For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
naseer turabi
سلسلہ کوئی اور ہے ۔ نصیرؔ ترابی
۱
تجھے کیا خبر مرے بے خبر مرا سلسلہ کوئی اور ہے
جو مجھی کو مجھ سے بہم کرے وہ گریز پا کوئی اور ہے
۲
مرے موسموں کے بھی طور تھے مرے برگ و بار ہی اور تھے
مگر اب روش ہے الگ کوئی مگر اب ہوا کوئی اور ہے
۳
یہی شہر شہر قرار ہے تو دل شکستہ کی خیر ہو
مری آس ہے کسی اور سے مجھے پوچھتا کوئی اور ہے
۴
یہ وہ ماجرائے فراق ہے جو محبتوں سے نہ کھل سکا
کہ محبتوں ہی کے درمیاں سبب جفا کوئی اور ہے
۵
ہیں محبتوں کی امانتیں یہی ہجرتیں یہی قربتیں
دیے بام و در کسی اور نے تو رہا بسا کوئی اور ہے
۶
یہ فضا کے رنگ کھلے کھلے اسی پیش و پس کے ہیں سلسلے
ابھی خوش نوا کوئی اور تھا ابھی پر کشا کوئی اور ہے
۷
دل زود رنج نہ کر گلہ کسی گرم و سرد رقیب کا
رخ ناسزا تو ہے روبرو پس ناسزا کوئی اور ہے
۸
بہت آئے ہمدم و چارہ گر جو نمود و نام کے ہو گئے
جو زوال غم کا بھی غم کرے وہ خوش آشنا کوئی اور ہے
۹
یہ نصیرؔ شام سپردگی کی اداس اداس سی روشنی
بہ کنار گل ذرا دیکھنا یہ تمہی ہو یا کوئی اور ہے
सिल्सिला कोई और है – नसीर तुराबी
१
तुझे क्या ख़बर मेरे बे-ख़बर मिरा सिल्सिला कोई और है
जो मुझी को मुझ से बहम करे वो गुरेज़-पा कोई और है
२
मेरे मौसमों के भी तौर थे मेरे बर्ग-ओ-बार ही और थे
मगर अब रविश है अलग कोई मगर अब हवा कोई और है
३
यही शहर शहर-ए क़रार है तो दिल-ए शिकस्ता की ख़ैर हो
मेरी आस है किसी और से मुझे पूछता कोई और है
४
ये वो माज्रा-ए फ़िराक़ है जो मोहब्बतों से न खुल सका
के मोहब्बतों ही के दरमियाँ सबब-ए जफ़ा कोई और है
५
हैं मोहब्बतों की अमानतें यही हिज्रतें यही क़ुर्बतें
दिए बाम-ओ-दर किसी और ने तो रहा-बसा कोई और है
६
ये फ़ज़ा के रंग खुले खुले इसी पेश-ओ-पस के हैं सिल्सिले
अभी ख़ुश-नवा कोई और था अभी पर-कुशा कोई और है
७
दिल-ए ज़ूद-रंज न कर गिला किसी गर्म ओ सर्द रक़ीब का
रुख़-ए ना-सज़ा तो है रू-ब-रू पस-ए ना-सज़ा कोई और है
८
बहुत आए हमदम ओ चारा-गर जो नुमूद ओ नाम के हो गए
जो ज़वाल-ए ग़म का भी ग़म करे वो ख़ुश-आश्ना कोई और है
९
ये नसीर शाम-ए सुपुर्दगी की उदास उदास सी रौशनी
ब-कनार-ए गुल ज़रा देखना ये तुम्ही हो या कोई और है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. naseer turabi (1945-2021). Born in hyderabad, family migrated to pakistan in 1948. He began composing in 1962 and was active in liberal causes including opposing military rule. The dominant theme in this Ghazal is that the military, behind the scenes, is pulling strings and is the real power. Perhaps there is a tinge of protest against the plight of the ‘mohaajir’.
1
tujhe kyaa Khabar1 mere be-Khabar2 mera silsila3 koii aur hai
jo mujhi ko mujh se baham4 kare vo gurez-paa5 koii aur hai 1.awareness, knowledge 2.unaware, deceived 3.connection, train of thought 4.together 5.fleet-footed, going away
The poet is addressing the audience and through them, his compatriots. Are you even aware, you who have been deceived, that appearances are different from reality. I have given it some thought, my thinking is different. The one who makes me aware of myself, my rights, or of what is being done to me, is a fleet-footed person difficult to catch/find. The gurez-paa person/organization may be one who has to hide, cannot come out in the open. This might also imply that you have to learn of it yourselves.
