Recitation
رقاصہ – حفیظ جالندھری
اُٹھی ہے مغرب سے گھٹا
پینے کا موسم آ گیا
نا زک ادا ناز آ فر یں
ہاں ناچتی جا گائے جا
نظروں سے دِل برمائے جا
او دشمنِ دنیا و دیں
تیرا تھرکنا خوب ہے
تیری ادائیں دِل نشیں
لیکن ٹھہر تو کون ہے
او نیم عریاں نازنیں
کیا مشرقی عورت ہے تو
ہر گز نہیں ہر گز نہیں
تیری ہنسی بے باک ہے
تیری نگہ چالاک ہے
اُف کس قدر دِل سوز ہے
تقریر بازاری تیری
کتنی ہوس آ میز ہے
یہ سادہ پرُکاری تیری
شرم اور عزّت والیاں
ہوتی ہیں عفت والیاں
وہ حسن کی شہزرادیاں
پردے کی ہیں آ بادیاں
چشمِ فلک نے آ ج تک
دیکھی نہیں اُنکی جھلک
سرمایہٗ شرم و حیا
زیور ہے اُنکے حسن کا
شوہر کے دکھ سہتی ہیں وہ
منھ سے نہیں کہتی ہیں وہ
کب سامنے آ تی ہیں وہ
غیرت سے کٹ جاتی ہیں وہ
اعزازِ ملت اُن سے ہے
نا مِ شرافت اُن سے ہے
ایمان پر قائم ہیں وہ
پاکیزہ و صائم ہیں وہ
تجھ میں نہیں شرم و حیا
تجھ میں نہیں مہر و وفا
سچ سچ بتا تو کون ہے
او بے حیا تو کون ہے
یہ پرُ فسوں غمزے تیرے
نا محرموں کے سامنے
ہٹ سامنے سے دور ہو
مردود ہو مقہور ہو
تقدیر کی ہیٹی ہے تو
شیطان کی بیٹی ہے تو
جس قوم کی عورت ہے تو
اُس قوم پر لعنت ہے تو
لیکن ٹھہر جانا ذرا
تیری نہیں کوئی خطا
مردوں میں غیرت ہی نہیں
قومی حمیت ہی نہیں
وہ ملتِ بیضا کہ تھی
سارے جہاں کی روشنی
جمعیتِ اِسلامیاں
شاہنشہ ہندوستاں
اب اِس میں دم کچھ بھی نہیں
ہم کیا ہیں ہم کچھ بھی نہیں
ملیّ سیاست اُٹھ گئی
بازو کی طاقت اُٹھ گئی
شانِ حجازی اب کہاں
وہ ترکتازی اب کہاں
اب غزنوی ہمت گئٰی
اب بابری شوکت گئی
لیکن مجھے کیا خبط ہے
تقریر کیوں بے ربط ہے
اِتنا شرابی ہو گیا
عقل و خرد کو کھو گیا
مجھ کو زمانے سے غرض؟
مٹنے مٹانے سے غرض؟
ہندوستاں سے کام کیا
اندیشہٗ اِسلام کیا
جینے دو جینے دو مجھے
پینے دو پینے دو مجھے
جب حشر کا دِن آ ئیگا
اُس وقت دیکھا جائیگا
ہاں ناچتی جا گائے جا
نظروں سے دِل برمائے جا
تڑ پائے جا تڑ پائے جا
او دشمنِ دنیا و دیں
रक़्क़ासा-हफ़ीज़ जालन्धरी
उट्ठी है मग़रिब से घटा
पीने का मोसम आ गया
नाज़ुक अदा नाज़ आफ़रीं
हाँ नाचती जा गाए जा
नज़रों से दिल बरमाए जा
ओ दुश्मन ए दुनिया ओ दीं
तेरा थिरकना ख़ूब है
तेरी अदाएं दिल नशीं
लेकिन ठहर तू कौन है
ओ नीम उरियां नाज़नीं
क्या मशरिक़ी औरत है तू
हरगिज़ नहीं हरगिज़ नहीं
तेरी हंसी बेबाक है
तेरी निगाह चालाक है
उफ़ किस क़दर दिल सोज़ है
तक़रीर बाज़ारी तेरी
कितनी हवस आमीज़ है
ये सादा पुरकारी तेरी
शर्म और इज़्ज़त वालियां
होती हैं इफ़्फ़त वालियां
वो हुस्न की शहज़ादियां
परदे की हैं आबादियाँ
चश्म ए फ़लक ने आज तक
देखि नहीं उनकी झलक
