Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raahat indori (1950-2020). At a very young age the family’s financial situation forced him to work as a sign painter. But he continued with his education and eventually completed his PhD in urdu literature and later taught at a local college in indore. He was a very popular, crowd pleasing, mushaa’era shaa’er and a lyricist. Some of his compositions are more than usually defiant, many justifiably so. As a continuation of my tribute to him I have selected ash’aar that reflect his varied styles.
1
janaaze¹ par mere likh dena yaaro
mohabbat karne vaala jaa raha hai     1.funeral bier
Write on my funeral bier, friends – here goes one who loved. Who or what did he love – his country, language, verse, the poor and the deprived – all of them.
2
maiN jab mar jaauN meri alag¹ pahchaan² likh dena
lahu³ se meri peshaani pe hindostaan likh dena 1.different, distinct 2.identification 3.blood
The poet wrote this one she’r in response to a comment that some political leader made accusing him of being a “jihaadi”. He humorously reflected, “I am 70 years old and I never realized that I was a ‘jihaadi’”. And so, he wants to assert his unique identity. When I die, give me this distinct identification. With blood, write on my forehead the word, “hindostaan”. This is also a poignant reflection of the fact that in today’s India, a muslim citizen is required to prove his/her loyalty. His/her loyalty is questioned when she/he assert their rights.
3
sabhi ka Khoon hai shaamil¹ yahaaN ki miTTi meN
kisi ke baap ka hindostaan thoRi hai     1.included, mixed
Everyone’s (people of all communities and persuasions) blood is mixed in this soil. India is not the exclusive property of any one of them.
4
mujhe bharosa¹ hai apne lahu² ke qatroN³ par
maiN neze⁴ neze ko shaaKh-e gulaab kar duuNga    1.trust 2.blood 3.drops 4.lance, spear
Literal meaning is straightforward. I trust the drops of my blood. I will convert every lance into a bough of roses. The drops of blood are his words, his ash’aar. He trusts their effect. They will convert enemies to friends. Also, the pictorialization is classical urdu shaa’eri … lances are used to thrust and cut. They get bloody – red, like roses – branches of roses.
5
chamakte lafz¹ sitaaroN se chhin laaye haiN
ham aasmaaN se Ghazal ki zamin² laaye haiN      1.words 2.Ghazal ki zamin means the meter, flow and balance of the Ghazal
There is a wonderful play of words between aasmaan and zamin. Bringing stars down to earth can also imply bringing an inspired message to people. The “ham” – “we” here refers to poets. Poets steal shining words from words and make the meter/flow/balance of the Ghazal with an inspiring message.
6
ise saamaan-e safar¹ jaan ye jugnu rakh le
raah² meN tiragi³ hogi mere aaNsu rakh le     1.journey 2.pathway 3.darkness
The poet is offering his tears. Because his ash’aar come from passion from the depth of his heart, they can be like tears. Thus he is offering his ash’aar. They are like shining lamps to show the way in darkness. Thus, consider these to be your provisions for the journey (of life). They are like glowing fireflies and will show the way when there is darkness along the path.
7
vo chaahta tha ke kaasa¹ Kharid le mera
maiN us ke taaj ki qiimat² lagaa ke lauT aaya     1.begging bowl 2.price
The poet looks upon himself as a monk, a mendicant, a saint, who carries a begging bowl. He (his thoughts) cannot be bought off. He will speak his mind. Thus, he (the powerful) wanted to buy him off, buy his begging bowl. He refused, set a price for the crown and turned away.
8
ek hi naddi ke haiN ye do kinaare dosto
dostaana zindagi se maut se yaari¹ rakho     1.friendship
In the river of life, one bank is life and the other is death (or perhaps, afterlife). As you lead your life on one bank, do not be afraid of, be mindful of, be friends with the other bank – death (or afterlife).
