Recitation
نہرو – كیفی اعظمی
میں نے تنہاکبھی اُسکو دیکھانہیں
پِھر بھی جب اُسکو دیکھاوہ تنہاملا
جیسے صحرا میں چشمہ کہیں
یاسمندر میں مینارِ نور
یاکوئی فکر اوہام میں
فکر صدیوں اکیلی اکیلی رہی
ذہن صد یوں اکیلا اکیلا ملا
اور اکیلا اکیلا بھٹکتا رہا
ہر نئے ہر پرانے زمانے میں وہ
بے زباں تیرگی میں کبھی
اور کبھی چیختی دھوپ میں
چاند نی میں کبھی خواب کی
اُسکی تقدیر تھی اِک مسلسل تلاش
خود کو ڈھونڈا کیا ہر فسانے میں وہ
بوجھ سے اپنے اُس کی کمر جھک گئی
قدمگر اور کچھ اور بڑھتارہا
خیر و شر کی کوئی جنگ ہو
زند گی کاہو کوئی جہاد
یاکوئی معرکہ عشق کا
وہ ہمیشہ ہوا سب سے پہلے شہید
سب سے پہلے وہ سُولی پہ چڑھتا رہا
جن تقاضوں نے اُسکو دیا تھا جنم
اُنکی آغوش میں پِھر سمایا نہ وہ
خون میں وید گونجے ہوئے
اور جبیں پر فروزاں اذاں
اور سینے پہ رقصاں صلیب
بے جھجک سب كے قابو میں آتا گیا
اور کسی كے بھی قابو میں آیا نہ وہ
ہاتھ میں اُسکے کیاتھاجو دیتاہمیں
صرف اک کیل ، اُسی کیل کا اک نشان
نشۂ مۓ کوئی چیز ہے
اک گھڑی دو گھڑی ، ایک رات
اور حاصل وہی دردِ سَر
اُس نے زندان میں لیکن پیاتھاجو زہر
اُٹھ كے سینے سے بیٹھا نہ اسکا دُھواں
नेहरू – कैफ़ी आज़मी
मैं ने तन्हा कभी उसको देखा नहीं
फिर भी जब उसको देखा वो तन्हा मिला
जैसे सेहरा में चश्मा कहीं
या समंदर में मीनार-ए नूर
या कोइ फ़िक्र औहाम में
फ़िक्र सदियौं अकेली अकेली रही
ज़ह्न सदियौं अकेला अकेला मिला
और अकेला अकेला भटक्ता रहा
हर नये हर पुराने ज़माने में वो
बे ज़बां तीरगी में कभी
और कभी चीख़ती धूप में
चाँदनी में कभी ख़्वाब की
उसकी तक़दीर थी एक मुसलसिल तलाश
ख़ुद को ढूंडा किया हर फ़साने में वो
बोझ से अपने उस की कमर झुक गई
क़द मगर और कुछ और बढ़ता रहा
ख़ैर ओ शार की कोई जंग हो
ज़िंदगी का हो कोई जिहाद
या कोई मा’रेका इश्क़ का
वो हमेशा हुआ सब से पहले शहीद
सब से पहले वो सूली पे चढ़ता रहा
जिन तक़ाज़ों ने उसको दिया था जनम
उनकी आग़ोश में फिर समाया ना वो
ख़ून में वेद गूंजे हुए
और जबीं पर फ़रोज़ां अज़ाँ
और सीने पे रक़्सां सलेब
बे झिजक सब के क़ाबू में आता गया
और किसी के भी क़ाबू में आया ना वो
हाथ में उसके क्या था जो देता हमें
सिर्फ़ एक कील, उसी कील का एक निशां
नशा’ मै मई कोई चीज़ है
एक घडी दो घडी, एक रात
और हासिल वही दर्द-ए सर
उस ने ज़िन्दां में लैकिन पिया था जो ज़हर
उठ के सीने से बैठा ना उसका धुआं
nehru – kaifi azmi
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for word meanings and discussion. Also see tributes by sardar jafri, sahir ludhianavi and maKhdoom mohiuddin.