सरमाया ए शर्म ओ हया
ज़ेवर है उनके हुस्न का
शौहर के दुःख सहती हैं वो
मुंह से नहीं कहती हैं वो
कब सामने आती हैं वो
ग़ैरत से कट जाती हैं वो
एज़ाज़ ए मिल्लत उन से है
नाम ए शराफ़त उन से है
ईमान पर क़ाएम हैं वो
पाकीज़ा ओ साएम हैं वो
तुझ में नहीं शर्म ओ हया
तुझ में नहीं मेहर ओ वफ़ा
सच सच बता तू कौन है
ओ बे हया तू कौन है
ये पुर फुसूं गम्ज़े तेरे
नामहरमों के सामने
हट सामने से दूर हो
मरदूद हो मक़हूर हो
ये पुर फ़ुसूँ ग़म्ज़े तेरे
नामहरमों के सामने
हट सामने से दूर हो
मरदूद हो मक़हूर हो
लेकिन ठहर जाना ज़रा
तेरी नहीं कोई ख़ता
मर्दों में ग़ैरत ही नहीं
क़ौमी हम्मियत ही नहीं
वो मिल्लत ए बैज़ा के थी
सारे जहाँ की रौशनी
जमी’अत ए इस्लामियां
शहंशाह ए हिन्दोस्तां
अब इस में दम कुछ भी नहीं
हम क्या हैं हम कुछ भी नहीं
मिल्ली सियासत उठ गई
बाज़ू की ताख़त उठ गई
शान ए हिजाज़ी अब कहाँ
वो तुरक्ताज़ी अब कहाँ
अब गज़नवी हिम्मत गई
अब बाबरी शौकत गई
लेकिन मुझे क्या ख़ब्त है
तक़रीर क्यूँ बे रब्त है
इतना शराबी हो गया
अक़्ल ओ ख़िरद को खो गया
मुझ को ज़माने से ग़रज़?
मिटने मिटाने से ग़रज़ ?
हिन्दोस्तान से काम क्या
अंदेशा ए इस्लाम क्या
जीने दो जीने दो मुझे
पीने दो पीने दो मुझे
जब हश्र का दिन आएगा
उस वक़्त देखा जाएगा
हाँ नाचती जा गाए जा
नज़रों से दिल बरमाए जा
तड़पाए जा तड़पाए जा
ओ दुश्मन ए दुनिया ओ दीं
raqqasa – hafiz jalandhari
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.A superb example of blaming the victim, blaming the west, blaming the “other” (people of other religions), blame everyone except yourselves.
uTthi hai maGhrib1 se ghaTa
peene ka mosam aa gaya
naazuk-ada2 naaz-aafreeN3
haaN naachti ja gaaye jaa
nazrauN se dil barmaye jaa3
o dushman e duniya o deeN1.west 2.delicate style 3.flirting, making mischief 3.keep drilling
Dark clouds rise from the West, it is time to drink and enjoy (in Urdu poetic convention clouds bring joy and celebration). Your tender style making mischief, go on, dance and sing, drill through my heart with your eyes, you, O destroyer of the here and hereafter.
tera thirakna1 Khoob2 hai
teri adaaeN dil nashiN3
laikin Thahr tu kaun hai
o neem uriyaN4 nazneeN5 1.gyrating 2.beautiful/good 3.enter/capture the heart 4.half naked 5.damsel/beauty
Your gyrating dance is beautiful, your style captivating. But wait, who are you, O half naked damsel.
