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Recitation
نگاہوں میں – فہمیدہ ریاض
۱
کبھی دھنک سی اُترتی تھی اِن نگاہوں میں
وہ شوُخ رنگ بھی دھیمے پڑے ہواؤں میں
۲
میں تیز گام چلی جا رہی تھی اُس کی سمت
کشش عجیب تھی اُس دشت کی صداوں میں
۳
وہ اِک صدا جو فریبِ صدا سے بھی کم ہے
نہ ڈوب جائے کہیں تُند رؤ ہواؤں میں
۴
سکوتِ شام ہے اور میں ہوں گوش بر آواز
كہ ایک وعدے کا افسوں سا ہے فضاوں میں
۵
میری طرح یوں ہی گم کردہ راہ چھوڑیگی
تم اپنی بانہہ نہ دیناہوا کی بانہوں میں
۶
نقوش پاؤں كے لکھتے ہیں“منزلِ نایافت”
میرا سفر تو ہے تحریر میری راہوں میں
निगाहौं में – फ़हमीदा रियाज़
१
कभी धनक सी उतरती थी इन निगाहौं में
वो शूख़ रंग भी धीमे पड़े हवाऔं में
२
मैं तेज़ गाम चली जा रही थी उसकी सिम्त
कशिश अजीब थी उस दश्त की सदाओं में
३
वो एक सदा जो फ़रेब-ए सदा से भी कम है
ना डूब जाए कहीं तुन्द रौ हवाऔं में
४
सुकूत-ए शाम है और मैं हुं गोश बर आवाज़
के एक वादे का अफ़्सूं सा है फ़िज़ाओं में
५
मेरी तरह युं ही गुम-करदा राह छोड़ेगी
तुम अपनी बांह ना देना हवा की बाहौं में
६
नुक़ूश पाऊं के लिखते हैं “मंज़िल-ए नायाफ़्त”
मेरा सफ़र तो है तहरीर मेरी राहौं में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This Ghazal has a strong undertone of unfulfilled promises especially promises made by men (at the time considered a taboo subject for women writers) or it might have an undertone of unfulfilled promise of the search for Truth.
1
kabhi dhanak1 si utarti thi in nigaahauN meN
vo shooKh2 raNg bhi dheeme paRey havaauN meN 1.rainbow 2.playful, pleasant
There was a time when I could see the colours of the rainbow, but now even those pleasant colours have dimmed.
2
maiN tez gaam1 chali jaa rahi thi us ki simt2
kashish3 ajeeb4 thi us dasht5 ki sadaauN6 meN 1.step 2.direction 3.attraction 4.unusual 5.wilderness 6.call
I was moving rapidly towards it (him?). There was an unusual pull of the call of the wilderness (going into the wilderness in search of Truth or Love). The picture is that she was unable to resist that call at a young age, only to regret it later.
3
vo ek sada1 jo fareb2-e sada se bhi kam hai
na Doob jaaye kahiN tund rau3 havaauN meN 1.sound, call 2.deception, illusion 3.fast pace
That call (the call of the wilderness or his call) which is even fainter than the illusion of a call, I fear will drown in the blowing wind.
4
sukoot1-e shaam hai aur maiN huN gosh2 bar3 aavaaz
ke ek vaade4 ka afsooN5 sa hai fizaauN6 meN 1.silence 2.ear 3.on 4.promise 5.enchantment 6.atmosphere, surroundings
A silent/quiet evening and I am all ears. There is (was) an enchantment in the air because of that one promise (his promise – or of the search for Truth – unfulfilled).
5
meri tarah yuN hi gum-karda1 raah chhoRegi
tum apni baaNh2 na dena hava ki baahauN meN 1.lost 2.arm
Giving your arm to “air” is like trying to lean on something that is not there, unreliable. “It” will leave you stranded (like it has left me) on a path (lost) not leading anywhere. Don’t depend on an illusion (hava). The “it” here could be the call to wilderness in search of Truth or Love.
6
nuqoosh1 paauN ke likhte haiN “manzil-e nayaaft2”
mera safar to hai tahreer3 meri raahauN meN 1.prints 2.unobtainable goal 3.written
My footprints clearly tell the story, “this goal in unachievable” (the search continues forever). The story of my journey is clearly written on the path I have taken.
This Ghazal has a strong undertone of unfulfilled promises especially promises made by men (at the time considered a taboo subject for women writers) or it might have an undertone of unfulfilled promise of the search for Truth.
1
kabhi dhanak1 si utarti thi in nigaahauN meN
vo shooKh2 raNg bhi dheeme paRey havaauN meN
1.rainbow 2.playful, pleasant
There was a time when I could see the colours of the rainbow, but now even those pleasant colours have dimmed.
2
maiN tez gaam1 chali jaa rahi thi us ki simt2
kashish3 ajeeb4 thi us dasht5 ki sadaauN6 meN
1.step 2.direction 3.attraction 4.unusual 5.wilderness 6.call
I was moving rapidly towards it (him?). There was an unusual pull of the call of the wilderness (going into the wilderness in search of Truth or Love). The picture is that she was unable to resist that call at a young age, only to regret it later.
3
vo ek sada1 jo fareb2-e sada se bhi kam hai
na Doob jaaye kahiN tund rau3 havaauN meN
1.sound, call 2.deception, illusion 3.fast pace
That call (the call of the wilderness or his call) which is even fainter than the illusion of a call, I fear will drown in the blowing wind.
4
sukoot1-e shaam hai aur maiN huN gosh2 bar3 aavaaz
ke ek vaade4 ka afsooN5 sa hai fizaauN6 meN
1.silence 2.ear 3.on 4.promise 5.enchantment 6.atmosphere, surroundings
A silent/quiet evening and I am all ears. There is (was) an enchantment in the air because of that one promise (his promise – or of the search for Truth – unfulfilled).
5
meri tarah yuN hi gum-karda1 raah chhoRegi
tum apni baaNh2 na dena hava ki baahauN meN
1.lost 2.arm
Giving your arm to “air” is like trying to lean on something that is not there, unreliable. “It” will leave you stranded (like it has left me) on a path (lost) not leading anywhere. Don’t depend on an illusion (hava). The “it” here could be the call to wilderness in search of Truth or Love.
6
nuqoosh1 paauN ke likhte haiN “manzil-e nayaaft2”
mera safar to hai tahreer3 meri raahauN meN
1.prints 2.unobtainable goal 3.written
My footprints clearly tell the story, “this goal in unachievable” (the search continues forever). The story of my journey is clearly written on the path I have taken.
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