maiN ne tanha1 kabhi usko dekha nahiN
phir bhi jab usko dekha vo tanha mila
jaise sehra2 meN chashma3 kahiN
ya samandar meN miinaar-e-noor4
ya koii fikr5 auhaam6 meN1.alone 2.desert 3.spring, oasis 4.light-house 5.rationality 6.superstitions
He was never by himself but always seemed alone (apart, different). Like an oasis in a desert, or a light-house by the stormy sea or like rationality in a sea of superstitions.
fikr7 sadiyauN8 akeli akeli rahi
zahn9 sadiyauN akela akela mila
aur akela akela bhaTakta10 raha7.rationality, thought 8.centuries 9.mind, intellect 10.wandering, lost
But then we know that intelligence and reason have always been alone, have always struck their own path. He too was alone, wandering, searching.
har naye, har puraane zamaane meN vo
be-zabaaN1 tiiragi2 meN kabhi
aur kabhi cheeKhti dhoop meN
chandni meN kabhi Khwaab ki
uski taqdeer3 thi ek musalsil4 talaash5
Khud ko DhoonDa kiya har fasaane6 meN vo1.voiceless, silent 2.darkness 3.fate 4.continuous, constant 5.search 6.fable
In every epoch, old and new, in the silent dark or the bright day or under moonlit skies, his fate was a constant search. He searched for himself (his identity as an Indian) in every fable. This has reference to Nehru’s sense of history, the books and essays on history that he wrote, his search was for the “Idea of India”.
bojh se apne us ki kamar jhuk gaee
qad1 magar aur kuchh aur baRhta raha
Khair o shar2 ki koii jung ho
zindagi ka ho koii jihaad3
ya koii ma’areka4 ishq ka
vo hamesha hua sub se pahle shaheed5
sub se pahle vo sooli6 pe chaRhta raha1.height, stature 2.good and evil 3.struggle 4.conflict 5.sacrificed 6.gallows
The heavy burden he carried bent his back but his stature increased even more. Whenever there was a conflict between good and evil, a struggle for anything in life, a dispute, he was the one that always got blamed. He was the one who was sacrificed and sent to the gallows.
jin taqaazauN1 ne usko diya tha janam
unki aaGhosh2 meN phir samaaya na vo
Khoon meN ved goonje hue
aur jabiN3 par farozaaN4 azaaN
aur seene pe raqsaaN5 saleb6
be jhijak7 sub ke qaabu8 meN aata gaya
aur kisi ke bhi qaabu9 meN aaya na vo1.demands 2.lap 3.brow 4.shining, refulgent 5.dancing 6.cross 7.without hesitation 8.influenced 9.control
He was born as an answer to the demands of the time, but was never consumed by them. The echoes of the Vedas in the flow of his blood, the sound of the aza’an refulgent on his brow, the cross dangling on his chest, he welcomed them all without hesitation but never fell under the control of any (he was irreligious).
haath meN uske kya tha jo deta hameN
sirf1 ek keel, usi keel ka ek nishaaN1.only
All he had to show for his life and to bequeath to us was the sign of struggle and pain that he want through. Like the nails that nail Jesus to the cross, all he had to show was that symbolic nail.
nasha’-e mae1 koii cheez hai
ek ghaRi do ghaRi, ek raat
aur haasil2 vahi dard-e sar
us ne zindaaN3 meN laikin piya tha jo zahr
uTh ke seene se baiTha na uska dhuaaN1.intoxication of wine 2.result 3.prison, colonialism
Pleasure and enjoyment (like the intoxication of wine) is but for a moment or two, at the most for a night, and then the headache of a hangover/disappointment. Real happiness is in struggle. He never forgot the poison of the colonial legacy, it rose constantly from his bosom.
