mojid o mufakkir is “inventor and thinker/philosopher” … josh makes an argument that technology has made life easier for human kind but the philosopher/thinker has raised mankind to new heights of an amorphous combination of “values, culture, ethics, humanity”.  The rigor of the argument aside, the language is so awesome, powerful and beautiful that (especially if you allow yourselves to be seduced by josh) you forget about the argument but simply get lost in admiring the composition.  I invite you to that journey …

tamaddun 1-10  In 10 stanzas josh describes how sophistication and culture developed among human beings.  Please remind yourselves that there is no anthropological rigour in this.  The development of civilization/settlements, of speech and writing, of social behaviour is described in the most lyrical and beautiful phrases.

iijadaat 11-18  In stanzas 11-18 josh describes the inventions of technology.  It is joyful to read his description of the timepiece or of the satellite or cinema/TV and of sentient machines.  The metaphors and the language are incomparably beautiful.  I have reordered a couple of stanza from josh’s original marsia to keep the keep the theme compatible in this set of stanzas.

shaa’estagi 19-29  In stanzas 19-29 humans become sensitive to inherited culture, indulge in archeological discoveries and refine culture further.

ehsaan 30-42 josh takes 13 stanzas to pay tribute to scientists and inventors in very beautiful and powerful language and then begins to wonder why humanity is not beholden to them.  He goes on to answer that it is one thing to take us to the “dome of the skies” but another to make us understand the meaning of life.

mufakkir  43-53  Explaining the meaning of life is what a mufakkir does and josh goes on to re-affirm why the mufakkir is foremost in human thought, not the mojid.

sifaat-e husain  54-60  Having described the qualities and contributions of the mufakkir josh proceeds to say that husain ibn-e ali is an exemplary mufakkir who rose to do all this for humanity … he rose carrying a flask of his own blood on his shoulder i.e., ready to sacrifice his own life.

haalaat-e daur-e yaziid  61-68   A few stanzas describing in musical language the changing order from principled governance to hubristic power grab and personal enrichment.

Khoon 69-74  These stanzas are an unadulterated, highly emotional praise of husain.  The terminology of “Khoon” is used not only to say that Husain was ready to sacrifice his own blood but also in the sense that in common parlance the word “Khoon” is used to imply character, heritage and the like.  Even if you are not inclined to shii belief, you will find this composition extremely enjoyable and emotionally charged.

karbala 75-84  josh uses these few stanzas to describe the prevailing conditions before the battle of karbala which led husain to lay down his life in principled resistance.

tarGheeb 85-90  This comes close to incitement and calls upon the audience to resist injustice.

Khiraaj 91-107  Unadulterated tribute to husain.  It is beautiful and powerful composition with rich metaphors.  Enjoyable even when read with a completely secular viewpoint.

almadad 108-116  A resounding call for help from the spirit of husain while calling upon the audience to act on the principles that impelled husain, to resist present day injustice.  His call on husain for water is a most dramatic and ironic climax to this marsia.

