Recitation
manna Dey sabita bannerji
جانے والے سپاہی سے پوچھو ۔ مخدوم محی الدین
جانے والے سپاہی سے پوچھو
وہ کہاں جا رہا ہے
کون دکھیا ہے جو گا رہی ہے
بھوکے بچوں کو بہلا رہی ہے
لاش جلنے کی بو آ رہی ہے
زندگی ہے کہ چلا رہی ہے
جانے والے سپاہی سے پوچھو
وہ کہاں جا رہا ہے
کتنے سہمے ہوئے ہیں نظارے
کیسا ڈر ڈر کے چلتے ہیں تارے
کیا جوانی کا خوں ہو رہا ہے
سرخ ہیں آنچلوں کے کنارے
جانے والے سپاہی سے پوچھو
وہ کہاں جا رہا ہے
گِر رہا ہے سیاہی کا ڈیرا
ہو رہا ہے مری جاں سویرا
او وطن چھوڑ کر جانے والے
کھل گیا انقلابی پھریرا
جانے والے سپاہی سے پوچھو
وہ کہاں جا رہا ہے
जाने वाले सिपाही से पूछो
जाने वाले सिपाही से पूछो
वो कहाँ जा रहा है
कौन दुखिया है जो गा रही है
भूके बच्चों को बहला रही है
लाश जलने की बू आ रही है
ज़िंदगी है के चिल्ला रही है
जाने वाले सिपाही से पूछो
वो कहाँ जा रहा है
कितने सहमे हुए हैं नज़ारे
कैसा डर डर के चलते हैं तारे
क्या जवानी का ख़ूं हो रहा है
सुर्ख़ हैं आँचलों के किनारे
जाने वाले सिपाही से पूछो
वो कहाँ जा रहा है
गिर रहा है सियाही का डेरा
हो रहा है मेरी जां सवेरा
ओ वतन छोड कर जाने वाले
खुल गया इनक़ेलाबी फरेरा
जाने वाले सिपाही से पूछो
वो कहाँ जा रहा है
jaane vaale sipahi se poochho – maKhdoom mohiuddin
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.This was written at a time when Hitler and Stalin still had a non-aggression treaty and the Communist Party of India opposed the participation of Indian soldiers in a foreign/imperialist war. The soldier does not know that he is going to certain death or he does not know the purpose of this (imperialist) war. While the background to the nazm is that particular war, the universal message opposing all wars is clear. The parallelism with faiz ahmed faiz’s “sipahi ka marsia” is beautiful.
jaane vaale sipahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
kaun dukhiya hai jo gaa rahi hai
bhooke bachchauN ko bahla rahi hai
laash jalne ki boo aa rahi hai
zindagi hai ke chilla rahi haiAsk the soldier as he departs, does he know where is he going? Who is that sad woman singing to console her hungry, starving children? There is a smell of a burning funeral bier in the air. Life itself is anguished and screaming.
jaane vaale sipaahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
kitne sahme1 hue haiN nazaare2
kaisa Dar Dar3 ke chalte haiN taare
kya javaani4 ka KhooN ho raha hai
surKh5 haiN aaNchaloN ke kinaare1.scared 2.scene 3.scared 4.youth 5.red
Ask the soldier as he departs, does he know where is he going? How petrifying the scenes around, how scared the stars seem as they twinkle, how youth is being slaughtered. All hemlines are red, wiping tears of blood.
jaane vaale sipaahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
gir raha hai siyahi ka Dera1
ho raha hai meri jaaN2 savera
o vatan3 chhoR kar jaane vaale
khul gaya inqelaabi4 pharera5
jaane vaale sipaahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai1.tent of darkness 2.my beloved 3.country 4.revolutionary 5.flag
Ask the soldier as he departs, does he know where he is going? The regime of darkness is about to fall. Dawn is at hand, dearest heart. The “new dawn” is a declaration of a communist order. As you leave home for wars on foreign shores, see how the banner of revolution unfolds here (at home). Ask the soldier as he bids farewell, does he know where he is going?
jaane vaale sipahi se poochho – maKhdoom mohiuddin
This was written at a time when Hitler and Stalin still had a non-aggression treaty and the Communist Party of India opposed the participation of Indian soldiers in a foreign/imperialist war. The soldier does not know that he is going to certain death or he does not know the purpose of this (imperialist) war. While the background to the nazm is that particular war, the universal message opposing all wars is clear. The parallelism with faiz ahmed faiz’s “sipahi ka marsia” is beautiful.
jaane vaale sipahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
kaun dukhiya hai jo gaa rahi hai
bhooke bachchauN ko bahla rahi hai
laash jalne ki boo aa rahi hai
zindagi hai ke chilla rahi hai
Ask the soldier as he departs, does he know where is he going?
Who is that sad woman singing to console her hungry, starving children? There is a smell of a burning funeral bier in the air. Life itself is anguished and screaming.
jaane vaale sipaahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
kitne sahme1 hue haiN nazaare2
kaisa Dar Dar3 ke chalte haiN taare
kya javaani4 ka KhooN ho raha hai
surKh5 haiN aaNchaloN ke kinaare
1.scared 2.scene 3.scared 4.youth 5.red
Ask the soldier as he departs, does he know where is he going?
How petrifying the scenes around, how scared the stars seem as they twinkle, how youth is being slaughtered. All hemlines are red, wiping tears of blood.
jaane vaale sipaahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
gir raha hai siyahi ka Dera1
ho raha hai meri jaaN2 savera
o vatan3 chhoR kar jaane vaale
khul gaya inqelaabi4 pharera5
jaane vaale sipaahi se poochho
vo kahaaN jaa raha hai
1.tent of darkness 2.my beloved 3.country 4.revolutionary 5.flag
Ask the soldier as he departs, does he know where he is going? The regime of darkness is about to fall. Dawn is at hand, dearest heart. The “new dawn” is a declaration of a communist order. As you leave home for wars on foreign shores, see how the banner of revolution unfolds here (at home). Ask the soldier as he bids farewell, does he know where he is going?
Search Words: faiz-maKhdoom pairs
