For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
راج آ گیا دوالی کا ۔ نظیرؔ اکبرآبادی
۱
ہر اک مکاں میں جلا پھر دیا دوالی کا
ہر اک طرف کو اجالا ہوا دوالی کا
سبھی کے دل میں سماں بھا گیا دوالی کا
کسی کے دل کو مزا خوش لگا دوالی کا
عجب بہار کا ہے دن بنا دوالی کا
۲
جہاں میں یارو عجب طرح کا ہے یہ تیوہار
کسی نے نقد لیا اور کوئی کرے ہے ادھار
کھلونے کھیلوں بتاشوں کا گرم ہے بازار
ہر اک دکاں میں چراغوں کی ہو رہی ہے بہار
سبھوں کو فکر ہے اب جا بجا دوالی کا
۳
مٹھائیوں کی دکانیں لگا کے حلوائی
پکارتے ہیں کہ لالا دوالی ہے آئی
بتاشے لے کوئی برفی کسی نے تلوائی
کھلونے والوں کی ان سے زیادہ بن آئی
گویا انہوں کے واں راج آ گیا دوالی کا
राज आ गया दिवाली का – नज़ीर अक्बराबादी
१
हर एक मकाँ में जला फिर दिया दिवाली का
हर एक तरफ़ को उजाला हुआ दिवाली का
सभी के दिल में समाँ भा गया दिवाली का
किसी के दिल को मज़ा ख़ुश लगा दिवाली का
अजब बहार का है दिन बना दिवाली का
२
जहाँ में यारो अजब तरह का है ये त्यौहार
किसी ने नक़्द लिया और कोई करे है उधार
खिलौने खेलों बताशों का गर्म है बाज़ार
हर एक दुकाँ में चराग़ों की हो रही है बहार
सभों को फ़िक्र है अब जा-ब-जा दिवाली का
३
मिठाइयों की दुकानें लगा के हलवाई
पुकारते हैं के लाला दिवाली है आई
बताशे ले कोई बर्फ़ी किसी ने तुलवाई
खिलौने वालों की उन से ज़्यादा बन आई
गोया उन्हों के वाँ राज आ गया दिवाली का
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shaiKh vali mohammed nazeer akbarabadi (1735-1830) wrote hundreds of Ghazal and a large number of nazm in folk style on folk subjects. He is called a “People’s Poet”. There are some reports that he taught Ghalib when he was a child in agra (akbarabad). His folksy style reaches across communal lines in a healthy, inclusive way. He has folksy nazm about divaali, holi, mahadev byaah, raakhi and many other themes. His enthusiasm and direct participation in festivities is evident from his compositions. This is a nazm celebrating divaali.
1
har ek makaaN meN jala phir diya divaali ka
har ek taraf1 ko ujaala2 hua divaali ka
sabhi ke dil meN samaaN3 bhaa4 gaya divaali ka
kisi ke dil ko maza Khush laga divaali ka
ajab5 bahaar ka hai din bana divaali ka 1.direction 2.light 3.atmosphere, ambience 4.pleasing, enjoyable 5.unusual, enchanting
In every house are lit lamps of divaali
In every direction there are lights of divaali
Everyone is happy in the ambience of divaali
That someone special is pleased with the taste of divaali
Enchanting is the bloom of the day of divaali
2
jahaaN1 meN yaaro ajab2 tarah ka hai ye tyauhaar3
kisi ne naqd4 liya aur koi kare hai udhaar5
khilaune kheeloN-bataashoN6 ka garm7 hai baazaar
har ek dukaaN meN charaaGhoN8 ki ho rahi hai bahaar
sabhoN ko fikr9 hai ab jaa-ba-jaa10 divaali ka 1.world 2.strange, unusual, unique 3.celebration 4.cash 5.loan 6.snacks and sweets 7.active, lively 8.lights, lamps 9.concern, thought 10.everywhere
A unique celebration in the whole world is this my friend
Some place bets with cash, others play with loans
The market of toys, snacks and sweets is lively
In every shop is a spring like display of lights
Thoughts are divaali are on everyone’s mind all around
3
miThaaiyoN ki dukaaneN laga ke halvaaii1
pukaarte haiN keh laala2 divaali hai aaii
bataashe3 le koi barfi3 kisi ne tulvaaii4
khilaune vaaloN ki un se ziyaada ban aaii5
goya6 unhoN kay vaaN raaj aa gaya divaali ka 1.dessert chef 2.sir, mister 3.sweets 4.got weighed 5.ban aaii is an expression meaning ‘they made out like bandits’ 6.as if
Dessert chefs arrange shops of sweets
Calling out mister, divaali is here
Some get one sweet counted, others get a another weighed
Toy shops make out like bandits
As if the kingdom of divaali has arrived for them
shaiKh vali mohammed nazeer akbarabadi (1735-1830) wrote hundreds of Ghazal and a large number of nazm in folk style on folk subjects. He is called a “People’s Poet”. There are some reports that he taught Ghalib when he was a child in agra (akbarabad). His folksy style reaches across communal lines in a healthy, inclusive way. He has folksy nazm about divaali, holi, mahadev byaah, raakhi and many other themes. His enthusiasm and direct participation in festivities is evident from his compositions. This is a nazm celebrating divaali.
1
har ek makaaN meN jala phir diya divaali ka
har ek taraf1 ko ujaala2 hua divaali ka
sabhi ke dil meN samaaN3 bhaa4 gaya divaali ka
kisi ke dil ko maza Khush laga divaali ka
ajab5 bahaar ka hai din bana divaali ka
1.direction 2.light 3.atmosphere, ambience 4.pleasing, enjoyable 5.unusual, enchanting
In every house are lit lamps of divaali
In every direction there are lights of divaali
Everyone is happy in the ambience of divaali
That someone special is pleased with the taste of divaali
Enchanting is the bloom of the day of divaali
2
jahaaN1 meN yaaro ajab2 tarah ka hai ye tyauhaar3
kisi ne naqd4 liya aur koi kare hai udhaar5
khilaune kheeloN-bataashoN6 ka garm7 hai baazaar
har ek dukaaN meN charaaGhoN8 ki ho rahi hai bahaar
sabhoN ko fikr9 hai ab jaa-ba-jaa10 divaali ka
1.world 2.strange, unusual, unique 3.celebration 4.cash 5.loan 6.snacks and sweets 7.active, lively 8.lights, lamps 9.concern, thought 10.everywhere
A unique celebration in the whole world is this my friend
Some place bets with cash, others play with loans
The market of toys, snacks and sweets is lively
In every shop is a spring like display of lights
Thoughts are divaali are on everyone’s mind all around
3
miThaaiyoN ki dukaaneN laga ke halvaaii1
pukaarte haiN keh laala2 divaali hai aaii
bataashe3 le koi barfi3 kisi ne tulvaaii4
khilaune vaaloN ki un se ziyaada ban aaii5
goya6 unhoN kay vaaN raaj aa gaya divaali ka
1.dessert chef 2.sir, mister 3.sweets 4.got weighed 5.ban aaii is an expression meaning ‘they made out like bandits’ 6.as if
Dessert chefs arrange shops of sweets
Calling out mister, divaali is here
Some get one sweet counted, others get a another weighed
Toy shops make out like bandits
As if the kingdom of divaali has arrived for them
