For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نہرو ۔ جاں نثار اختر
۱
ہوائیں اپنے آنچل میں یہ کس کی خاک لے آئیں
کسی ماں کی طرح دھرتی ہے اپنی گود پھیلائے
۲
سلام اُس کی لگن، اُس کی محبّت، اُس کی خدمت کو
کہ جو ایسے جئیے، ایسے مرے، ایسے مٹ جائے
۳
سلام اُس کی تمنّا کو، سلام اُس کی وصیت کو
کہ جس دھرتی سے پیدا تھا اُسی دھرتی کے کام آئے
۴
مقدس ہے وہ دھرتی جس نے گوتم کے قدم چومے
امر ہے وہ فضا جس میں کبت نانک کے لہرائے
۵
مبارک وہ زمیں چشتی نے جس پر نور برسایا
جہاں گاندھی نے آزادی کے پھر سے پھول مہکائے
۶
مگر اے ہند، اُس کی رفعتوں کا کیا ٹھکانا ہے
جو تیرے ان گنت صدیوں کی عظمت کو بڑھا جائے
۷
سلام اُس کی تمنّا کو سلام اُس کی وصیت کو
کہ جس دھرتی سے پیدا تھا اُسی دھرتی کے کام آئے
नहरू-जां निसार अख़्तर
१
हवाएं अपने आंचल में ये किस की ख़ाक ले आईं
किसी मां कि तरह धर्ती है अपनी गोद फैलाए
२
सलाम उस की लगन, सलाम उस कि मोहब्बत, उस कि ख़िदमत को
के जो ऐसे जिये, ऐसे मरे, ऐसे मिट जाए
३
सलाम उस कि तमन्ना को, सलाम उस कि वसिय्यत को
के जिस धर्ती से पैदा था उसी धर्ती के काम आए
४
मुक़द्दस है वो धर्ती जिस ने गौतम के क़दम चूमे
अमर है वो फ़ज़ा जिस में कबत नानक के लहराए
५
मुबारक वो ज़मीं चिश्ती ने जिस पर नूर बरसाया
जहां गांधी ने आज़ादी के फिर से फूल महकाए
६
मगर अए हिन्द, उस की रफ़’अतौं का क्या ठिकाना है
जो तेरे अनगिनत सदियौं कि अज़्मत को बढ़ा जाए
७
सलाम उस कि तमन्ना को, सलाम उस कि वसिय्यत को
के जिस धर्ती से पैदा था उसी धर्ती के काम आए
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed jaaN nisaar husain razvi, aKhtar (1914-1976) romantic, progressive and revolutionary. Worked in academics and in cinema. Both his father (muztar Khairabadi) and his son (javed aKhtar) are noted poets. This is one of a series of nazm paying tribute to javaahar lal nehru, some by people who were imprisoned by his government. It is linked to the Theme page.
1
havaa’eN apne aaNchal meN ye kis ki Khaak le aaiiN
kisi maaN ki tarah dharti1 hai apni goad2 phailaa’e3 1.earth, land, homeland 2.lap 3.spread, opened
This has reference to nehru’s will in which he asked that his some of his ashes be immersed in rivers and the rest be scattered over the land scattering them from an airplane. Thus, whose ashes are these that the winds bring in the hem of their robe. The earth opens its lap to receive them like a mother.
2
salaam1 us ki lagan2, salaam us ki mohabbat, us ki Khidmat3 ko
keh jo aise jiye, aise mare, aise miT jaa’e 1.salutations 2.dedication 3.service
Salutations to his dedication, love and service (to the country), the one who lived is this style, died this way and mingled into dust like this.
3
salaam us ki tamanna1 ko, salaam us ki vasiyyat2 ko
keh jis dharti se paida tha, usi dharti ke kaam aa’e 1.desire (for the betterment of the homeland) 2.will, bequest
Salutations to his intense desire for the betterment of the homeland, salutations to his last will and testament that the land he emerged from should receive his ashes in its service.
4
muqaddas1 hai vo dharti2 jis ne gautam ke qadam3 choome4
amar5 hai vo faza6 jis meN kabat7 naanak ke lahraa’e 1.holy, venerated 2.land 3.feet 4.kiss 5.eternal, everlasting 6.air 7.hymns, songs
The land that kissed the feet of gautam buddh is holy. The air which reverberated with the songs of nanak is everlasting.