2
mere mausamoN1 ke bhi taur2 the mere barg3 o baar4 hi aur the
magar ab ravish5 hai alag koii magar ab havaa6 koii aur hai 1.seasons – used here to mean expectations 2.style 3.leaves, petals 4.fruit 5.pathway 6.trend
My expectations/hopes used to be different, the fruits I desired were different. But now, my path, my search is different, the trend/direction of my endeavours has changed. The poet is declaring his rebellion.
3
yahi shahr1 shahr-e qaraar2 hai to dil-e shikasta3 ki Khair4 ho
meri aas5 hai kisi aur se mujhe poochhtaa koii aur hai 1.used here to mean homeland 2.well-being, happiness 3.broken 4.safety, protection, used here in the sense of ‘god help us’ 5.hopes
If this is the homeland that had promised us peace and happiness, then O, my broken heart, only god can help us. My hopes were tied with something/someone else but somebody else is in-charge.
4
ye vo maajraa1-e firaaq2 hai jo mohabbatoN3 se na khul4 sakaa
ke mohabbatoN hi ke darmiyaaN5 sabab6-e jafaa7 koii aur hai 1.incidence/occurrence, story 2.separation, absence 3.love, promises 4.open, explained, understood 5.middle 6.reason, basis 7.oppression
This the story of absence/dashed hopes that cannot be understood in the light of promises that were made. Hidden in the middle of these promises is the reason for oppression.
5
haiN mohabbatoN1 ki amaanateN2 yahi hijrateN3 yahi qurbateN4
diye baam-o-dar5 kisi aur ne to rahaa-basaa6 koii aur hai 1.love, promises 2.safekeeping, trust 3.migration, travel 4.nearness, friendship 5.roof and door, homes, shelter 6.lived in, occupied, usurped
We entrusted this migration, this friendship to these promises. It was someone else who had promised us shelter, but someone else now has usurped it.
6
ye fazaa1 ke raNg2 khule khule isi pesh-o-pas3 ke haiN silsile4
abhi Khush-navaa5 koii aur thaa abhi par-kushaa6 koii aur hai 1.atmosphere, ambience, conditions 2.style, mood 3.forward and backward, progress and setback 4.continuation, chain, one after the other 5.sweet talking 6.spreading wings
The (present/temporary) conditions of an open/free atmosphere is but a continuation of the cycle of (some) progress and (many) setbacks. A moment ago there was someone talking sweetly, making promises, and a moment later there was someone spreading their wings, ready to take flight.
7
dil-e zood-ranj1 na kar gila2 kisi garm o sard raqib3 kaa
ruKh4-e naa-sazaa5 to hai roo-ba-roo6 pas7-e naa-sazaa5 koii aur hai 1.quick to take offence, short-tempered 2.complain 3.rival, opponent 4.face 5.inappropriate, fool 6.face to face, in front 7.behind
This she’r was composed and inserted into the Ghazal as a specific response to hafiz jalandhari’s severe criticism of josh malihabadi calling him an enemy of pakistan and unislamic. faiz ahmed faiz got very angry at this criticism. Here, the poet says, O, short-tempered heart, do not complain about the hot and cold rantings of the opponent. The face of that fool is before us, but behind that face is someone else (egging him on).
8
bahut aaye hamdam1 o chaara-gar2 jo numood3 o naam ke ho gaye
jo zavaal4-e Gham5 kaa bhi Gham6 kare vo Khush-aashnaa7 koii aur hai 1.friend 2.healer 3.appearance, show 4.reduction 5.pain, sorrow 6.worry, concern 7.knowledgable, aware, caring
Many friends, well-wishers and healers have come but remained only for show and reputation. The one that worries about reducing pain and sorrow, the one who knows and cares, is someone else.
9
ye naseer1 shaam-e supurdagi2 ki udaas udaas si raushni
ba-kanaar3-e gul4 zaraa dekhnaa ye tumhi ho yaa koii aur hai 1.pen-name of the poet 2.to give for safekeeping, to submit 3.at the edge of 4.used here to mean garden
O, naseer, this sorrowful/faded light of the night of submission, look carefully at the edge of the garden (at the boundary of the promised land) to see if it is you or someone else i.e. are you going to get admitted to the garden or is someone else going to grab it.
naseer turabi (1945-2021). Born in hyderabad, family migrated to pakistan in 1948. He began composing in 1962 and was active in liberal causes including opposing military rule. The dominant theme in this Ghazal is that the military, behind the scenes, is pulling strings and is the real power. Perhaps there is a tinge of protest against the plight of the ‘mohaajir’.
