For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
شعر کہہ دو ۔ اننت ایّر فانیؔ
۱
ارے دنیا سنے گی شعر کہہ دو
بھلے ہو دنیا پہ ہی شعر کہہ دو
۲
میاں کرسی ہے چھوٹی چیز چھوڑو
حکومت تک ہلے گی شعر کہہ دو
۳
قوافی اور ردیف اچھے ملائے
چلو اب بحر میں بھی شعر کہہ دو
۴
محبت پر بھی کر لو شاعری پر
زمانہ پر بھی کوئی شعر کہہ دو
۵
سمے بھی ہے سماں بھی ٹھیک ہی ہے
غزل میں ہیں جو باقی شعر کہہ دو
۶
جب اس سے پوچھا تم کیا چاہتی ہو
کہی پَھٹ سے اُداسی شعر کہہ دو
۷
زبان و دل میں سب کے تم بسو گے
طریقہ یہ ہے فانیؔ شعر کہہ دو
शे’र कह दो – अनन्त अय्यर फ़ानी
१
अरे दुनिया सुनेगी शे’र कह दो
भले हो दुनिया पे ही शे’र कह दो
२
मियाँ कुर्सी है छोटी चीज़ छोढो
हुकूमत तक हिलेगी शे’र कह दो
३
क़वाफ़ी और रदीफ़ अच्छे मिलाए
चलो अब बहर में भी शे’र कह दो
४
मोहब्बत पर भी कर लो शा’एरी पर
ज़माने पर भी कोई शे’र कह दो
५
समय भी है समाँ भी ठीक ही है
ग़ज़ल में हैं जो बाक़ी शे’र कह दो
६
जब उस से पूछा तुम क्या चाहती हो
कही फट से उदासी शे’र कह दो
७
ज़बान-ओ-दिल में सब के तुम बसोगे
तरीक़ा ये है फ़ानी शे’र कह दो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ananth iyer faani (1989-living) dehli, beNgaluru. BSc, Applied Physics followed by MBA. He manages partnerships in a fintech company and is also a writer and precussionist in karnaaTak music. I don’t know how he got interested in urdu but I find the combination of youth, non-muslim background and urdu fascinating. He started composing around 2022, because while interest in urdu poetry was always in the background, the urge to express began bubbling up from the inside. He chose ‘faani-mortal’ as his taKhallus as a contrast with ‘ananth-without end, immortal’. I have linked this to other Ghazal of the refrain ‘to Ghazal hoti hai’ on the Refrain Index page, because it is similar.
1
arey duniya sunegi she’r kah do
bhale1 ho duniya pe hi she’r kah do 1.it is good enough
The world will listen, write/speak a she’r. Even if you don’t have anything else. it is good enough to say a she’r about the world.
2
miyaaN kursi1 hai chhoTi chiiz chhoRo
hukuumat2 tak hilegi she’r kah do 1.chair, seat of power, office 2.government
Why talk about just one powerful post, leave that aside. Even the whole government can be shaken up, say a she’r. This recognizes the long tradition of protest against power/injustice, using urdu shaa’eri.
3
qavaafi1 aur radiif2 achchhe milaa’e
chalo ab bahr3 meN bhi she’r kah do 1.plural of qaafiya-rhyming sound 2.refrain 3.meter
As an example, in this Ghazal she’r kah do is the refrain/radiif and the sound ii as in sunegi, hilegi and bhi is the qaafiya. Thus, you have matched the radiif and qaafiya very well, now say a she’r in meter.
4
mohabbat par bhi kar lo shaa’eri par
zamaane1 par bhi koi she’r kah do 1.the times, the world
Go ahead and compose shaa’eri about love, but do say she’r about the world i.e., about oppression, injustice, inequality, suffering, sorrow and the like. This is similar to the call given by the Progressive Writers’ Association.
5
samay1 bhi hai samaaN2 bhi Thiik hi hai
Ghazal meN haiN jo baaqi3 she’r kah do 1.time, occasion 2.atmosphere, ambience 3.remaining
The time/occasion is right, the ambience (reception of the audience) is good, go ahead and recite the remaining she’r (ash’aar) of the Ghazal.
6
jab us se puuchha tum kya chaahti ho
kahi phaT1 se udaasi2 she’r kah do 1.immediately, rapidly 2.sorrow
When I asked her, what do you want, Sorrow immediately replied – say a she’r i.e., reciting a she’r gives comfort.
7
zabaan-o-dil meN sab ke tum baso1 ge
tariiqa2 ye hai faani3 she’r kah do 1.make a home 2.way, method 3.pen-name of the poet
You will make a home in all hearts and all tongues with repeat your verse. The way to do this, O faani, is to say a she’r.
ananth iyer faani (1989-living) dehli, beNgaluru. BSc, Applied Physics followed by MBA. He manages partnerships in a fintech company and is also a writer and precussionist in karnaaTak music. I don’t know how he got interested in urdu but I find the combination of youth, non-muslim background and urdu fascinating. He started composing around 2022, because while interest in urdu poetry was always in the background, the urge to express began bubbling up from the inside. He chose ‘faani-mortal’ as his taKhallus as a contrast with ‘ananth-without end, immortal’. I have linked this to other Ghazal of the refrain ‘to Ghazal hoti hai’ on the Refrain Index page, because it is similar.
1
arey duniya sunegi she’r kah do
bhale1 ho duniya pe hi she’r kah do
1.it is good enough
The world will listen, write/speak a she’r. Even if you don’t have anything else. it is good enough to say a she’r about the world.
2
miyaaN kursi1 hai chhoTi chiiz chhoRo
hukuumat2 tak hilegi she’r kah do
1.chair, seat of power, office 2.government
Why talk about just one powerful post, leave that aside. Even the whole government can be shaken up, say a she’r. This recognizes the long tradition of protest against power/injustice, using urdu shaa’eri.
3
qavaafi1 aur radiif2 achchhe milaa’e
chalo ab bahr3 meN bhi she’r kah do
1.plural of qaafiya-rhyming sound 2.refrain 3.meter
As an example, in this Ghazal she’r kah do is the refrain/radiif and the sound ii as in sunegi, hilegi and bhi is the qaafiya. Thus, you have matched the radiif and qaafiya very well, now say a she’r in meter.
4
mohabbat par bhi kar lo shaa’eri par
zamaane1 par bhi koi she’r kah do
1.the times, the world
Go ahead and compose shaa’eri about love, but do say she’r about the world i.e., about oppression, injustice, inequality, suffering, sorrow and the like. This is similar to the call given by the Progressive Writers’ Association.
5
samay1 bhi hai samaaN2 bhi Thiik hi hai
Ghazal meN haiN jo baaqi3 she’r kah do
1.time, occasion 2.atmosphere, ambience 3.remaining
The time/occasion is right, the ambience (reception of the audience) is good, go ahead and recite the remaining she’r (ash’aar) of the Ghazal.
6
jab us se puuchha tum kya chaahti ho
kahi phaT1 se udaasi2 she’r kah do
1.immediately, rapidly 2.sorrow
When I asked her, what do you want, Sorrow immediately replied – say a she’r i.e., reciting a she’r gives comfort.
7
zabaan-o-dil meN sab ke tum baso1 ge
tariiqa2 ye hai faani3 she’r kah do
1.make a home 2.way, method 3.pen-name of the poet
You will make a home in all hearts and all tongues with repeat your verse. The way to do this, O faani, is to say a she’r.