5
mubaarak1 vo zamiiN chishti2 ne jis par noor3 barsaaya
jahaaN gandhi ne aazaadi ke phir se phool mahkaa’e4 1.lucky 2.moinuddin chishti-sufi scholar 3.light 4.fragrance
Lucky is the land where moinuddin chishti spread the light (of universal love); where gandhi spread the fragrance of freedom.
6
magar aye hind, us ki raf’atoN1 ka kya Thikaana2 hai
jo tere anginat3 sadiyoN4 ki azmat5 ko baRha jaa’e 1.heights 2.stopping place, limit 3.countless 4.centuries 5.greatness, grandeur
But O hindustan, where is the limit of the heights/greatness of the one who increased the grandeur of your countless centuries (of history).
7
salaam us ki tamanna1 ko, salaam us ki vasiyyat2 ko
keh jis dharti se paida tha, usi dharti ke kaam aa’e 1.desire (for the betterment of the homeland) 2.will, bequest
Salutations to his intense desire for the betterment of the homeland, salutations to his last will and testament that the land he emerged from should receive his ashes in its service.
syed jaaN nisaar husain razvi, aKhtar (1914-1976) romantic, progressive and revolutionary. Worked in academics and in cinema. Both his father (muztar Khairabadi) and his son (javed aKhtar) are noted poets. This is one of a series of nazm paying tribute to javaahar lal nehru, some by people who were imprisoned by his government. It is linked to the Theme page.
1
havaa’eN apne aaNchal meN ye kis ki Khaak le aaiiN
kisi maaN ki tarah dharti1 hai apni goad2 phailaa’e3
1.earth, land, homeland 2.lap 3.spread, opened
This has reference to nehru’s will in which he asked that his some of his ashes be immersed in rivers and the rest be scattered over the land scattering them from an airplane. Thus, whose ashes are these that the winds bring in the hem of their robe. The earth opens its lap to receive them like a mother.
2
salaam1 us ki lagan2, salaam us ki mohabbat, us ki Khidmat3 ko
keh jo aise jiye, aise mare, aise miT jaa’e
1.salutations 2.dedication 3.service
Salutations to his dedication, love and service (to the country), the one who lived is this style, died this way and mingled into dust like this.
3
salaam us ki tamanna1 ko, salaam us ki vasiyyat2 ko
keh jis dharti se paida tha, usi dharti ke kaam aa’e
1.desire (for the betterment of the homeland) 2.will, bequest
Salutations to his intense desire for the betterment of the homeland, salutations to his last will and testament that the land he emerged from should receive his ashes in its service.
4
muqaddas1 hai vo dharti2 jis ne gautam ke qadam3 choome4
amar5 hai vo faza6 jis meN kabat7 naanak ke lahraa’e
1.holy, venerated 2.land 3.feet 4.kiss 5.eternal, everlasting 6.air 7.hymns, songs
The land that kissed the feet of gautam buddh is holy. The air which reverberated with the songs of nanak is everlasting.
5
mubaarak1 vo zamiiN chishti2 ne jis par noor3 barsaaya
jahaaN gandhi ne aazaadi ke phir se phool mahkaa’e4
1.lucky 2.moinuddin chishti-sufi scholar 3.light 4.fragrance
Lucky is the land where moinuddin chishti spread the light (of universal love); where gandhi spread the fragrance of freedom.
6
magar aye hind, us ki raf’atoN1 ka kya Thikaana2 hai
jo tere anginat3 sadiyoN4 ki azmat5 ko baRha jaa’e
1.heights 2.stopping place, limit 3.countless 4.centuries 5.greatness, grandeur
But O hindustan, where is the limit of the heights/greatness of the one who increased the grandeur of your countless centuries (of history).
7
salaam us ki tamanna1 ko, salaam us ki vasiyyat2 ko
keh jis dharti se paida tha, usi dharti ke kaam aa’e
1.desire (for the betterment of the homeland) 2.will, bequest
Salutations to his intense desire for the betterment of the homeland, salutations to his last will and testament that the land he emerged from should receive his ashes in its service.