1
tujhe kyaa Khabar1 mere be-Khabar2 mera silsila3 koii aur hai
jo mujhi ko mujh se baham4 kare vo gurez-paa5 koii aur hai
1.awareness, knowledge 2.unaware, deceived 3.connection, train of thought 4.together 5.fleet-footed, going away
The poet is addressing the audience and through them, his compatriots. Are you even aware, you who have been deceived, that appearances are different from reality. I have given it some thought, my thinking is different. The one who makes me aware of myself, my rights, or of what is being done to me, is a fleet-footed person difficult to catch/find. The gurez-paa person/organization may be one who has to hide, cannot come out in the open. This might also imply that you have to learn of it yourselves.
2
mere mausamoN1 ke bhi taur2 the mere barg3 o baar4 hi aur the
magar ab ravish5 hai alag koii magar ab havaa6 koii aur hai
1.seasons – used here to mean expectations 2.style 3.leaves, petals 4.fruit 5.pathway 6.trend
My expectations/hopes used to be different, the fruits I desired were different. But now, my path, my search is different, the trend/direction of my endeavours has changed. The poet is declaring his rebellion.
3
yahi shahr1 shahr-e qaraar2 hai to dil-e shikasta3 ki Khair4 ho
meri aas5 hai kisi aur se mujhe poochhtaa koii aur hai
1.used here to mean homeland 2.well-being, happiness 3.broken 4.safety, protection, used here in the sense of ‘god help us’ 5.hopes
If this is the homeland that had promised us peace and happiness, then O, my broken heart, only god can help us. My hopes were tied with something/someone else but somebody else is in-charge.
4
ye vo maajraa1-e firaaq2 hai jo mohabbatoN3 se na khul4 sakaa
ke mohabbatoN hi ke darmiyaaN5 sabab6-e jafaa7 koii aur hai
1.incidence/occurrence, story 2.separation, absence 3.love, promises 4.open, explained, understood 5.middle 6.reason, basis 7.oppression
This the story of absence/dashed hopes that cannot be understood in the light of promises that were made. Hidden in the middle of these promises is the reason for oppression.
5
haiN mohabbatoN1 ki amaanateN2 yahi hijrateN3 yahi qurbateN4
diye baam-o-dar5 kisi aur ne to rahaa-basaa6 koii aur hai
1.love, promises 2.safekeeping, trust 3.migration, travel 4.nearness, friendship 5.roof and door, homes, shelter 6.lived in, occupied, usurped
We entrusted this migration, this friendship to these promises. It was someone else who had promised us shelter, but someone else now has usurped it.
6
ye fazaa1 ke raNg2 khule khule isi pesh-o-pas3 ke haiN silsile4
abhi Khush-navaa5 koii aur thaa abhi par-kushaa6 koii aur hai
1.atmosphere, ambience, conditions 2.style, mood 3.forward and backward, progress and setback 4.continuation, chain, one after the other 5.sweet talking 6.spreading wings
The (present/temporary) conditions of an open/free atmosphere is but a continuation of the cycle of (some) progress and (many) setbacks. A moment ago there was someone talking sweetly, making promises, and a moment later there was someone spreading their wings, ready to take flight.
7
dil-e zood-ranj1 na kar gila2 kisi garm o sard raqib3 kaa
ruKh4-e naa-sazaa5 to hai roo-ba-roo6 pas7-e naa-sazaa5 koii aur hai
1.quick to take offence, short-tempered 2.complain 3.rival, opponent 4.face 5.inappropriate, fool 6.face to face, in front 7.behind
This she’r was composed and inserted into the Ghazal as a specific response to hafiz jalandhari’s severe criticism of josh malihabadi calling him an enemy of pakistan and unislamic. faiz ahmed faiz got very angry at this criticism. Here, the poet says, O, short-tempered heart, do not complain about the hot and cold rantings of the opponent. The face of that fool is before us, but behind that face is someone else (egging him on).
8
bahut aaye hamdam1 o chaara-gar2 jo numood3 o naam ke ho gaye
jo zavaal4-e Gham5 kaa bhi Gham6 kare vo Khush-aashnaa7 koii aur hai
1.friend 2.healer 3.appearance, show 4.reduction 5.pain, sorrow 6.worry, concern 7.knowledgable, aware, caring
Many friends, well-wishers and healers have come but remained only for show and reputation. The one that worries about reducing pain and sorrow, the one who knows and cares, is someone else.
9
ye naseer1 shaam-e supurdagi2 ki udaas udaas si raushni
ba-kanaar3-e gul4 zaraa dekhnaa ye tumhi ho yaa koii aur hai
1.pen-name of the poet 2.to give for safekeeping, to submit 3.at the edge of 4.used here to mean garden
O, naseer, this sorrowful/faded light of the night of submission, look carefully at the edge of the garden (at the boundary of the promised land) to see if it is you or someone else i.e. are you going to get admitted to the garden or is someone else going to grab it.
