For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
شہر کی آبادی ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی
دیواروں کا جنگل جس کا آبادی ہے نام
باہر سے چپ چپ لگتا ہے اندر ہے کہرام
دیواروں کے اِس جنگل میں بھٹک رہے اِنسان
اپنے اپنے اُلجھے دامن جھٹک رہے اِنسان
اپنی بیتی چھوڑ کے آئے کون کسی کے کام
باہر سے چپ چپ لگتا ہے اندر ہے کہرام
سینے خالی، آنکھیں سونی، چہروں پر حیرانی
جتنے گھنے ہنگامے اِس میں اُتنی گھنی ویرانی
راتیں قاتل، صبحیں مجرم، ملزم ہے ہر شام
باہر سے چپ چپ لگتا ہے اندر ہے کہرام
حال نہ پوچھیں درد نہ بانٹیں اِس جنگل کے لوگ
اپنا اپنا دُکھ ہے سب کا، اپنا اپنا سوگ
کوئی نہیں جو ہاتھ بڑھا کے گِرتوں کو لے تھام
باہر سے چپ چپ لگتا ہے اندر ہے کہرام
بے بس کو دوشی ٹھہرائے اِس جنگل کا نیائے
سچ کی لاش پہ کوئی نہ روئے، جھوٹ کو سیس نوائے
پتھر کی اِن دیواروں میں پتّھر ہو گئے رام
باہر سے چپ چپ لگتا ہے اندر ہے کہرام
शहर की आबादी -साहिर लुधियानवी
दीवारौं का जंगल जिस का आबादी है नाम
बाहिर से चुप चुप लगता है, अंदर है कोहराम
दीवारौं के इस जंगल में भटक रहे इंसान
अपने अपने उलझे दामन झटक रहे इंसान
अपनी बीती छोड़ के आये कौन किसी के काम
बाहिर से चुप चुप लगता है, अंदर है कोहराम
सीने ख़ाली, आंखें सूनी, चेहरों पर हैरानी
जितने घने हंगामे इस में उतनी घनी वीरानी
रातें क़ातिल, सुबहें मुजरिम, मुल्ज़िम है हर शाम
बाहिर से चुप चुप लगता है, अंदर है कोहराम
हाल न पूछें दर्द न बांटें इस जंगल के लोग
अपना अपना दुख है सब का अपना अपना सोग
कोई नहीं जो हाथ बढ़ा के गिरतों को ले थाम
बाहिर से चुप चुप लगता है, अंदर है कोहराम
बे-बस को दोषी ठहराए इस जंगल का न्याय
सच की लाश पे कोई न रोये झूट को सीस नवाये
पत्थर की इन दीवारौं में पत्थर हो गए राम
बाहिर से चुप चुप लगता है, अंदर है कोहराम
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for word meanings and discussion. sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. This is a lament about the monotony and impersonal nature of urban life. ‘shahr’ – city/settlement is often used as a symbol of civilization … as humans moved from the jungle, from nomadic life to settlements and evolved culture and civilization. This is a bitter sarcastic comment on the status of culture/civilization.
deevaarauN ka jaNgal jis ka aabaadi1 hai naam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam2
deevaarauN ke is jangal meN bhaTak rahe insaan
apne apne uljhe3 daaman4 jhaTak5 rahe insaan1.habitation/civilization 2.lamentation, wailing 3.snagged, caught 4.hem (of the robe) 5.to snap, pull away
This jungle of walls that we call civilization, from the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. To have the hem of the robe/dress snagged in something means to be caught up in some problem and to snap/pull away the hem means to walk away from the problem. Thus, people wander in this jungle of walls trying not to get involved in any problems.
apni beeti1 chhoR ke aaye kaun kisi ke kaam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam2
seene Khaali, aaNkheN sooni, chehrauN par hairaani
jitne ghane haNgaame is meN utni ghani veeraani3 1.woe, difficulty 2.lamentation, wailing 3.desolation
Who can help anyone leaving aside/ignoring that which is happening to them. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. Their bosoms emptied of feelings, eyes darkened, worried looks – wherever there is a lot of hustle-bustle there also you find great desolation.