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. He composed several marsia, which are traditionally long. Please see the ‘Overview’ tab for a description of the full marsia.
1
muskura kar jab hui taal’a¹ tamaddun² ki sahr
jaNgaloN se shahr ki jaanib baRhi fikr-e bashar³
rasmasaai⁴ aarzu-e baam⁵ chauNka⁶ zauq-e dar⁷
kisht⁸-e Khaak-e taar⁹ meN ugne lage shams o qamar¹⁰
Khosha¹¹-e husn-e zamiN yuN naaz se pakne laga
daab kar daaNtoN meN uNgli¹² aasmaaN takne laga 1.emerge 2.civilization, culture 3.human thinking 4.woke up (restlessness of an infant to be picked up) 5.desire of a roof 6.woke up 7.taste for a door 8.fields 9.dark dust (a metaphor for yet unexplored earth/land 10.sun and moon (a metaphor for landmarks) 11.bunch (of grapes)12. an expression for surprise and envy
As the morning of civilization/culture dawned smiling, human thought moved from the nomadic jungle towards settlement. The desire for a roof over his head awoke in man. In the (dark) unexplored fields of the earth, he found recognizable landmarks (sun and moon). The fruit of the beauty of earth began to ripen in great style, so much so that the sky began to look on with surprise and envy.
2
jab ishaaroN ko sada¹ ban kar nikharna² aa gaya
aur sada ko lafz³ meN Dhal⁴ kar ubharna⁵ aa gaya
lafz ko phir harf⁶ ban kar gul-katarna⁷ aa gaya
Khaak-e saamat⁸ ko bil-aaKhir⁹ baat karna aa gaya
lab hile to kishtiyaaN chalne lagiiN ejaaz¹⁰ ki
fikr-e-insaaN ko savaari mil gayi avaaz ki 1.sound 2.become fresh/clean 3.word 4.cast 5.emerge 6.alphabet/writing 7.pick flowers, make fine/subtle points 8.dumb clay=man (lore that humans were made from clay and water) 9.at last 10.miracles
As sign language blossomed into sound, and sound was cast into words and emerged as meaningful and words found expression and subtlety through writing, finally this dumb clay learnt to speak. And as he spoke, he launched ships of miraculous achievement. Human reasoning found a vehicle (expression) in speech.
3
muntashir¹ afraad² ko mil jul ke rahna aa gaya
aadmi ko een o aaN³ ki aaNch sahna⁴ aa gaya
vaqt ke dhaare ko bittartiib⁵ bahna aa gaya
hujla⁶-e ehsaas⁷ meN phooloN ka gahna aa gaya
naaz⁸ se zulf-e-lataafat⁹ ki girah khulne lagi
phool ke kaaNTe¹⁰ pe rooh-e-gulsitaaN¹¹ tulne¹² lagi 1.scattered, dispersed 2.individuals 3. this and that (everyday trivialities) 4.tolerate, bear 5.organized, in harmony 6.chamber (bridal chamber) 7.feelings 8.pride, style 9.tresses of pleasure – pleasure is personified as a damsel 10.balance 11.spirit of the garden 12.getting weighed (evaluated)
Dispersed individuals learnt to live together. Man learnt to bear the heat of daily trivialities/tasks. Time began to flow in organized, predictable currents. The bridal chamber of fine feelings was decked with flowers. Culture displayed her tresses in great style. ‘lataafat’ from ‘lutf’ is pleasure … but also cultural refinement and is personified as a damsel. Undoing the knots of tresses is often used as a metaphor for displaying beauty and sensuous playfulness. The spirit of the garden began to be weighed on a fine balance … phool ka kaaNTa … kaaNTa of course is a thorn, closely associated with the flower as an antonym … gentle beauty vs sharp, hurtful point. ‘kaaNTa’ is also a balance for weighing things. Weighing is taking the measure of things. To say that the ‘spirit of the garden was weighed on a fine balance’ is to say that it passed the test of acceptability.
4
sar jhukaaya jahl¹ ne phir ilm ke darbaar meN
daa’ere² ban’ne lage jumbish³ hui parkaar⁴ meN
aaiine ka zauq⁵ jaga Khaatir⁶-e zangaar⁷ meN