kya mashriqi1 aurat hai tu
hargiz nahiN hargiz nahiN
teri haNsi bebaak2 hai
teri nigah chalaak hai
uf kis qadar3 dil soz4 hai
taqreer bazaari5 teri
kitni havas aameez6 hai
ye saada purkari7 teri1.eastern 2.daring/shameless 3.how much 4.causing pain in the heart i.e.titillating 5.speech of the bazaar (red light district) i.e.explicit or suggestive sexual conversation 6. havas passion arousing 7.simple circling (dancing)
Are you a woman of the East, absolutely not, absolutely not (Eastern culture is pure and sanctified. All moral decreptitude comes from the West! … and a denial that she can be a woman from the East. Of course, our culture is special and we don’t do this to “our” women or really “our women don’t do this). Your laugh loud and fearless, your eyes, a little too clever. Oh, how titillating, your speech of the street, how passion arousing, your simple circling in dance.
sharm1 aur izzat2 vaaliyaN
hoti haiN iffat3 vaaliyaN
vo husn ki shahzadiyaN
parde ki haiN aabadiyaN4
chashm e falak5 ne aaj tak
dekhi nahiN unki jhalak
sarmaaya6 e sharm o haya
zevar hai unke husn ka1.modesty 2.respect 3.observant (religious) 4.women of parda/veil 5.literally eye of the sky, (public eye) 6.wealth
The “eastern woman” is getting piled up with all these obligations and being imprisoned, rather convenient for men to do. Glorifying “sati” is similar. Women of modesty and respect are observant of tradition. Those princesses of beauty live in parda. The eye of the sky has never caught a glimpse of them (“virtuous women” never get to see the light of day). Wealth of modesty and virtue is the jewel of their adornment.
shauhar ke dukh sahti haiN vo
muNh se nahiN kahti haiN vo
kab saamne aati haiN vo
Ghairat se kaT jaati haiN voThey bear the burden of their husband. They bear it in silence. When do they come out in company, they would rather die of shame. And this “shauhar ka dukh” … I am not sure if that is meant to be “sharing” his pain or bearing the “dukh” (pain/injustice) that he inflicts on her … and bearing it SILENTLY. “Virtues” are getting piled up on her fast and furious. And also, “they don’t come in front” meaning they don’t come out in company. If they had to, they would die of shame (Ghairat se kaT jaana).
ezaaz1 e millat2 un se hai
naam e sharafat3 un se hai
eeman4 par qaim5 haiN vo
pakeeza6 o saa’em7 haiN vo1.respect 2.community 3.respectibility 4.faith (honesty) 5.steadfast 6.pure (in the ritualistic sense) 7.observant of roza/fasting
And now she ends up bearing the burden of the virtue of the whole society. We need someone to blame if things go wrong. The honour of the community is because of them. Our reputation of virtue depends on them. The are steadfast in their belief. They are pure and observant of all rituals.
tujh meN nahiN sharm o haya
tujh meN nahiN mehr1 o vafa2
sach sach bata tu kaun hai
o be haya tu kaun hai1.mehr (mehrbaani), consideration for others 2.faith, loyalty (to one man).
You have no shame, no modesty, you have no love, no faith. Tell me the truth, who are you, O, you shameless, who are you. And now he is beginning to get abusive towards this poor woman who is dancing and singing for him.
ye pur fusooN1 Ghamze2 tere
na-mahramoN3 ke saamne
haT saamne se duur ho
mardood4 ho maqhoor5 ho1.full of magic (enchanting) 2.suggestive winking 3.not of your family, outsiders 4.expelled 5.cursed
These echanting glances of yours, in public before “other” men! Get out, get away, begone, may you be cursed.
taqdeer1 ki heTi2 hai tu
shaitan ki beTi hai tu
jis qaum2 ki aurat he tu
us qaum par la’anat4 hai tu1.fate, divine decree, faith 2.insult, disgrace 3.community 4.curse
You are an insult to faith. You are the daughter of Satan. The community you belong to, you are a curse on that community. Check out Sahir … he uses the same phrases … taqdeer ki heTi, shaitan ki beTi and calls for those who sing praises of Eastern culture to come out … I wonder if he was responding to this composition. Of course, Sahir uses them as a statement of disgust and anger at the system that has made the raqqasa what she is … quite the opposite of what Hafiz is doing.
