For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
نیا بھارت ۔ سید محمّد شاہد
۱
اِک وہ بھی زمانہ تھا، اِک یہ بھی زمانہ ہے
بھارت تھا وطن میرا، اب لگتا بیگانہ ہے
۲
کی فکر تھی سوچا تھا، جانچا تھا وِچاروں کو
بھارت کا چرت کیا ہو، دستور بنانا ہے
۳
گاندھی کی شہادت پر، اعلان ہوا فوراً
قاتل ہے نہیں مُسلم، فصادات رُکانا ہے
۴
دنیا سبھی غمگیں تھی، تھے چند مگر ایسے
سوچا تھا جنہوں نے کہ، اب چشن منانا ہے
۵
چالیس برس گذرے، اندرا پہ چلی گولی
لگتا تھا کہ دہلی میں، ہر ایک دِوانہ ہے
۶
غصّہ تھا، جہالت تھی، معصوم سے بدلہ تھا
کچھ لوگوں کی کوشش تھی، دُرلابھ اُٹھانا ہے
۷
“گرتا ہے بڑا پیڑ تو دھرتی ہے دھڑکتی”
غارت گری کا قتل کا اب یہ بھی بہانہ ہے
۸
پھر بیس برس گذرے، سازش جو ہوئی تیّار
ہر ایک نئے اب تو، آروپ لگانا ہے
۹
جنمستھان یا گؤ ہتیہ، آتنک یا ہو گودھدرا
فرضی ہوں کہ سچّے ہوں، اپرادھ چکانا ہے
۱۰
گاندھی ہی کی بھومی سے، اعلان تھا حاکم کا
گودھرا کا جلوس ایسا، دہشت جو مچانا ہے
۱۱
شوک ایسا ہوا تجھ کو، گجرات کی مر کٹ کا
کُتّا مرے موٹر سے، غم ایسا دکھانا ہے
۱۲
پھر دس ہی برس گذرے نگرکتا کا کیا کھیل
یہ غیر ہیں اب اِن کو، یاں سے تو بھگانا ہے
۱۳
پھر جنم لیا نعرہ، پاکستان یا قبرستان
بھارت کے مسلماں کا، اب اِک ہی ٹھکانا ہے
۱۴
بدلا ہے یہ دیش اپنا، سپنا تھا پرانا وہ
بھارت تھا وطن میرا، اب لگتا بیگانہ ہے
۱۵
آساں نہیں اِتنا کہ، چھب اُس کی بُھلا دیں ہم
سویا ہوا بھارت ہے، جنتا کو جگانا ہے
۱۶
جاگے ہیں جوانِ ہند، نکل آئے سڑک پر ہیں
سب بلبلیں چمن کی، اب تک یہ ترانہ ہے
नया भारत – सय्यद मोहम्मद शाहेद
१
एक वो भी ज़माना था, एक ये भी ज़माना है
भारत था वतन मेरा, अब लगता बेगाना है
२
की फ़क्र थी सोचा था, जांचा था विचारौं को
भारत का चरित क्या हो, दस्तूर बनाना था
३
गांधी कि शहादत पर, ए’लान हुआ फ़ौरन
क़ातिल है नहीं मुस्लिम, फ़सादात रुकाना है
४
दुनिया सभी ग़मगीं थी, थे चंद मगर ऐसे
सोचा था जिन्हों ने के, अब जश्न मनाना है
५
चालीस बरस गुज़्रे, इन्द्रा पे चली गोली
लगता था के देहली में, हर एक दिवाना है
६
ग़ुस्सा था, जहालत थी, मा’सूम से बदला था
कुछ लोगौं कि कोशिश थी, दुरलाभ उठाना है
७
“गिरता है पड़ा पेड़ तो धर्ती है धढक्ती”
ग़ारत गरी का क़त्ल का अब ये भी बहाना है
८
फिर बीस बरस गुज़्रे, साज़िश हो हुई तय्यार
हर एक नए अब तो, आरोप लगाना है
९
जनमस्थान या गौ हतिया, आतंक या हो गोध्रा
फ़र्ज़ी हों के सच्चे हों, अप्राध चुकाना है
१०
गांधी हि की भूमी से, एलान था हाकम का
गोध्रा का जुलूस ऐसा, दहशत जो मचाना है
११
शोक ऐसा हुआ तुझ को, गुजरात कि मर कट का
कुत्ता मरे मोटर से, ग़म ऐसा दिखाना है
१२
फिर दस ही बरस गुज़्रे, नगरिक्ता का क्या खेल
ये ग़ैर हैं अब इन को, यां से तो भगाना है
१३
फिर जनम लिया ना’रा, पाकिस्तान या क़ब्रस्तान
भारत के मुसल्मां का अब एक हि ठिकाना है
१४
बदला है ये देश अपना, सपना था पुराना वो
भारत था वतन मेरा, अब लगता बेगाना है
१५
आसां नहीं इतना के, छब उस की भुला दें हम
सोया हुआ भारत है, जनता को जगाना है
१६
जागे हैं जवान-ए हिन्द, निकल आए सढक पर हैं
सब बुल्बुलें चमन की, अब तक ये तराना है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shahed (1944-living), retired engineer with no formal training in urdu. Maintians this website and sometimes dares to compose.
