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.
11
saa’atoN¹ ko kook bharte² hi ravaani mil gayi
har daqiiqe³ ko munazzim⁴ par fashaani⁵ mil gayi
gung⁶ lahzoN⁷ ko gajar⁸ ki naGhma Khwaani⁹ mil gayi
umr ke dhaare ko lohe ki kamaani¹⁰ mil gayi
suyioN ki¹¹ rau meN lamhoN¹² ko chiTakna¹³ aa gaya
vaqt ko aGhosh-e aahan¹⁴ meN chahakna¹⁵ aa gaya 1.time, moment 2.wind a spring 3.moment 4.organized 5.to fly 6. silent, dumb 7.moment 8.chime 9.singing 10. steel spring 11.movement of needles (pointers) 12.second 13.bloom 14.metallic lap 15.twitter
Describing the invention of time-keeping. Time acquired the ability to flow as the spring (of the clock) was wound up. Every moment began to fly/flow in an organized way. Dumb/silent moments acquired the song of chimes. The flow of life acquired a bow of steel. Steel bow is used as a stand-in for the clock spring and as a metaphor for a strong back which is an expression of human strength. And so in this delicate and subtle way the flow of life is described as acquiring great strength. With the movement of pointers, moments learnt to blossom. Time learnt to twitter in the lap of iron. “chiTakna” is the gentle sound when the bud blooms. The movement of the needles is the blooming (chiTakna) of minutes with its “tick tock”, hence the twittering of time in the lap or iron.
12
naaz¹ se juzv²-e makaaN³ ban kar zamaaN⁴ gaane laga
taa’eroN⁵ ka zikr kya Khud aashiyaaN⁶ gaane laga
zamzame⁷ chheRe zamiN ne, aasmaaN gaane laga
chimniyoN meN kaarKhaanoN ka dhuaN⁸ gaane laga
hausle⁹ nau-e bashar¹⁰ ke naaz farmaane lage
hath bandhe aab o aatish¹¹ ke Khawaas¹² aane lage 1.style (coquettish) 2.component 3.space 4.time 5.birds 6.nests 7.music 8.smoke 9.courage, daring 10.human species, humanity 11.water and fire 12.specialties, special qualities
Describing industrialization and the control of the elements – fire, water, air. Time joined with Space and burst into joyous song. Not only birds but also their nests began to sing with joy. The earth played music and the sky burst into song. The very smoke of factories sang as it rose through chimneys. Humanity expressed its daring in great style. Water/Fire came hands folded, their powers at the disposal of man.
Sahir wrote in a poem celebrating the launch of the Sputnik.
vo junuN jo aab o aatish ko asiir kar chuka thha
vo Khalaa ki vusa’atoN se bhi Khiraaj le raha hai
The passion that had enslaved Fire and Water
Now demands homage from the vastness of space
13
deeda¹ o ruKhsaar² aur gosh³ o zabaaN⁴ ke darmiyaaN⁵
faasloN⁶ ki chhuT gayiiN nabzeN⁷ ba eeN⁸ bod⁹-e makaaN¹⁰
ek darya¹¹-e ham aaGhoshi¹² hua goya ravaaN¹³
aa gaya khiNch kar bil-aaKhir¹⁴ ek markaz¹⁵ par jahaaN¹⁶
aur yuN aavaaz mahv¹⁷-e qat’e manzil¹⁸ ho ga’ii
aks¹⁹ ko bhi quvvat-e parvaaz²⁰ haasil²¹ ho ga’ii 1.eye, sight 2.face, image 3. ear, hearing 4.tongue, speech 5.between 6.distances 7.to lose nerve 8.with this 9.separation 10.place, space 11.river 12.togetherness 13.flow 14.at last 15.center, focus 16.world 17.obsessed, engrossed 18.cut (the distance to) the goal 19.image; 20.power to fly 21.obtain
josh composed this marsia in 1956 and this stanza is applicable to both TV and cinema. Between eye and image and between ear and tongue/sound; distance lost its nerve for fear, because in spite of separation, a river of togetherness began to flow and gather everything. At last the world shrank and came to a focus, because sound was obsessed with cutting the distance to its goal (radio and telephone) and image achieved the power of flight (television).
14
aatishiiN¹ poshaak² pahni aalam-e eejad³ ne
mom⁴ ki gardan meN baaheN⁵ Daal diiN faulaad⁶ ne
barf lapki⁷ sard⁸ kaandhe par shaarare⁹ laadne
topiyaaN¹⁰ badliiN¹¹ basad¹² eKhlaas¹³ barq¹⁴ o baad¹⁵ ne
dauRte aa’e ekaa’ek¹⁶ baahami¹⁷ imdaad¹⁸ ko
yuN ekaai¹⁹ ne pukaara muntashir²⁰ aa’daad²¹ ko 1.fiery 2.dress 3.world of ingenuity 4.wax 5.arms 6.steel 7.leapt 8.cold 9. sparks, flames 10.cap 11.exchanged – topiyaaN badalna is an act courtesy 12.with a hundred 13.courtesies 14.lightning 15.clear breeze (opposite of cloud and thunder) 16.suddenly 17.mutual 18.help 19.unity 20.scattered 21.numbers/parts
Ingenuity donned a fiery dress. Soft wax and hard steel embraced each other to serve humanity. Ice leapt up to carry fire on its frozen shoulders. Lightning and Breeze exchanged caps with a hundred courtesies (like players exchange shirts after a friendly game as a sign of sportsmanship). They all came running to help each other because unity of purpose brought all scattered elements together (to serve human needs).
