosphere but in addition to arabi and faarsi, he learnt sanskrit and hindi and was well versed in vedantic literature. As a Ghazal writer he has leaned heavily on Ghalib with many Ghazal composed in his style. This is in the style of ‘Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi keh pinhaaN ho gaiiN’. There are two of ravish siddiqui in the same style.
1
kya meri barbaadiyaaN¹ rusvaa²-e dauraaN³ ho gaiiN
kis se poochhuN kyuN teri zulfeN⁴ pareshaaN⁵ ho gaiiN   1.devastation 2.shame, disrepute 3.times, world, society 4.hair 5.spread, untied
The poet/lover is devastated because of the beloved’s non-response to his love. But he keeps the cause of his devastation a secret from the rest of the world for fear of causing disrepute to the beloved. But he sees the beloved with her hair untied and spread out. What is the reason? Has his secret somehow become a cause of disrepute? Who can he ask?
2
hashr¹ meN ek ashk²-e larziida³ ne sub kuchh kah diya
muKhtasir⁴ sad-haa⁵ hikaayaat⁶-e pareshaaN⁷ ho gaiiN    1.doomsday 2.tear 3.trembling 4.brief 5.hundreds 6.stories 7.scattered
Tradition is that all lovers keep their pain secret during life, but on doomsday the beloved is answerable for all the pain she has caused. On doomsday there is a crowd gathered anticipating lovers to tell their stories and judgement on the beloved to be pronounced. But there is a trembling tear drop on her eyelashes and that tells the whole story. Thus, all other scattered stories suddenly became very brief – either there was no need to narrate them or there was an upwelling of pity for the plight of the beloved.
3
ishq ne Thukra¹ diya jin ko vo sub dushvaariyaaN²
vaqt ki nairaNgiyoN³ ke saath aasaaN⁴ ho gaiiN   1.kick, disregard, ignore 2.difficulties 3.magic 4.easy
Love/passion faces many difficulties, but is not discouraged, does not give up, ignores all difficulties and goes on with what it needs to do. With the magic of time, these difficulties become easy. Reminds me of …
be-Khatar kood paRa aatish-e narmrood meN ishq
aql hai mahv-e tamaasha-e lab-e baam abhi
Fearless Passion jumped into the fire/furnace of Nimrod
The mind stands at the edge engrossed in thinking what to do
4
Khuld¹-e aazaadi yahi duniya thi insaaN ke liye
maslehat² andeshiyaaN³ diivaar-e zindaaN⁴ ban gaiiN   1.heaven 2.hidden agenda, secret desire 3.concern, thoughts 4.prison
This world itself was supposed to be heavenly freedom for humans. They were supposed to keep themselves free of material desires and enjoy spiritual freedom. But their secret desires of material acquisition closed in on them like prison walls.
5
rooh¹ ko mahka² diya kuchh hasratoN³ ki yaad ne
chand murjhaaii⁴ hui kaliyaaN⁵ gulistaaN⁶ ho gaiiN   1.spirit, soul 2.fragrant 3.longing 4.wilted 5.buds 6.garden, blooms
The poet/lover has been despondent for a long time, given up any hopes of his love ever being reciprocated. The memories of his love are now like wilted buds. But suddenly, of an evening, he recalls some of those long suppressed yearnings and it is as if the wilted buds of his hope are blooming again.
6
muntazir¹ kuchh Khasta² o darmaanda³ viiraane⁴ bhi the
sub bahaareN⁵ kyuN sazaavaar⁶-e gulistaaN⁷ ho gaiiN   1.waiting, anticipating 2.broken 3.helpless 4.wilderness 5.spring 6.sazaavaar hona is an expression meaning – deserving of 7.gardens
There are a few desolate and helpless wildernesses waiting for help. Why do only gardens become deserving of spring. This could well be a political statement about distribution of wealth.
7
haa’e un bastiyoN ka zikr¹ hi kya hum-nashiiN²
jo abhi basne³ na paaii thiiN keh viiraaN⁴ ho gaiiN   1.narrate, talk about 2.friend 3.settled 4.desolate
Alas, how can I talk about those settlements my friend which had barely started to prosper when they were rendered desolate. I am not sure if this is a specific incident that happened … a natural disaster or a riot, or if this is just an abstract statement.
8
husn¹ ki maasoomiyaaN² kuchh teri zulfoN³ se chhupiiN
aur kuchh rusva⁴ ba-naam-e kufr-o-iimaaN⁵ ho gaiiN   1.beauty, beloved 2.innocence – used sarcastically 3.hair, veil 4.embarrassed 5.right and wrong
Some of the ‘innocent’ transgressions of the beloved were covered up by her hair/veil, but some became a cause of embarrassment in the name of right and wrong by the fastidious censor/moralizer.
9
dil ki barbaadi¹ ka shikva² kya tujhe hota ravish³
sochta huN vo nigaaheN⁴ kyuN pashemaaN⁵ ho gaiiN   1.destruction, devastation 2.complaint 3.pen-name of the poet 4.eyes 5.embarrassed
Poetic tradition is that poet/lover never complains about the beloved’s excesses. Would you have ever complained about the devastation of your heart O ravish? Then, I wonder why her eyes looked embarrassed. Whether this was in this world or on the day of judgement, is not clear.