1
ek vo bhi zamaana tha, ek ye bhi zamaana hai
bharat tha vatan mera, ab lagta begaana1 hai 1.strange, foreign
Those were the times, this is a new age. Bharat was my homeland, now it seems foreign.
2
ki fikr1 thi socha tha, jaaNcha2 bhi vichaaroN3 ko
bharat ka charit4 kya ho, dastoor5 banaana hai 1.thought, reasoning 2.examine 3.thoughts 4.character 5.tradition, constitution
We had reasoned and thought, examined our thoughts. What should the character of bharat be, we have to establish a tradition, write a constitution.
3
gandhi ki shahaadat1 par, e’laan2 hua fauran3
qaatil hai nahiN muslim, fasaadaat4 rukaana hai 1.martyrdom 2.announcement 3.immediately 4.riots
When gandhi was assassinated, it was announced immediately that the killer was a hindu fanatic, not a muslim. The intent was to prevent any riots and vengeance against muslims.
4
duniya sabhi GhamgiN1 thi, the chand2 magar aise
socha tha jinhoN ne ke, ab jashn3 manaana hai 1.sorrowful 2.a few 3.celebration
All the world was sorrowful, but there were a few who thought that they should celebrate (the hindu mahasabha, spiritual parent of the BJP, celebrated the killing of gandhi and distributed sweets).
5
chaalees1 baras2 guzre3, indira pe chali goli
lagta tha ke dehli meN, har ek divaana hai 1.forty 2.years 3.passed
Forty (roughly 1948 vs 1984) years later, indira gandhi was shot. I appeared as if in dehli, everyone had gone berserk.
6
Ghussa tha, jahaalat1 thi, maa’soom2 se badla3 tha
kuchh logoN ki koshish thi, durlaabh4 uThaana hai 1.ignorance 2.innocent 3.revenge 4.illegitimate advantage
There was anger and ignorance. Revenge was taken against the innocent. Some people were scheming to take illegitimate advantage.
7
“girta hai baRa peR to dharti1 hai dhaRakti2”
Ghaarat-gari3 ka, qatl4 ka ab ye bhi bahaana5 hai 1.earth 2.tremble 3.mayhem, destruction 4.killing 5.excuse
After indira gandhi’s assassination, talking about the killing of sikhs, rajiv gandhi said, “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes”. This too has become an excuse of destruction and killing.
8
phir bees1 baras2 guzre3, saazish4 jo hui tayyaar5
har ek naye ab to, aarop6 lagaana hai 1.twenty 2.years 3.passed 4.conspiracy 5.ready 6.accusations
Twenty more years passed (roughly 2002 vs 1984). A conspiracy was readied/hatched. Every new accusation was invented and made.
9
janamsthaan1 ya gau-hatya2, aataNk3 ya ho godhra4
farzi5 hoN ke sachche hoN, apraadh6 chukaana hai 1.birth place (of raam) 2.cow slaughter 3.terror 4.godhra train fire and subsequent slaughter 5.made up 6.crimes
Be it raam janam bhoomi, cow slaughter, terrorism or godhra train fire, be they real or made up, they have to get even for every ‘crime’.
10
gandhi hi ki bhoomi1 se e’laan2 tha haakim3 ka
godhra ka juloos4 aisa, dahshat5 jo machaana hai 1.land 2.announcement 3.ruler 4.procession 5.terror
From the land of gandhi itself came an announcement from the ruler that a procession of (the burnt bodies of) godhra be taken out to spread terror.
