subh-e aazaadi-parallel-chaand taaroN ka ban-faiz-maKhdoom

صبح آزادی ۔ فیض احمد فیض

 

یہ داغ داغ اُجالا یہ شب گزیدہ سحر

وہ انتظار تھا جسکا یہ وہ سحر تو نہیں

یہ وہ سحر تو نہیں جسکی آرزو لیکر

چلے تھے یار   کہ  مل جایگی کہیں نہ کہیں

 

فلک کے دشت میں تاروں کی آخری منزل

کہیں تو ہوگا شبِ سست موُج کا ساحل

کہیں تو جا کے ملیگا سفینہِ دلِ غم

 

جواں لہو   کی   پُراسرار    شاہراہوں   سے

چلے جو یار تو دامن پہ کتنے ہاتھ پڑے

دیارِ حسن    کی    بیصبر    خوابگاہوں    سے

پُکارتی رہیں باہیں بدن بلاتے رہے

 

بہت عزیز تھی لیکن رخِ سحر کی لگن

بہت قریں تھا حسینانِ نور کا دامن

سبک سبک تھی تمنا دبی دبی تھی تھکن

 

سنا ہے ہو بھی چکا ہے فراقِ ظلمت و نور

سنا ہے ہو بھی چکا ہے وصالِ منزل و گام

بدل چکا ہے بہت اہلِ درد کا دستور

نشاطِ    وصل حلال    و   عذابِ    ہجر   حرام

 

جگر کی آگ، نظر کی اُمںگ، دل کی جلن

کسی پہ چارہؑ ہجراں کا کچھ اثر ہی نہیں

کہاں سے آی نگارِ صبا کدھر کو گئی

ابھی چراغ سر رہ کو کچھ خبر ہی نہیں

ابھی گرانیٰ شب میں کمی نہیں آٰئی

نجاتِ دیدہ و دل کی گھڑی نہیں آئی

چلے چلو کے وہ منزل ابھی نہیں آئی

सुबह ए आज़ादी – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़

 

ये दाग़ दाग़ उजाला ये शब गज़ेदा सहर
वो इन्तेज़ार था जिसका ये वो सहर तो नहीं
ये वो सहर तो नहीं जिस की आरज़ू लेकर

चले थे यार के मिल जाएगी कहीं न कहीं

 

फ़लक के दश्त में तारों की आख़िरी मंज़िल
कहीं तो होगा शब ए सुस्त मौज का साहिल

कहीं तो जाके मिलेगा सफ़ीना ए दिल ए ग़म

 

जवां लहू की पुर असरार शाहराहों में
चले जो यार तो दामन पे कितने हाथ पड़े
दयार ए हुस्न की बे सब्र ख्वाब्गाहों में

पुकारती रहीं बाहें बदन बुलाते रहे

 

बहुत अज़ीज़ थी लैकिन रुख़ ए सहर की लगन
बहुत करीं था हसीनान ए नूर का दामन

सुबुक सुबुक थी तमन्ना दबी दबी थी थकन

 

सुना है हो भी चुका है फिराक ए ज़ुल्मत ओ नूर
सुना है हो भी चुका है विसाल ए मंज़िल ओ गाम

बदल चुका है बहुत अहल ए दर्द का दस्तूर

निशात ए वस्ल हलाल ओ अज़ाब ए हिज्र हराम

 

जिगर की आग, नज़र की उमंग, दिल की जलन
किसी पे चारा ए हिज्राँ का कुछ असर ही नहीं
कहाँ से आई निगार ए सबा किधर को गई

अभी चिराग़ ए सर ए रह को कुछ खबर ही नहीं

अभी गिरानी ए शब् में कमी नहीं आई
नजात ए दीदा ओ दिल की घडी नहीं आई

चले चलो के वो मंज़िल अभी नहीं आई

subah e aazadi – faiz ahmed faiz

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.  faiz bemoans the power structure of independent Pakistan/India and the tragedies of partition. He was much criticized in Pakistan for his writing. Compare this with maKhdoom mohiuddin’s “chaand taaroN ka ban” for remarkable similarity of feelings and enjoy the rich variety of metaphors that each uses.