sabza⁸-e irshaad⁹ mahka gulshan-e guftaar¹⁰ meN
aur phir sabze ke taKhtoN¹¹ meN ravaani¹² aa gayii
nau-e insaaN¹³ ki maseN bhiigiiN¹⁴ javaani aa gayii 1.ignorance 2.circles 3. movement 4.compasses 5.desire 6.heart 7.blue stone (metaphor for mineral) 8.greenery, freshness 9.speech 10.conversation 11.fields 12.flow, waves 13.human species 14.side-burns getting moist (coming of age)
Ignorance bowed its head in the court of knowledge. Geometry emerged, drawing circles with a compass. This also implies that knowledge began to be organized into ‘circles’ i.e., disciplines (albeit interconnected and overlapping). The desire for mirror polish awakened in the heart of stone. The freshness of speech blossomed into flowing conversation (like poetry). The fields of greenery waved with joy. The human species matured and came of age.
5
shaahraah-e aam¹ tarshi² maaNg nikli shahr ki
raushni ki mauj ne is maaNg meN afshaaN³ bhari
taab⁴-e afshaaN jadval-e-muqaysh⁵ meN Dhal kar bahi
zindagi ki nabz⁵-e zauq-e-shabravi⁶ chalne lagi
saaz⁷-e shab se naGhma-ha-e-subah-dam⁸ paida hue
bastiaaN muRne lagiN galiyoN meN Kham⁹ paida hue 1.public highway 2.got carved 3.glitter 4.brightness 5.decorated line 6.pulse of the taste for night life 7.musical instrument 8.songs of dawn 9.curves
The highway appeared as a ‘maaNg’ in the hair of the bride (the settlement is personified as a bride). Waves of lamps lit the ‘maaNg’ like glitter. The brightness of glitter flowed as an adorned line. The taste for night life came alive as the throbbing pulse of life itself. The music of the night gave birth to songs of dawn. The highway branched into curving streets pulsating with life! Urbanization and night life clearly plays a large role in josh’s view of the development of cultural refinement. The city is described as a damsel and the bright highway is a ‘maaNg’ or middle parting of her hair.
6
aarzoo¹-e Khaana-aaraai² ki sham’eN³ jal uTheeN
kunmuna⁴ kar san’at⁵-e nau Khez⁶ ne ankheN maleeN
saada ruKh⁷ taamiir⁸ ne byonti⁹ qabaa¹⁰-e maa o teeN¹¹
sar pe rakh kar gumbadoN¹² ke qumqume¹³ naachi zameeN
sangreze¹⁴ pae-ba-pae¹⁵ humke minaare ban gaye
karvaTeN zarroN¹⁶ ne kuchh yuN liiN ke taare ban gaye 1.desire 2.beautify dwellings 3.evenings 4.baby sounds 5.craftsmanship 6.newly formed 7.plain 8.construction 9.weaved 10.robe 11.clay and water 12.domes 13.candelabra 14.pebbles 15.step by step 16.particles
josh having dealt with “settlement” is now describing the evolution of fine architecture. The desire to make beautiful dwellings lit up like a lamp. Newborn craft (of design and building) reached out like an infant, rubbing its eyes. Plain structures gave way to refined robes of clay and water. The earth began to dance with joy carrying domes of candelabras. Rocks were assembled step by step into minarets. Even pebbles woke up to become stars. Clay and water, ‘maa o teeN’ is primordial ‘sacred’ stuff – after all man himself was made with clay and water. So plain structures acquired robes of clay and water is used to make robes for the ‘bride’ i.e. the city. josh celebrates the development of domed architecture and minarets. Is waking up of pebbles a subtle description of the mining of diamonds!
7
har nafas¹ baRhne lagi phir zindagi aatish-bajaaN²
mae-chakaaN³ o mushk-rez⁴ o mahr-bez⁵ o mah-fashaaN⁶
par-fashaaN⁷, junba-jahaaN⁸, larzaaN-ravaaN⁹, tarsaaN-davaaN¹⁰
naGhma-KhwaaN¹¹, giryaaN-Kharaama¹², Khush-anaaN¹³ jaulaaN-tapaaN¹⁴
pathharoN ko peesti¹⁵ lohe ko pighlaati¹⁶ hui