9
na ham-safar¹ na kisi ham-nashiN² se niklega
hamaare paaNv ka kaaNTa hamiN se niklega      1.fellow traveller 2.friend
You have to depend on yourselves in the journey of life. The path is laden with thorns and only you can pull them out of your feet and keep moving. Your friends, fellow travellers cannot do this for you.
10
shaaKhoN se TuuT jaayeN vo patte nahiN haiN ham
aaNdhi se koi kah de ke auqaat¹ meN rahe    1.auqaat meN rahna is an expression that means recognize your own limitations, be respectful
The “ham” – “we”, here are poets/writers. They are not leaves that can be blown off branches. They remain firm and steadfast in their purpose no matter what attacks them. Thus he warns storms to be mindful of their limitations. We will not be blown away.
11
maiN parbatoN se laRta rahaa aur chand¹ log
giili zamin khod ke farhaad² ho gaye     1.a few 2.farhaad of shirin-farhaad legend
farhaad wants to marry shirin. He is set a task – to dig a canal over a rocky mountain and make a river of milk flow through it. If he succeeds, he gets to marry shirin. The poet has set himself a similar task and is busy fighting mountains. But a few other people have dug up soft, moist earth and claim to be farhaad.
12
ham apni jaan ke dushman ko apni jaan kahte haiN
mohabbat ki isi miTTi ko hindostaan kahte haiN     This is a claim that India is a land of love. The ‘ham’ here is ‘people of India’. We love our enemy … the enemy of our life, we call him ‘dear one’. There is a good play on words … jaan ka dushman and apni jaan.
13
zindagi hai ek safar¹ aur zindagi ki raah² meN
zindagi bhi aaye to Thokar lagaani chaahiye    1.journey 2.pathway
A good play of words on zindagi. Life is a journey. In the path of the journey of life, if life becomes an obstacle, then it should be kicked. This can mean I am willing to lay down my life to stay true to the journey/purpose of life. It can also mean, if the temptations of worldly life, get in the way of the journey/purpose of life, then kick them away.
14
maut lamhe¹ ki sadaa² zindagi umroN³ ki pukaar
maiN yahi soch ke zinda huN ki mar jaana hai     1.moment 2.call, voice 3.lifetime
Death is but a moment while ‘life’ is sustained ‘lifetime’. Live your life to the fullest/truest knowing that one day you have to die.
15
yahiN husain bhi guzre¹ yahiN yazid bhi tha
hazaar raNg meN Duubi hui zamiN huN maiN     1.passed
This has reference to the story of karbala. husain is the symbol of steadfast courage and righteousness. yazid is the symbol of evil and oppression. There have always been the righteous and oppressors on this earth. The struggle continues.
16
rivaayatoN¹ ki safeN² toR kar baRho varna³
jo tum se aage haiN vo raasta nahiN deNge     1.traditions 2.lines, formations 3.otherwise
Old traditions are lines/military formations blocking your way. You have to defy tradition and make progress. Otherwise those who have gone before you will not let you pass i.e. traditions will block you.
17
rakh diye jaayeNge neze¹ lafz² aur hoNToN ke biich
zill-e-sub’haani³ ke ahkaamaat⁴ jaari⁵ ho gaye     1.spear, lance 2.words 3.shadow of god 4.orders, edicts 5.issued, promulgated
The poet is taking a dig at the orthodoxy clergy/mullah. He refers to them sarcastically as the ‘shadow of god’. They issue edicts, pronounce fatwa. It is as if the words coming out their lips are like spears.
18
ye raha naama¹-e aa’maal² magar tujh se bhi
kuchh savaalaat³ to aye Khuda hum bhi puuchheNge  
1.accounting, listing, ledger 2.deeds 3.questions
Having taken a dig at orthodoxy, the poet turns to god. He is presenting a ledger of his deeds, good and bad, so he may be judged. But he has some questions to ask … perhaps about the fate he has been dealt, or something else. We are left to fill in the blanks.