yeh daGh daGh1 ujala ye shab gazeda2 saher
vo intezar3 tha jiska ye vo saher to nahiN
ye vo saher to nahiN jis ki aarzu4 lekar
chale the yaar ke mil jayegi kahiN na kahiN
1.stained 2.torn by night 3. waiting, longing 4.yearning
This blemished light, this darkness-stained dawn, this is not the dawn we longed for. This is not the daybreak we yearned for, and which we comrades set out seeking. “Dawn” is a metaphor for independence/new social order and it is “shab gazeda” – torn by darkness, blotched, stained. Remarkably similar feelings have been expressed by jazbi, majaz, sahir, sardar jafri, kaifi azmi, mustafa zaidi, renowned poets on both sides of the border.

falak5 ke dasht6 meN taaroN ki aaKhri manzil
kahiN to hoga shab e sust mauj7 ka sahil
kahiN to jaake milega safina8 e dil e Gham 
5.sky 6.wilderness, expanse 7.slow moving night of darkness 8.boat
In the bleakness of the skies, that starry destination, surely there is somewhere, in the slow river of darkness, somewhere a harbour for this boat, this aching heart.

javaaN lahu ki pur asrar9 shaahraahoN10 meN
chale jo yar to daaman11 pe kitne hath paRe
dayaar-e husn12 ki be-sabr13 KhwaabgaahoN14 meN
pukaarti rahiN baaheN15 badan bulaate rahe  
9.mysterious 10.highways 11.apron, cloak 12.abode of beauty 13.impatient, eager 14.bed chamber 15.arms
On the mysterious highways of youthful zest, as comrades ventured out, so many hands/demands tugged at their cloaks. From havens of beauty, impatient desires called, seductive arms stretched out, beautiful bodies beckoned. “radiant beauties and seductive arms” are metaphors for temptations and the call of family and careers. maKhdoom too talks of “mastiaN Khatm madhoshiaN Khatm theeN, Khatm tha baNkpan” i.e.the comrades who set out gave up luxuries/distrations.“daman pe kitne haath paRe” is related to the expression “daman pakaRna” – catching the apron/cloak – used as a metaphor for holding back, or calling, or tempting someone to stay back.

bahut aziz16 thi laikin ruKh-e saher17 ki lagan
bahut qariN18 tha hasinan-e nur19 ka daaman11
subuk subuk20 thi tamanna21 dabi dabi thi thakan
16.dear 17.vision of dawn 18.near 19.glamorous beauties 20.subtle 21.desire
But the yearning for that dawn was much stronger, even though the allure of radiant beauties was at hand, our desire (for dawn) was strong and our fatigue was contained.

suna hai ho bhi chuka hai firaq22-e zulmat o noor23
suna hai ho bhi chuka hai visal24-e manzil o gaam25
badal chuka hai bahut ahl-e dard26 ka dastuur27
nishat-e vasl28 halal29 o azab-e hijr30 haraam31 
22.separation, clarification 23.darkness-light, wrong-right 24.union 25.pathway 26.fellow sufferers 27.behaviour 28.pleasure of union with the beloved.29. allowed 30.pain of separation 31.forbidden
They say that darkness and light have been clearly separated. They have declared the endeavour successful, goal achieved. The ways of comrades have much changed. Pleasure is permitted, anguish of separation forbidden. “firaq e zulmat o noor” is the separation/clarification of darkness and light (right and wrong, justice and injustice) and “visaal e manzil o gaam” is the confluence of the pathway and the goal i.e.the goal has been reached. They have declared that now luxuries (a release from the struggle) are allowed and the pain of struggle is disallowed (no longer necessary). faiz uses sarcasm to say, “it is heard that they have achieved their goal” followed by an emphatic and significant “BUT”, which is followed by a number of qualifications.