laikin Thahr jana zara
teri nahiN koi Khata1
mardoN meN Ghairat2 hi nahiN
qaumi hammiyat3 hi nahiN1.fault 2.shame 3.enthusiasm, respect, love
But wait a minute, this is not your fault. Men have no shame. They have no love for the community. A brief … VERY brief awakening that may be men are to blame … but …
vo millat e baiza1 ke thi
saare jahaaN ki raushni
jami’at2 e islamiaN
shahanshah e HindostaN1.bright (great) community 2.community
That great community that once was the light of the whole universe, the community of Muslims who were emperors of Hindostan. … suddenly he finds someone else to blame. Totally unrelated. Suddenly he is recalling how bright things were under Muslim rule in India …. see Fahmida Riaz’s “farhang e nau”.
ab is meN dam kuchh bhi nahiN
hum kya haiN, hum kuchh bhi nahiN
milli1 siyasat2 uTh gayii
bazoo3 ki taaqat uTh gayii1.sense of community 2.political power 3.arm
Now this community has no power/self respect. What are we, we are nothing, no sense of community, no political power. There is no strength left in our arms. He now bemoans the loss of power by Muslims! How this is related to “raqqaasa” I don’t know unless he means that all Muslim rule is virtuous by definition.
shaan-e-Hijazi1 ab kahaaN
vo Turktazi2 ab kahaaN
ab Ghaznavi himmat gayii
ab Babari shaukat3 gayii1.pride of Hijaz (Arabia) 2.sword and strength 3.grandeur
The pride of Arabia is gone. The sword and its strength no more. The courage of Ghazni is lost. The grandeur of Babar is past. Implying that the loss of morality (the dancer) is all due to the evil ways of the west as compared to the shining morality of Muslims. See Sahir Ludhianawi’s “chakle” and his sarcastic refrain, “where are singers of praise of Eastern civilization”.
laikin mujhe kya Khabt1 hai
taqrir kyuN be rabt2 hai
itna sharabi3 ho gaya
aql o Khirad4 ko kho gaya1.foolishness 2.incoherent 3.drunk 4.wisdom
Oh but what foolishness is this, why is my speech so incoherent. I have become such a drunk that I have lost all senses.
mujh ko zamaane se Gharaz1?
miTne miTaane2 se Gharaz?
Hindostan se kaam kya
andesha3 e Islam kya1.need 2.obliterated 3.danger, vulnerability
But why should I care about what goes on. Why care about what is lost. What do I have to do with Hindostan. Why care about the danger to Islam.
jeene do jeene do mujhe
peene do peene do mujhe
jab hashr1 ka din aayega
us vaqt dekha jaayega1.day of reckoning
Let me live, let me live. Let me drink, let me drink. We will see when the day of reckoning arrives. We will see when that happens. Let me live, let me drink (this and the next verse have echoes of his other nazm made famous by Malika Pukhraj … “abhi to maiN javan huN”. They both have a short meter … chhoTi bahr. “abhi to main javan huN” is a lively nazm bordering on hedonism.
haaN naachti ja gaaye ja
nazrauN se dil barmaye ja
taRpaye ja taRpaye ja
o dushman e duniya o diNYes, keep dancing, let your eyes drill through my heart. Yes, tease me, keep teasing, O destroyer of the here and hereafter. I am not really sure how representative this nazm is, of the thinking of the day. I am sure that elements of burdening women with “purity, the respect of the community, the sanctity of religion” was (is) fairly common, bemoaning the loss of power by Muslims was also not uncommon, blaming the west for loss of morality not unheard of … but mixing all these together??? all in the name of a dancer … and using it to confine women to the chardivari and chadar … Zia ul Haq could not have done a better job.
raqqasa – hafiz jalandhari
A superb example of blaming the victim, blaming the west, blaming the “other” (people of other religions), blame everyone except yourselves.
uTthi hai maGhrib1 se ghaTa
peene ka mosam aa gaya
naazuk-ada2 naaz-aafreeN3
haaN naachti ja gaaye jaa
nazrauN se dil barmaye jaa3
o dushman e duniya o deeN
1.west 2.delicate style 3.flirting, making mischief 3.keep drilling
Dark clouds rise from the West, it is time to drink and enjoy (in Urdu poetic convention clouds bring joy and celebration). Your tender style making mischief, go on, dance and sing, drill through my heart with your eyes, you, O destroyer of the here and hereafter.
