For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نغمۂ سحری – جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
نسیم ہوتی ہے محوِ راحت، سکوت ہوتا ہے جب چمن میں
میں پیش کرتا ہوں اپنے آنسو، خنک ستاروں کی انجمن میں
۲
مِرے گلستانِ شاعری میں، لچکنے لگتی ہیں نرم شاخیں
نسیم رقاصۂ گلستاں، ہنوز چلتی نہیں چمن میں
۳
مجھے سنگھاتی ہیں روح پرور، ہوائیں اُس وقت بوئے قدرت
شمیمِ گلشن ہنوز ہوتی ہے بند غنچوں کے پیرہن میں
۴
سفید ہلکی سی چاندنی میں، بلند ہوتے ہیں میرے نغمے
چٹکنے والی تمام کلیاں خموش ہوتی ہیں جب چمن میں
۵
مرا دماغِ سحر پرستی، ہمیشہ اُس وقت جاگتا ہے
فلک پہ جس وقت چاند ہوتا ہے ملگجے خوابِ پیرہن میں
۶
ہنوز نغموں کی خوابگاہوں کے گِرد ہوتے ہیں سُرخ پردے
رباب دِل کا میں چھیڑتا ہوں، حریمِ دوشیزۂ سخن میں
۷
اِدھر ٹپکتے ہیں اشکِ سوزاں، میری جھپکتی ہوی مژہ سے
اُدھر دمکتی ہے کچھ کچھ افشاں، اُفق کے گیسوئے پُر شکن میں
۸
فضا میں ہوتی نہیں ہے لرزش، خموش ہوتا ہے نطقِ عالم
یکایک اُس وقت جاگتی ہے زبانِ فطرت مرے دہن میں
۹
یہ اب تو دستور ہو گیا ہے کہ جوشؔ کچھ رات بھیگتے ہی
سلگنے لگتی ہے سوزِ دل سے اِک آگ سی میرے تن بدن میں
नग़मा-ए सहरी – जोश मलीहाबादी
१
नसीम होती है महव-ए राहत, सुकूत होता है जब चमन में
मैं पेश करता हूं अपने आंसू, ख़ुनक सितारों की अंजुमन में
२
मेरे गुलिस्तान-ए शा’एरी में लचकने लगतीं हैं नर्म शाख़ें
नसीम रक़्क़ासा-ए गुलिस्तां, हुनूज़ चलती नहीं चमन में
३
मुझे सुंघाती हैं रूह परवर, हवाएं उस वक़्त बू-ए क़ुद्रत
शमीम-ए गुलशन हुनूज़ होती है बंद ग़ुंचौं के पैरहन में
४
सफ़ेद हलकी सी चांदनी में, बलंद होते हैं मेरे नग़मे
चिटकने वाली तमाम कलियाँ ख़मोश होती हैं जब चमन में
५
मेरा दिमाग़-ए सहर परस्ती, हमेशा उस वक़्त जागता है
फ़लक पे जिस वक़्त चाँद होता है मल्गजे ख़्वाब-ए पैरहन में
६
हुनूज़ नग़मों कि ख़्वाबगाहों के गिर्द होते हैं सुर्ख़ परदे
रबाब दिल का मैं छेड़ता हूं, हरीम-ए दोशीज़ा-ए सुख़न में
७
इधर टपकते हैं अश्क-ए सोज़ाँ, मेरी झपकती हुई मज़्शा से
उधर दमकती है कुछ कुछ अफ़्शां, उफ़क़ के गेसू-ए पुर शिकन में
८
फ़िज़ा में होती नहीं है लर्ज़िश, ख़मोश होता है नुत्क़-ए आलम
एकाएक उस वक़्त जागती है, ज़बान-ए फ़ित्रत मेरे दहन में
९
ये अब तो दस्तूर हो गया है, के जोश कुछ रात भीगते ही
सुलगने लगती है सोज़-ए दिल से एक आग सी मेरे तन बदन में
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 was known to enjoy pre-dawn walks and claims that it was the most productive time for him to compose. This nazm follows the structure of a Ghazal and deals with this theme and is linked to ‘jalva-e sahr’ on the Theme page.
