Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. manzar siddiqui akbarabadi (xxxx-xxxx). I don’t know much about the poet other than that he was the son of the celebrated poet seemab akbarabadi. I have seen several magazines of late 1920s and early 1930s – paimaana, surayya on which he was listed as the editor (together with saaGhar nizaami) and to which he contributed editorials, articles and Ghazal. This is a selection of ten ash’aar from a slightly longer Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi keh pinhaaN ho gaiiN’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam. A Ghazal by seemab akbarabadi in the same style is also linked to the same icon.
1
meri aaheN zeenat-e fitrat ka saamaaN ho gaiiN
dil se nikli aur taaroN ka garebaaN go gaiiN    1.embellishment, adornment 2.nature 3.means 4.collar, necklace
The poet/lover’s mournful sighs are particularly effective. They became a means of adornment of the beauty of nature. They rose towards heaven up the stars and become the ‘collar’ of stars. It could well be that ‘collar’ here signifies the torn collar of distress of the poet/lover now on display around the neck of the stars for the whole world to see. Or, the collar could stand in for necklace as an adornment of the stars. In either case it is the same effect.
2
ishq se kah do kare shikva¹ Khuda-e-husn² se
phir vo nazreN³ be-niyaaz⁴-e dard⁵-e pinhaaN⁶ ho gaiiN     1.complaint 2.god/creator of beauty/beloved 3.glances 4.unmindful, uncaring 5.pain, sorrow 6.hidden
Tell love (poet/lover) to complain to god, the creator of beauty/beloved. Her eyes have once again become uncaring of the hidden pain of the poet/lover. He glances are no longer directed towards him.
3
raNg laaiiN¹ is tarah² meri tasavvur³ koshiyaaN⁴
hote hote ek din tasviir-e-jaanaaN⁵ ho gaiiN   1.an expression meaning – have this effect, bring about this result 2.in this way, like this 3.imagination 4.attempts 5.picture of the beloved
My attempts at imagination finally brought about his result. Gradually one day a picture of the beloved emerged in my mind’s eye.
4
maiN to jab jaanuN mere virraana¹ ban jaaye chaman
vo bahaareN² kya to paaband³-e gulistaaN⁴ ho gaiiN    1.wilderness 2.spring 3.bound by, beholden to 4.gardens
I will be convinced only if my patch of wilderness turns into a garden. How can it be a genuine spring that is beholden (or favourable) to only some selected gardens.
5
tha iraada¹ hashr² meN bedaad³ ki faryaad⁴ ka
Khairyyat⁵ guzri⁶ keh vo nazreN⁷ pashemaaN⁸ ho gaiiN   1.plan, determination 2.day of judgement 3.cruelties 4.appeal 5.well, nice 6.happened, occurred 7.eyes 8.regret, remorse
The beloved has been cruel to the poet/lover all his life. His complaints in life went unheeded. It was his plan to appeal on judgement day when everyone is questioned and have to answer for their deeds. But it was good that her eyes showed remorse and he gave up on his plan.
6
chand¹ lamhe² zindagi ke mil sake parvaaz³ ko
aah⁴ vo aazaadiyaN jo sarf⁵-e zindaaN⁶ ho gaiiN    1.a few 2.moments 3.flight 4.alas 5.spent 6.prison, cage
The poet/lover depicted as a bird was caught and put in a cage. He got only a few moments of freedom to enjoy flight. This could mean that he got caught in love for the beloved, or that he was caught in this material world and could not set his spirit/soul free. Alas, most of my opportunites of freedom/flight were spent in the prison. Said faiz ahmed faiz …
ek fursat-e gunaah mili vo bhi chaar din
dekhe haiN hum ne hausle parvardigaar ke
7
paarsaaii¹ ka bharosa² le hi Dooba hashr³ meN
nekiyaaN⁴ kamzor⁵ thiiN itni keh isyaaN⁶ ho gaiiN    1.self-righteousness, pious 2.trust 3.day of judgement 4.good deeds 5.week 6.transgressions
Someone (the subject is not explicity stated, but it could well be the preacher) was pompously self-righteous in his life and depended on that to get rewarded on judgement day. This trust sank him, because what he thought were good deeds turned out to be unacceptable transgressions. Said seemaab akbarabadi, the poet’s father …

poochhta kya hai Ghalat-andeshi-e zahn-e nishaat

Khoobsoorat nekiyaaN jitni thiiN isyaaN ho gaiiN

Do not ask about the mistaken expectations of the deluded mind

That which I thought to be virtues turned out to be transgressions
8
ye teri kaafir¹ nigaahoN² ka taGhayyur³ al-amaaN⁴
she’r-saamaaN⁵ hote hote qahr-saamaaN⁶ ho gaiiN     1.mischief making 2.glances 3.change, reversal 4.god protect me 5.means of composing verse/Ghazal, celebration 6.calamity causing
god protect me from the frequent change/reversal in your mischief-making glances. One moment they are means of celebration and the next moment they bring down calamities on me.
9
shaam-e Gham mere taKhayyul¹ ki pareshaani² na poochh
maiN ne jitni kiiN do’aaeN sub pareshaaN³ ho gaiiN    1.imagination 2.worry, sorrow 3.scattered
This the evening before the night of separation and the poet/lover is sad and praying for a miracle to somehow achieve union with the beloved. Don’t ask about my worries during the evening of sorrow. All my prayers (instead of rising to the heavens) got scattered all around.
10
hum se manzar¹ jo nigaaheN² mil na sakti thiiN kabhi
aye zahe-qismat³ vo ab taskiiN⁴ ka saamaaN⁵ ho gaiiN   1.pen-name of the poet 2.eyes 3.good fortune 4.comfort, tranquility 5.means
Those eyes that he could never look directly into, ever – what good fortune O manzar that they have become a source of tranquility and peace. This is possibly because he has learnt to value the pain of love and made peace with i