Recitation
سہج چلی پرُوائی – فہمیدہ ریاض
سرسوں كے پھولوں سے ، گیہوں کی بالی سے سجایا
دھرتی ایک کنواری تم نے دلہن اُسے بنایا
رس برساتے بادل گزرے ، سہج چلی پروائی
تم کو چھاتی سے لپٹاتے دھرتی کب شرمائی
ہاتھ تمہارے چھویں تو اُسکے انگ کو روپ سہاۓ
اُن سے کیا گھبرانا ، نہیں یہ ہاتھ پراۓ
وہ دھرتی جو سدا تمھاری سیوا کرتی جائے
سَر پر ہاتھ دھروگے تم ، بیٹھی ہے آس لگاۓ
دِن ڈوبا ، حَل پاس کھڑا ہے ، دیکھو یہ اَنیاۓ
اُس کی کوکھ میں بیج تمہارا ، دوجا کیوں پھل کھاۓ
یہی ہے ماتا ، یہی ہے پتنی ، یہی تمھاری بیٹی
پاس وڈیروں كے مت چھوڑو ، بڑی اُداس رہیگی
सहज चली पुरवाई – फ़हमीदा रियाज़
सरसों के फूलों से, गेहूं की बाली से सजाया
धरती एक कुंवारी तुम ने, दूल्हन उसे बनाया
रस बरसाते बादल गुज़रे, सहज चली पुरवाई
तुम को छाती से लपटाते धरती कब शरमाई
हाथ तुम्हारे छुएं तो उसके अंग को रूप सहाए
इन हाथों से क्या घबराना, नहीं ये हाथ पराए
वो धरती जो सदा तुम्हारी सेवा करती जाए
सर पर हाथ धरोगे तुम, बैठी है आस लगाए
दिन डूबा, हल पास खड़ा है, देखो यह अन्याय
उस की कोख में बीज तुम्हारा, दूजा क्यों फल खाए
यही है माता, यही है पत्नी, यही तुम्हारी बेटी
पास बडेरों के मत छोड़ो, बड़ी उदास रहेगी
sahaj chali purvaaii – fahmida riaz
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meaning and discussion.An extremely beautiful and nuanced relationship between peasant and his land with the absentee land lord as rival/usurper.
sarsauN ke phoolauN se, gehuN ki baali se sajaaya
dharti ek kuNvaari tum ne, doolhan use banaaya
ras barsaate baadal guzre, sahaj1 chali purvaaii2
tum ko chhaati se lapTaate dharti kab sharmaaii1. cautiously, carefully, gently 2. western (rain bearing) winds
You have made her up with mustard flowers (beautiful yellow fields) and given her ear-rings of wheat. The earth was barren, you made her a bride. Western winds blew gently and dropped their juice (rain). Why are you bashful, she never hesitated in holding you to her bosom.
haath tumhaare chhueN to uske aNg ko roop sahaaey3
in haathauN se kya ghabraana, nahiN ye haath paraaey
vo dharti jo sadaa tumhaari seva karti jaaey
sar par haath dharoge tum, baiThi hai aas4 lagaaey3. help, nurture, increase 4. aasha, hope, longing
The touch of your hands enhances her beauty. Why would she be fearful of these hands, these hands are no stranger to her. The earth that always served you, she is waiting, longing for your caress.
din Dooba, hal paas khaRa hai, dekho yeh anyaaey5
us ki kokh6 meN beej tumhaara, dooja7 kyuN phal khaaey
yahi hai maata, yahi hai patni, yahi tumhaari beTi
paas vaDerauN8 ke mat chhoRo, baRi udaas rahegi5. injustice 6. womb 7. other 8. absentee landlord
The peasant has worked hard all day long and at sunset is resting by the plough. He has planted seeds in the furrows. How unjust! Your seed in her womb, why should someone else reap the harvest. She is your mother, wife and daughter. Don’t leave her with the landlord, she will be miserable.
sahaj chali purvaaii – fahmida riaz
Overall Comments
An extremely beautiful and nuanced relationship between peasant and his land with the absentee land lord as rival/usurper.
sarsauN ke phoolauN se, gehuN ki baali se sajaaya
dharti ek kuNvaari tum ne, doolhan use banaaya
ras barsaate baadal guzre, sahaj1 chali purvaaii2
tum ko chhaati se lapTaate dharti kab sharmaaii
1. cautiously, carefully, gently 2. western (rain bearing) winds
You have made her up with mustard flowers (beautiful yellow fields) and given her ear-rings of wheat. The earth was barren, you made her a bride. Western winds blew gently and dropped their juice (rain). Why are you bashful, she never hesitated in holding you to her bosom.
haath tumhaare chhueN to uske aNg ko roop sahaaey3
in haathauN se kya ghabraana, nahiN ye haath paraaey
vo dharti jo sadaa tumhaari seva karti jaaey
sar par haath dharoge tum, baiThi hai aas4 lagaaey
3. help, nurture, increase 4. aasha, hope, longing
The touch of your hands enhances her beauty. Why would she be fearful of these hands, these hands are no stranger to her. The earth that always served you, she is waiting, longing for your caress.
din Dooba, hal paas khaRa hai, dekho yeh anyaaey5
us ki kokh6 meN beej tumhaara, dooja7 kyuN phal khaaey
yahi hai maata, yahi hai patni, yahi tumhaari beTi
paas vaDerauN8 ke mat chhoRo, baRi udaas rahegi
5. injustice 6. womb 7. other 8. absentee landlord
The peasant has worked hard all day long and at sunset is resting by the plough. He has planted seeds in the furrows. How unjust! Your seed in her womb, why should someone else reap the harvest. She is your mother, wife and daughter. Don’t leave her with the landlord, she will be miserable.