1
nasiim1 hoti hai mahv-e raahat2, sukoot3 hota hai jab chaman meN
maiN pesh karta huN apne aaNsu, Khunak sitaaroN4 ki anjuman5 meN 1.fragrant, cool, gentle breeze 2.engrossed in pleasantness 3.quiet 4.damp stars (metaphor for dewdrops) 5.assembly
When the breeze is still and restful, when the garden is calm and quiet, that is when I present my tears/my asha’ar in the assembly of bright/starry dew drops.
2
mere gulistaan6-e shaa’eri meN lachakne lagti haiN narm shaaKheN
nasiim7 raqqaasa8-e gulistaN, hunooz9 chalti nahiN chaman meN .garden 7.fragrant breeze 8.dancer 9.not yet
Then in the garden of my verse, supple boughs begin to quiver. While, the breeze, that dancer of the garden is still asleep, is not blowing there.
3
mujhe suNghaati haiN rooh parvar1, havaaeN us vaqt boo-e qudrat2
shamiim3-e gulshan hunooz4 hoti hai band GhunchoN5 ke pairahan6 meN 1.spirit sustaining 2.fragrance of nature 3.fragrant breeze 4.still, not yet 5.flower bud 6.dress, cloak
Soul sustaining breeze brings to me the fragrance of nature. The garden’s fragrance is still trapped in the cloak of unopened buds.
4
safed halki si chandni meN, baland hote haiN mere naGhme
chiTakne7 vaali tamaam kaliyaN Khamosh8 hoti haiN jab chaman meN .sound of blooming buds from the unfolding of petals! 8.silent, quiet
In gentle milky moonlight, my songs rise to a crescendo when all the blossoming buds of the garden are quiet/attentive with bated breath.
5
mera dimaaGh1-e sahr parasti2, hamesha us vaqt jaagta hai
falak3 pe jis vaqt chaand hota hai malgaje Khwaab-e pairahan4 meN 1.mind 2.dawn worshipping 3.sky 4.hazy sheet (clothing)
My dawn-worshipping mind is always awake at that time, when the moon’s in the sky, enveloped in a grey dreamy cloak.
6
hunooz5 naGhmoN ki KhwaabgaahoN6 ke gird hote haiN surKh7 parde
rabaab8 dil ka maiN cheRta huN, hareem9-e doshiza-e suKhan10 meN .still, until 6.bedchamber of verse (used for eyes) 7.red 8.string instrument 9.home, sanctuary 10.damsel of verse
When the bedchamber of my verse (his verse sleeps in his eyes) is still circled with redness (eyes are red from just waking up). I pluck the strings of my heart in the sanctuary of the damsel of verse.
7
idhar Tapakte haiN ashk-e sozaaN1, meri jhapakti hui mazsha2 se
udhar damakti hai kuchh kuchh afshaaN3, ufaq4 ke gesu5-e pur shikan6 meN 1.tears of grief 2.eye-lid(s) 3.glitter 4.horizon 5.curly hair 6. entangled
Here tear drops of grief fall from my blinking eyes. There sparkling dew drops, dripping from the tangled tresses of the horizon. Consider the imagery … the horizon has tangled curly hair through which rays of first light break in and dew drops begin to sparkle. Parallel to this image … the eyelids and eyelashes of the poet on which fiery tears sparkle.
8
fiza7 meN hoti nahiN hai larzish8, Khamosh hota hai nutq-e aalam9
yekayek us vaqt jaagti hai, zaban-e fitrat10 mere dahn11 meN 7.ambience 8.movement 9.voice 10.tongue of nature 11.mouth
There is stillness in the air, the whole world is quiet when suddenly in my mouth the tongue of nature begins to speak.
9
ye ab to dastoor12 ho gaya hai, ke Josh kuchh raat bheegte13 hi
sulagne lagti hai soz-e dil14 se ek aag si mere tan badan meN 2.tradition 13.dew condensing early in the morning 14.grief of hear
It has become a tradition now that josh, every dawn, is set on fire by the intense emotions of his heart
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 was known to enjoy pre-dawn walks and claims that it was the most productive time for him to compose. This nazm follows the structure of a Ghazal and deals with this theme and is linked to ‘jalva-e sahr’ on the Theme page.