tera thirakna1 Khoob2 hai
teri adaaeN dil nashiN3
laikin Thahr tu kaun hai
o neem uriyaN4 nazneeN5
1.gyrating 2.beautiful/good 3.enter/capture the heart 4.half naked
5.damsel/beauty
Your gyrating dance is beautiful, your style captivating. But wait, who are you, O half naked damsel.
kya mashriqi1 aurat hai tu
hargiz nahiN hargiz nahiN
teri haNsi bebaak2 hai
teri nigah chalaak hai
uf kis qadar3 dil soz4 hai
taqreer bazaari5 teri
kitni havas aameez6 hai
ye saada purkari7 teri
1.eastern 2.daring/shameless 3.how much 4.causing pain in the heart i.e.titillating 5.speech of the bazaar (red light district) i.e.explicit or suggestive sexual conversation 6. havas passion arousing 7.simple circling (dancing)
Are you a woman of the East, absolutely not, absolutely not (Eastern culture is pure and sanctified. All moral decreptitude comes from the West! … and a denial that she can be a woman from the East. Of course, our culture is special and we don’t do this to “our” women or really “our women don’t do this). Your laugh loud and fearless, your eyes, a little too clever. Oh, how titillating, your speech of the street, how passion arousing, your simple circling in dance.
sharm1 aur izzat2 vaaliyaN
hoti haiN iffat3 vaaliyaN
vo husn ki shahzadiyaN
parde ki haiN aabadiyaN4
chashm e falak5 ne aaj tak
dekhi nahiN unki jhalak
sarmaaya6 e sharm o haya
zevar hai unke husn ka
1.modesty 2.respect 3.observant (religious) 4.women of parda/veil 5.literally eye of the sky, (public eye) 6.wealth
The “eastern woman” is getting piled up with all these obligations and being imprisoned, rather convenient for men to do. Glorifying “sati” is similar. Women of modesty and respect are observant of tradition. Those princesses of beauty live in parda. The eye of the sky has never caught a glimpse of them (“virtuous women” never get to see the light of day). Wealth of modesty and virtue is the jewel of their adornment.
shauhar ke dukh sahti haiN vo
muNh se nahiN kahti haiN vo
kab saamne aati haiN vo
Ghairat se kaT jaati haiN vo
They bear the burden of their husband. They bear it in silence. When do they come out in company, they would rather die of shame. And this “shauhar ka dukh” … I am not sure if that is meant to be “sharing” his pain or bearing the “dukh” (pain/injustice) that he inflicts on her … and bearing it SILENTLY. “Virtues” are getting piled up on her fast and furious. And also, “they don’t come in front” meaning they don’t come out in company. If they had to, they would die of shame (Ghairat se kaT jaana).
ezaaz1 e millat2 un se hai
naam e sharafat3 un se hai
eeman4 par qaim5 haiN vo
pakeeza6 o saa’em7 haiN vo
1.respect 2.community 3.respectibility 4.faith (honesty) 5.steadfast 6.pure (in the ritualistic sense) 7.observant of roza/fasting
And now she ends up bearing the burden of the virtue of the whole society. We need someone to blame if things go wrong. The honour of the community is because of them. Our reputation of virtue depends on them. The are steadfast in their belief. They are pure and observant of all rituals.
tujh meN nahiN sharm o haya
tujh meN nahiN mehr1 o vafa2
sach sach bata tu kaun hai
o be haya tu kaun hai
1.mehr (mehrbaani), consideration for others 2.faith, loyalty (to one man).
You have no shame, no modesty, you have no love, no faith. Tell me the truth, who are you, O, you shameless, who are you. And now he is beginning to get abusive towards this poor woman who is dancing and singing for him.
ye pur fusooN1 Ghamze2 tere
na-mahramoN3 ke saamne
haT saamne se duur ho
mardood4 ho maqhoor5 ho
1.full of magic (enchanting) 2.suggestive winking 3.not of your family, outsiders 4.expelled 5.cursed
These echanting glances of yours, in public before “other” men! Get out, get away, begone, may you be cursed.