raateN qaatil1, subaheN mujrim2, mulzim3 hai har shaam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam4
haal na poochheN dard na baaNTeN is jaNgal ke log
apna apna dukh hai sub ka apna apna sog1 1.killer 2.criminal, thief 3.accused, suspected 4.lamentation, wailing 5.sorrow, worry
Night kills, dawn steals and evenings are suspicious. There is no respite. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. No one asks after anyone else’s well-being, no one shares sorrows in this jungle. Everyone has there own pain, their own worries.
koii nahiN jo haath baRhaa ke girtauN ko le thaam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam1
be-bas2 ko doshi3 Thahraaye is jaNgal ka nyaaye4
such ki laash5 pe koii na roye, jhooT ko sees-navaaye6 1.lamentation, wailing 2.helpless 3.guilty 4.justice 5.corpse 6.bow down/offer forehead in reverence
There is no one to lend a hand, reach out and catch those who stumble. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. The system of justice in this jungle blames the helpless victim. There is no one to mourn the death of Truth/Justice but they bow in reverence to Untruth/Injustice.
patthar ki in deevaarauN meN patthar1 ho gaye ram2
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam3 1.stone as a metaphor for cold, unfeeling, cruel 2.ram is used here as a metaphor for god/justice 3.lamentation, wailing
In these stone walls, Justice itself has become stone, cold, hard and cruel. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation.
sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. This is a lament about the monotony and impersonal nature of urban life. ‘shahr’ – city/settlement is often used as a symbol of civilization … as humans moved from the jungle, from nomadic life to settlements and evolved culture and civilization. This is a bitter sarcastic comment on the status of culture/civilzation.
deevaarauN ka jaNgal jis ka aabaadi1 hai naam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam2
deevaarauN ke is jangal meN bhaTak rahe insaan
apne apne uljhe3 daaman4 jhaTak5 rahe insaan
1.habitation/civilization 2.lamentation, wailing 3.snagged, caught 4.hem (of the robe) 5.to snap, pull away
This jungle of walls that we call civilization, from the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. To have the hem of the robe/dress snagged in something means to be caught up in some problem and to snap/pull away the hem means to walk away from the problem. Thus, people wander in this jungle of walls trying not to get involved in any problems.
apni beeti1 chhoR ke aaye kaun kisi ke kaam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam2
seene Khaali, aaNkheN sooni, chehrauN par hairaani
jitne ghane haNgaame is meN utni ghani veeraani3
1.woe, difficulty 2.lamentation, wailing 3.desolation
Who can help anyone leaving aside/ignoring that which is happening to them. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. Their bosoms emptied of feelings, eyes darkened, worried looks – wherever there is a lot of hustle-bustle there also you find great desolation.
raateN qaatil1, subaheN mujrim2, mulzim3 hai har shaam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam4
haal na poochheN dard na baaNTeN is jaNgal ke log
apna apna dukh hai sub ka apna apna sog1
1.killer 2.criminal, thief 3.accused, suspected 4.lamentation, wailing 5.sorrow, worry
Night kills, dawn steals and evenings are suspicious. There is no respite. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. No one asks after anyone else’s well-being, no one shares sorrows in this jungle. Everyone has there own pain, their own worries.
koii nahiN jo haath baRhaa ke girtauN ko le thaam
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam1
be-bas2 ko doshi3 Thahraaye is jaNgal ka nyaaye4
such ki laash5 pe koii na roye, jhooT ko sees-navaaye6
1.lamentation, wailing 2.helpless 3.guilty 4.justice 5.corpse 6.bow down/offer forehead in reverence
There is no one to lend a hand, reach out and catch those who stumble. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation. The system of justice in this jungle blames the helpless victim. There is no one to mourn the death of Truth/Justice but they bow in reverence to Untruth/Injustice.
patthar ki in deevaarauN meN patthar1 ho gaye ram2
baahir se chup chup lagta hai, andar hai kohraam3
1.stone as a metaphor for cold, unfeeling, cruel 2.ram is used here as a metaphor for god/justice 3.lamentation, wailing
In these stone walls, Justice itself has become stone, cold, hard and cruel. From the outside it looks peaceful and orderly, but inside is full of worry and lamentation.