1
nasiim1 hoti hai mahv-e raahat2, sukoot3 hota hai jab chaman meN
maiN pesh karta huN apne aaNsu, Khunak sitaaroN4 ki anjuman5 meN
1.fragrant, cool, gentle breeze 2.engrossed in pleasantness 3.quiet 4.damp stars (metaphor for dewdrops) 5.assembly
When the breeze is still and restful, when the garden is calm and quiet, that is when I present my tears/my asha’ar in the assembly of bright/starry dew drops.
2
mere gulistaan6-e shaa’eri meN lachakne lagti haiN narm shaaKheN
nasiim7 raqqaasa8-e gulistaN, hunooz9 chalti nahiN chaman meN
6.garden 7.fragrant breeze 8.dancer 9.not yet
Then in the garden of my verse, supple boughs begin to quiver. While, the breeze, that dancer of the garden is still asleep, is not blowing there.
3
mujhe suNghaati haiN rooh parvar1, havaaeN us vaqt boo-e qudrat2
shamiim3-e gulshan hunooz4 hoti hai band GhunchoN5 ke pairahan6 meN
1.spirit sustaining 2.fragrance of nature 3.fragrant breeze 4.still, not yet 5.flower bud 6.dress, cloak
Soul sustaining breeze brings to me the fragrance of nature. The garden’s fragrance is still trapped in the cloak of unopened buds.
4
safed halki si chandni meN, baland hote haiN mere naGhme
chiTakne7 vaali tamaam kaliyaN Khamosh8 hoti haiN jab chaman meN
7.sound of blooming buds from the unfolding of petals! 8.silent, quiet
In gentle milky moonlight, my songs rise to a crescendo when all the blossoming buds of the garden are quiet/attentive with bated breath.
5
mera dimaaGh1-e sahr parasti2, hamesha us vaqt jaagta hai
falak3 pe jis vaqt chaand hota hai malgaje Khwaab-e pairahan4 meN
1.mind 2.dawn worshipping 3.sky 4.hazy sheet (clothing)
My dawn-worshipping mind is always awake at that time, when the moon’s in the sky, enveloped in a grey dreamy cloak.
6
hunooz5 naGhmoN ki KhwaabgaahoN6 ke gird hote haiN surKh7 parde
rabaab8 dil ka maiN cheRta huN, hareem9-e doshiza-e suKhan10 meN
5.still, until 6.bedchamber of verse (used for eyes) 7.red 8.string instrument 9.home, sanctuary 10.damsel of verse
When the bedchamber of my verse (his verse sleeps in his eyes) is still circled with redness (eyes are red from just waking up). I pluck the strings of my heart in the sanctuary of the damsel of verse.
7
idhar Tapakte haiN ashk-e sozaaN1, meri jhapakti hui mazsha2 se
udhar damakti hai kuchh kuchh afshaaN3, ufaq4 ke gesu5-e pur shikan6 meN
1.tears of grief 2.eye-lid(s) 3.glitter 4.horizon 5.curly hair 6. entangled
Here tear drops of grief fall from my blinking eyes. There sparkling dew drops, dripping from the tangled tresses of the horizon. Consider the imagery … the horizon has tangled curly hair through which rays of first light break in and dew drops begin to sparkle. Parallel to this image … the eyelids and eyelashes of the poet on which fiery tears sparkle.
8
fiza7 meN hoti nahiN hai larzish8, Khamosh hota hai nutq-e aalam9
yekayek us vaqt jaagti hai, zaban-e fitrat10 mere dahn11 meN
7.ambience 8.movement 9.voice 10.tongue of nature 11.mouth
There is stillness in the air, the whole world is quiet when suddenly in my mouth the tongue of nature begins to speak.
9
ye ab to dastoor12 ho gaya hai, ke Josh kuchh raat bheegte13 hi
sulagne lagti hai soz-e dil14 se ek aag si mere tan badan meN
12.tradition 13.dew condensing early in the morning 14.grief of hear
It has become a tradition now that josh, every dawn, is set on fire by the intense emotions of his heart