taqdeer1 ki heTi2 hai tu
shaitan ki beTi hai tu
jis qaum2 ki aurat he tu
us qaum par la’anat4 hai tu
1.fate, divine decree, faith 2.insult, disgrace 3.community 4.curse
You are an insult to faith. You are the daughter of Satan. The community you belong to, you are a curse on that community. Check out Sahir … he uses the same phrases … taqdeer ki heTi, shaitan ki beTi and calls for those who sing praises of Eastern culture to come out … I wonder if he was responding to this composition. Of course, Sahir uses them as a statement of disgust and anger at the system that has made the raqqasa what she is … quite the opposite of what Hafiz is doing.
laikin Thahr jana zara
teri nahiN koi Khata1
mardoN meN Ghairat2 hi nahiN
qaumi hammiyat3 hi nahiN
1.fault 2.shame 3.enthusiasm, respect, love
But wait a minute, this is not your fault. Men have no shame. They have no love for the community. A brief … VERY brief awakening that may be men are to blame … but …
vo millat e baiza1 ke thi
saare jahaaN ki raushni
jami’at2 e islamiaN
shahanshah e HindostaN
1.bright (great) community 2.community
That great community that once was the light of the whole universe, the community of Muslims who were emperors of Hindostan. … suddenly he finds someone else to blame. Totally unrelated. Suddenly he is recalling how bright things were under Muslim rule in India …. see Fahmida Riyaz’s “farhang e nau”.
ab is meN dam kuchh bhi nahiN
hum kya haiN, hum kuchh bhi nahiN
milli1 siyasat2 uTh gayii
bazoo3 ki taaqat uTh gayii
1.sense of community 2.political power 3.arm
Now this community has no power/self respect. What are we, we are nothing, no sense of community, no political power. There is no strength left in our arms. He now bemoans the loss of power by Muslims! How this is related to “raqqaasa” I don’t know unless he means that all Muslim rule is virtuous by definition.
shaan-e-Hijazi1 ab kahaaN
vo Turktazi2 ab kahaaN
ab Ghaznavi himmat gayii
ab Babari shaukat3 gayii
1.pride of Hijaz (Arabia) 2.sword and strength 3.grandeur
The pride of Arabia is gone. The sword and its strength no more. The courage of Ghazni is lost. The grandeur of Babar is past. Implying that the loss of morality (the dancer) is all due to the evil ways of the west as compared to the shining morality of Muslims. See Sahir Ludhianawi’s “chakle” and his sarcastic refrain, “where are singers of praise of Eastern civilization”.
laikin mujhe kya Khabt1 hai
taqrir kyuN be rabt2 hai
itna sharabi3 ho gaya
aql o Khirad4 ko kho gaya
1.foolishness 2.incoherent 3.drunk 4.wisdom
Oh but what foolishness is this, why is my speech so incoherent. I have become such a drunk that I have lost all senses.
mujh ko zamaane se Gharaz1?
miTne miTaane2 se Gharaz?
Hindostan se kaam kya
andesha3 e Islam kya
1.need 2.obliterated 3.danger, vulnerability
But why should I care about what goes on. Why care about what is lost. What do I have to do with Hindostan. Why care about the danger to Islam.
jeene do jeene do mujhe
peene do peene do mujhe
jab hashr1 ka din aayega
us vaqt dekha jaayega
1.day of reckoning
Let me live, let me live. Let me drink, let me drink. We will see when the day of reckoning arrives. We will see when that happens. Let me live, let me drink (this and the next verse have echoes of his other nazm made famous by Malika Pukhraj … “abhi to maiN javan huN”. They both have a short meter … chhoTi bahr. “abhi to main javan huN” is a lively nazm bordering on hedonism.
haaN naachti ja gaaye ja
nazrauN se dil barmaye ja
taRpaye ja taRpaye ja
o dushman e duniya o diN
Yes, keep dancing, let your eyes drill through my heart. Yes, tease me, keep teasing, O destroyer of the here and hereafter. I am not really sure how representative this nazm is, of the thinking of the day. I am sure that elements of burdening women with “purity, the respect of the community, the sanctity of religion” was (is) fairly common, bemoaning the loss of power by Muslims was also not uncommon, blaming the west for loss of morality not unheard of … but mixing all these together??? all in the name of a dancer … and using it to confine women to the chardivari and chadar … Zia ul Haq could not have done a better job.
Search Words: aurat, tawaaif, gender issues