11
shok1 aisa hua tujh ko, gujerat ki markaT2 ka
kutta mare moTor se, Gham3 aisa dikhaana hai 1.sorrow 2.beating and cutting, mayhem 3.pain
You felt such sorrow at the murder and mayhem in gujerat like the pain you show when a dog is killed by a car. This is a quote from narendra modi about he felt about gujerat killings.
12
phir das hi1 baras2 guzre3, naagarikta4 ka kya khel5
ye Ghair6 haiN ab in ko, yaaN se to bhagaana hai 1.only 2.years 3.passed 4.citizenship 5.play, mischief 5.other, foreign
Then only ten years later (roughly 2019 vs 2002), they started the mischief of citizenship declaring them (muslims) foreign, intent on driving them out.
13
phir janam1 liya n’aara2, pakistan ya qabrastan3
bharat ke musalmaaN ka, ab ek hi Thikaana4 hai 1.birth 2.slogan 3.graveyard 4.place, refuge
The old slogan is re-born, either pakistan or the graveyard, there is only one refuge for the muslim of India. This was slogan used sometimes during height of partition violence.
14
badla1 hai ye desh apna, sapna2 tha puraana vo
bharat tha vatan mera, ab lagta begaana3 hai 1.changed 2.dream 3.strange, foreign
This country of ours had changed. The old one was but a dream. bharat was my homeland, it now appears strange/foreign.
15
aasaaN1 nahiN itna ke, chhab2 us ki bhula deN hum
soya hua bharat hai, janta3 ko jagaana hai 1.easy 2.image, vision 3.populace
It is not so easy to forget that vision (there is still hope). bharat is asleep. We have to wake up the populace.
16
jaage haiN javaan-e-hind1, nikal aaye saRak par haiN
sub bubluleN2 chaman ki, ab tak ye taraana hai 1.youth of India 2.nightingale
There are reports of many young people out demonstrating, hindus and muslims together. Thus, the youth of India have woken up. They have come out on the streets. “bulbuleN chaman ki” – nightingales of the garden, has echoes of mohammed iqbal’s “taraana-e hindi” which and still is a very popular nazm/song.
shahed (1944-living), retired engineer with no formal training in urdu. Maintians this website and sometimes dares to compose.
1
ek vo bhi zamaana tha, ek ye bhi zamaana hai
bharat tha vatan mera, ab lagta begaana1 hai
1.strange, foreign
Those were the times, this is a new age. bharat was my homeland, now it seems foreign.
2
ki fikr1 thi socha tha, jaaNcha2 bhi vichaaroN3 ko
bharat ka charit4 kya ho, dastoor5 banaana hai
1.thought, reasoning 2.examine 3.thoughts 4.character 5.tradition, constitution
We had reasoned and thought, examined our thoughts. What should the character of bharat be, we have to establish a tradition, write a constitution.
3
gandhi ki shahaadat1 par, e’laan2 hua fauran3
qaatil hai nahiN muslim, fasaadaat4 rukaana hai
1.martyrdom 2.announcement 3.immediately 4.riots
When gandhi was assassinated, it was announced immediately that the killer was a hindu fanatic, not a muslim. The intent was to prevent any riots and vengeance against muslims.
4
duniya sabhi GhamgiN1 thi, the chand2 magar aise
socha tha jinhoN ne ke, ab jashn3 manaana hai
1.sorrowful 2.a few 3.celebration
All the world was sorrowful, but there were a few who thought that they should celebrate (the hindu mahasabha, spiritual parent of the BJP, celebrated the killing of gandhi and distributed sweets).
5
chaalees1 baras2 guzre3, indira pe chali goli
lagta tha ke dehli meN, har ek divaana hai
1.forty 2.years 3.passed
Forty (roughly 1948 vs 1984) years later, indira gandhi was shot. I appeared as if in dehli, everyone had gone berserk.
6
Ghussa tha, jahaalat1 thi, maa’soom2 se badla3 tha
kuchh logoN ki koshish thi, durlaabh4 uThaana hai
1.ignorance 2.innocent 3.revenge 4.illegitimate advantage
There was anger and ignorance. Revenge was taken against the innocent. Some people were scheming to take illegitimate advantage.
7
“girta hai baRa peR to dharti1 hai dhaRakti2”
Ghaarat-gari3 ka, qatl4 ka ab ye bhi bahaana5 hai
1.earth 2.tremble 3.mayhem, destruction 4.killing 5.excuse
After indira gandhi’s assassination, talking about the killing of sikhs, rajiv gandhi said, “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes”. This too has become an excuse of destruction and killing.