nehru – kaifi azmi
Also see tributes by sardar jafri, sahir ludhianavi and maKhdoom mohiuddin.
maiN ne tanha1 kabhi usko dekha nahiN
phir bhi jab usko dekha vo tanha mila
jaise sehra2 meN chashma3 kahiN
ya samandar meN miinaar-e-noor4
ya koii fikr5 auhaam6 meN
1.alone 2.desert 3.spring, oasis 4.light-house 5.rationality 6.superstitions
He was never by himself but always seemed alone (apart, different). Like an oasis in a desert, or a light-house by the stormy sea or like rationality in a sea of superstitions.
fikr7 sadiyauN8 akeli akeli rahi
zahn9 sadiyauN akela akela mila
aur akela akela bhaTakta10 raha
7.rationality, thought 8.centuries 9.mind, intellect 10.wandering, lost
But then we know that intelligence and reason have always been alone, have always struck their own path. He too was alone, wandering, searching.
har naye, har puraane zamaane meN vo
be-zabaaN1 tiiragi2 meN kabhi
aur kabhi cheeKhti dhoop meN
chandni meN kabhi Khwaab ki
uski taqdeer3 thi ek musalsil4 talaash5
Khud ko DhoonDa kiya har fasaane6 meN vo
1.voiceless, silent 2.darkness 3.fate 4.continuous, constant 5.search 6.fable
In every epoch, old and new, in the silent dark or the bright day or under moonlit skies, his fate was a constant search. He searched for himself (his identity as an Indian) in every fable. This has reference to Nehru’s sense of history, the books and essays on history that he wrote, his search was for the “Idea of India”.
bojh se apne us ki kamar jhuk gaee
qad1 magar aur kuchh aur baRhta raha
Khair o shar2 ki koii jung ho
zindagi ka ho koii jihaad3
ya koii ma’areka4 ishq ka
vo hamesha hua sub se pahle shaheed5
sub se pahle vo sooli6 pe chaRhta raha
1.height, stature 2.good and evil 3.struggle 4.conflict 5.sacrificed 6.gallows
The heavy burden he carried bent his back but his stature increased even more. Whenever there was a conflict between good and evil, a struggle for anything in life, a dispute, he was the one that always got blamed. He was the one who was sacrificed and sent to the gallows.
jin taqaazauN1 ne usko diya tha janam
unki aaGhosh2 meN phir samaaya na vo
Khoon meN ved goonje hue
aur jabiN3 par farozaaN4 azaaN
aur seene pe raqsaaN5 saleb6
be jhijak7 sub ke qaabu8 meN aata gaya
aur kisi ke bhi qaabu9 meN aaya na vo
1.demands 2.lap 3.brow 4.shining, refulgent 5.dancing 6.cross 7.without hesitation 8.influenced 9.control
He was born as an answer to the demands of the time, but was never consumed by them. The echoes of the Vedas in the flow of his blood, the sound of the aza’an refulgent on his brow, the cross dangling on his chest, he welcomed them all without hesitation but never fell under the control of any (he was irreligious).
haath meN uske kya tha jo deta hameN
sirf1 ek keel, usi keel ka ek nishaaN
1.only
All he had to show for his life and to bequeath to us was the sign of struggle and pain that he want through. Like the nails that nail Jesus to the cross, all he had to show was that symbolic nail.
nasha’-e mae1 koii cheez hai
ek ghaRi do ghaRi, ek raat
aur haasil2 vahi dard-e sar
us ne zindaaN3 meN laikin piya tha jo zahr
uTh ke seene se baiTha na uska dhuaaN
1.intoxication of wine 2.result 3.prison, colonialism
Pleasure and enjoyment (like the intoxication of wine) is but for a moment or two, at the most for a night, and then the headache of a hangover/disappointment. Real happiness is in struggle. He never forgot the poison of the colonial legacy, it rose constantly from his bosom.