kohsaaroN¹⁷ ke dhu’eN¹⁸ meN pech o Kham¹⁹ khaati hui 1.each moment 2.life (soul) on fire 3.wine sprinkling 4.fragrance spreading 5.spreading 6.scattering moonlight 7.wings spread 8.pulsating/moving world 9.flowing movement 10.shimmering 11.singing 12.tearful walk 13.reins of happiness, reined to move in the right direction 14.burning with frenzy (of desire) 15.grinding stones 16.melting iron 17.mountain range 18.smoke/mist 19.twists and turns
Life (culture) began to move forward every moment, with fire in its soul showering wine, scattering musk, spreading sunlight, reflecting moon beams. Wings spread (ready to fly), pulsating (with energy), flowing with speed, glowing with achievement. Singing songs, sad and happy, reins drawn towards progress, moving with passionate frenzy. Grinding rocks and melting steel. Emerging turning and twisting from the hazy-blue mountain mist (and flowing into valleys).
8
Khushk o tar¹ ko jaaNchti arz o samaaN² ko bhaaNpti
subah ko mukhRa dikhaati shaam ko muNh DhaaNpti
dauRti, baRhti, lapakti, dandanaati, haaNpti
gungunaati, ghuumti, ghirti, garajti, kaaNpti
barbat³-e takrar⁴-e taKhliqaat⁵ par gaati hui
maut ko neecha dikhaati naaz farmaati⁶ hui 1.dry and wet 2.earth and sky 3.lute 4.struggle 5.creation 6.show its style
Constantly taking the measure of the earth and sky. Life renews itself every dawn retiring at night. Running, moving forward, leaping, thundering, gasping. Humming, turning, circling, roaring, shivering. Happy with the struggle for creation, bursting into song it overcomes death showing off its pride. Overcoming death is not the triumph of one individual, or one species, but of LIFE itself.
9
aadmi meN rafta rafta¹ aadmiyat² aa gayi
vaza’a³ meN tamkeen⁴ jazboN meN nazaakat⁵ aa gayi
baat meN taaseer⁶ aaNkhoN meN muravvat⁷ aa gayi
rooh-farsa⁸ ajnabiyat⁹ meN uKhuvvat¹⁰ aa gayi
shor-ha-e-Gham-gusaari¹¹ ko bhaRakna aa gaya
dil ko auroN ki musiibat meN dhaRakna¹² aa gaya 1.step by step 2.humanity 3.posture 4.respect 5.grace 6.effectiveness 7.kind heartedness 8.spirit sapping (fatal) 9.foreignness 10.brotherliness 11.(shor also means feelings in faarsi) feelings of empathetic sorrow 12.beating (heartbeat)
Man gradually acquired humanity, respectable posture and graceful emotions, credibility of word and feelings of kindness. Spirit sapping ‘otherness’ gave way to fellow feeling. Expressions of empathy shone like a bursting flame. The heart learnt to feel the difficulties of others.
10
kahkashaaN¹ jhamki, nazar chhoone lagi aflaak² ko
fikr³ barmaane⁴ lagi ajraam-e hairat-naak⁵ ko
aur phir geti⁶ ki jaanib moR kar idraak⁷ ko
aadmi gin’ne laga zarbaat⁸-e nabz⁹-e Khaak ko
zahn¹⁰ ke miizaan¹¹ meN tabaaniyaaN¹² tulne lagiiN
chaadar-e arz o samaaN¹³ ki silvaTeN¹⁴ khulne lagiiN 1.constellation 2.skies/heavens 3.thought 4.drill through 5.strange bodies (fairies, monsters, gods, planets, stars) 6.world 7.reason 8.blows/throbs 9.pulse 10.mind 11.balance 12.brilliance/appearance 13.earth and sky 14.folds
Constellations shone and human sight reached beyond the skies. Thought/reason drilled through superstitions of the supernatural. And then turning his reasoning capability towards the earth man began to take the throbbing pulse of this dust. The balance of rationality began to take the measure of appearances. The secrets of the earth and sky began to unfold as if removing a sheet/curtain. To understand the throbs of the pulse of the earth is to understand how things work on earth. Earth and sky are metaphorically described as a sheet with folds … and with reasoning the folds (mysteries) of the universe began to unfold.