15
sholagi¹ ke nuqta haa-e shor² tak ole³ gaye
satah binaii⁴ pe taaroN ke gohar⁵ role⁶ gaye
saaye tak naape gaye aur aks⁷ tak tole⁸ gaye
anjum⁹ o zarraat¹⁰ ke band-e qaba¹¹ khole gaye
arsh¹² tak farsh¹³-e zamiiN ki himmat-e aali¹⁴ gayi
shola¹⁵ o shabnam¹⁶ meN bal¹⁷ dekar girah¹⁸ Daali gayi 1.act of creating flames 2.tip of the flame, points of smoke 3.hail, ice 4.limits of sight 5.pearls 6.to select or search 7.image 8.to weigh 9.stars 10.particle 11.ties of the robe 12.sky 13.floor 14.high, great 15.flame 16.dew 17.twist 18.knot
Icy hailstones traveled through flames all the way to the tip. The search for stars reached the limits of sight. Even shadows were measured and images were weighed. Taking the measure of shadows and images is to measure that which cannot be directly apprehended. The robes of stars, even of tiny particles of dust were undone. To understand the inner workings of elements and stars is described as a sensuous ‘disrobing’ of stars and elements. The daring courage of the lowly earth reached to the sky. Flame and dew were woven and intertwined into knots. Thus opposites are made to work together.
16
zauq¹ nikhra² kahkashaani³ baam o dar⁴ ban’ne lage
saNgreze⁵ aaiine, qatre⁶ guhar⁷ ban’ne lage
barq paare⁸ murGh-ha-e naama-bar⁹ ban’ne lage
aahani¹⁰ aasab¹¹ Dhal¹² kar baal o par¹³ ban’ne lage
zindagi rooh-e surayya¹⁴ ki taraf jaane lagi
qalb-e anjum¹⁵ ke dhaRakne ki sada aane lag 1.taste 2.became refined 3.constellations 4.roof and door, home 5.pebbles 6.drops 7.pearl 8.particles of lightning 9.messenger pigeons 10.metallic 11.nerves and muscles 12.cast 13.feathers and wings 14.spirit of constellations 15.heart of stars
Tastes got refined (increased desires) making stations/homes beyond the stars. Pebbles were ground into mirrors and droplets into pearls. Bits of electricity were fashioned into messenger pigeons (telegraph). Metallic nerves/muscles got cast into feathers and wings (airplane). Life began to fly towards the constellations and the heartbeat of stars began to be heard. The first misra reminds me of Ghalib …
manzar ek balandi par aur ham bana lete
arsh se udhar hota kash ke makaN apna
We could have created a vision at even greater heights
O that our station had been on the other side of heavens.
17
phir daraKhshaaN¹ fikr² ki yuN Khaak par barsi sharaab
zulmatoN³ ki kokh⁴ se paida hue sau mahtaab⁵
phir uRaaya ilm ne vo kaukab-e-ajraam-yaab⁶
jiski rau meN uTh rahi hai maah-e taabaN⁷ ki naqaab
shor barpa hai ke mir⁸-e aagahi⁹ aane ko hai
aasmaN par GhulGhule¹⁰ haiN aadmi aane ko ha 1.bright 2.reason 3.darkness, ignorance 4.womb 5.full moon 6. star that discovers celestial bodies 7.full moon 8.leader, lord 9.knowledge 10.chatter, talk of the town
josh composed this marsia in 1956 celebrating the emergence of knowledge then modified it to celebrate launch of Sputnik in 1957. Brightness of Knowledge shone on earth like blessed rain of wine and from the womb of ignorance were born hundreds of bright moons. Knowledge launched forth a star – discoverer of celestial bodies which removed the veil from the face of many bright moons. The chatter in heaven speaks of arrival of the lord of knowledge. They are preparing a tumultuous welcome for the arrival of man.
18
jeb-e qudrat¹ saed² meN bhar kar qava³-e kaaenaat⁴
ahl⁵-e Gharq o barq⁶ ne dam kar⁷ diya roo-e hayaat⁸
ek ek qatre⁹ ke aqde¹⁰ se nichoRe sau nukaat¹¹
ek ek zarre¹² ke halqe¹³ se ubhare sau jehaat¹⁴
ek ek goshe¹⁵ se pahnavar¹⁶ jahaaN paida hue
kaai¹⁷ ke pallu¹⁸ se laakhoN gulsitaaN paida hu 1.nature 2.prey 3.strengths 4.universe 5.owners 6.below and above 7.to give life to 8.face of life 9.drop 10.knot, puzzle 11.points 12.particle 13.circle, sphere 14.sides, facets 15.corner 16.vast 17.moss 18.skirt
Filling their pockets with the powers of vanquished Nature, masters of land and water gave new vigour to the face of life. They squeezed hundreds of fine points out of each drop, and looked at hundreds of facets of each particle. In every corner they discovered vast worlds and thousands of gardens in the most ordinary spread of moss.