8
phir bees1 baras2 guzre3, saazish4 jo hui tayyaar5
har ek naye ab to, aarop6 lagaana hai
1.twenty 2.years 3.passed 4.conspiracy 5.ready 6.accusations
Twenty more years passed (roughly 2002 vs 1984). A conspiracy was readied/hatched. Every new accusation was invented and made.
9
janamsthaan1 ya gau-hatya2, aataNk3 ya ho godhra4
farzi5 hoN ke sachche hoN, apraadh6 chukaana hai
1.birth place (of raam) 2.cow slaughter 3.terror 4.godhra train fire and subsequent slaughter 5.made up 6.crimes
Be it raam janam bhoomi, cow slaughter, terrorism or godhra train fire, be they real or made up, they have to get even for every ‘crime’.
10
gandhi hi ki bhoomi1 se e’laan2 tha haakim3 ka
godhra ka juloos4 aisa, dahshat5 jo machaana hai
1.land 2.announcement 3.ruler 4.procession 5.terror
From the land of gandhi itself came an announcement from the ruler that a procession of (the burnt bodies of) godhra be taken out to spread terror.
11
shok1 aisa hua tujh ko, gujerat ki markaT2 ka
kutta mare moTor se, Gham3 aisa dikhaana hai
1.sorrow 2.beating and cutting, mayhem 3.pain
You felt such sorrow at the murder and mayhem in gujerat like the pain you show when a dog is killed by a car. This is a quote from narendra modi about he felt about gujerat killings.
12
phir das hi1 baras2 guzre3, naagarikta4 ka kya khel5
ye Ghair6 haiN ab in ko, yaaN se to bhagaana hai
1.only 2.years 3.passed 4.citizenship 5.play, mischief 5.other, foreign
Then only ten years later (roughly 2019 vs 2002), they started the mischief of citizenship declaring them (muslims) foreign, intent on driving them out.
13
phir janam1 liya n’aara2, pakistan ya qabrastan3
bharat ke musalmaaN ka, ab ek hi Thikaana4 hai
1.birth 2.slogan 3.graveyard 4.place, refuge
The old slogan is re-born, either pakistan or the graveyard, there is only one refuge for the muslim of India. This was slogan used sometimes during height of partition violence.
14
badla1 hai ye desh apna, sapna2 tha puraana vo
bharat tha vatan mera, ab lagta begaana3 hai
1.changed 2.dream 3.strange, foreign
This country of ours had changed. The old one was but a dream. bharat was my homeland, it now appears strange/foreign.
15
aasaaN1 nahiN itna ke, chhab2 us ki bhula deN hum
soya hua bharat hai, janta3 ko jagaana hai
1.easy 2.image, vision 3.populace
It is not so easy to forget that vision (there is still hope). bharat is asleep. We have to wake up the populace.
16
jaage haiN javaan-e-hind1, nikal aaye saRak par haiN
sub bubluleN2 chaman ki, ab tak ye taraana hai
1.youth of India 2.nightingale
There are reports of many young people out demonstrating, hindus and muslims together. Thus, the youth of India have woken up. They have come out on the streets. “bulbuleN chaman ki” – nightingales of the garden, has echoes of mohammed iqbal’s “taraana-e hindi” which was and still is a very popular nazm/song.
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Shahed, I totally blown away reading your poetry. One side your Urdu poetry talent and on the other side your description of what is taking place in our Childhood country.
So true and so sad.
In Houston we are building a coalition to counter what RSS is doing.
We will talk in a week or two , I will give you details
I will be sending you a link to an article published in New Yorker magazine dated December 9 2019.
Keep at it,Happy Holidays. Aziz
Beautiful. You know what Chou en lai is supposed to have told Kissinger about the matter of the 1792 French Revolution: It’s too soon to tell! I just refuse to believe Southern, non-Hindi areas are as hateful as the UP wallas. From what I hear, even Shiv Sena is distancing itself from the hard-right RSS types. India is just too damn diverse to paint with a single brush, in a few strokes. The totally new phenomenon of the world connectivity is what is transforming ALL societies. India is just one. Don’t give up the ship, mate!
A lot more drama is yet to come. “Hindus” waking up to history, per Sir Vidia Dhar Naipaul. At least the Northern ones.
SubhanAllah
Excellent expression and deep meaning with feelings expressed beautifully. I only hope people understand this snd it effects the concerned.