jigar ki aag32, nazar ki umang33, dil ki jalan34
kisi pe chara e hijraN35 ka kuch asar hi nahiN
kahaN se aaii nigaar-e saba36 kidhar ko gaii
abhi chiraGh-e sar-e rah37 ko kuch Khabar38 hi nahiN
abhi girani-e shab39 men kami nahiN aaii
najat40 e dida o dil41 ki ghaRi nahiN aaii
chale chalo ke vo manzil abhi nahiN aaii
32.fire in the liver (pain) 33.eye’s desire (goal) 34.burning heart pain 35.curative potions 36.beauty of the morning breeze 37.lamp at the head of the pathway i.e. the poet 38.awareness 39.heaviness/oppression of the night 40.deliverance 41.heart and soul
But the pain of the heart (seat of emotions) and liver (seat of life, in urdu poetic convention) has not been cured and the fulfilment of desire is nowhere in sight. Where did that breeze of morning come, where did it go, neither the lamp at the end of the street, nor I, do know. The lamp at the head of the street is the poet himself. See, for example, Majruh Sultanpuri
vo jis pe tumheN shama’ e sar e rah ka gumaN hai
vo sho’la e avara hamari hi zabaN hai
That which you suspect is the lamp at the head of the street
That itinerant flame is none other than my tongue
Thus, even Faiz does not know where the morning breeze (independence, new policies) came and went. The dread of the night still palls, weighs heavy. The time of deliverance is not at hand. Come, let’s be on our way… the goal is still far away. “chale chalo ke vo manzil abhi nahiN aaii” has echoes of maKhdoom saying “dosh par apni apni salebeN uThaaye chalo” – continue the struggle, this is not the real goal.

subah e aazadi – faiz ahmed faiz

faiz bemoans the power structure of independent Pakistan/India and the tragedies of partition. He was much criticized in Pakistan for his writing. Compare this with maKhdoom mohiuddin’s “chaand taaroN ka ban” for remarkable similarity of feelings and enjoy the rich variety of metaphors that each uses.

yeh daGh daGh1 ujala ye shab gazeda2 saher
vo intezar3 tha jiska ye vo saher to nahiN
ye vo saher to nahiN jis ki aarzu4 lekar
chale the yaar ke mil jayegi kahiN na kahiN

1.stained 2.torn by night 3. waiting, longing 4.yearning

This blemished light, this darkness-stained dawn, this is not the dawn we longed for.  This is not the daybreak we yearned for, and which we comrades set out seeking.  “Dawn” is a metaphor for independence/new social order and it is “shab gazeda” – torn by darkness, blotched, stained. Remarkably similar feelings have been expressed by jazbi, majaz, sahir, sardar jafri, kaifi azmi, mustafa zaidi, renowned poets on both sides of the border.

falak5 ke dasht6 meN taaroN ki aaKhri manzil
kahiN to hoga shab e sust mauj7 ka sahil
kahiN to jaake milega safina8 e dil e Gham

5.sky 6.wilderness, expanse 7.slow moving night of darkness 8.boat

In the bleakness of the skies, that starry destination, surely there is somewhere, in the slow river of darkness, somewhere a harbour for this boat, this aching heart.

javaaN lahu ki pur asrar9 shaahraahoN10 meN
chale jo yar to daaman11 pe kitne hath paRe
dayaar-e husn12 ki be-sabr13 KhwaabgaahoN14 meN
pukaarti rahiN baaheN15 badan bulaate rahe

9.mysterious 10.highways 11.apron, cloak 12.abode of beauty
13.impatient, eager 14.bed chamber 15.arms

On the mysterious highways of youthful zest, as comrades ventured out, so many hands/demands tugged at their cloaks.  From havens of beauty, impatient desires called, seductive arms stretched out, beautiful bodies beckoned.  “radiant beauties and seductive arms” are metaphors for temptations and the call of family and careers. maKhdoom too talks of “mastiaN Khatm madhoshiaN Khatm theeN, Khatm tha baNkpan” i.e.the comrades who set out gave up luxuries/distrations.“daman pe kitne haath paRe” is related to the expression “daman pakaRna” – catching the apron/cloak – used as a metaphor for holding back, or calling, or tempting someone to stay back.

bahut aziz16 thi laikin ruKh-e saher17 ki lagan
bahut qariN18 tha hasinan-e nur19 ka daaman11
subuk subuk20 thi tamanna21 dabi dabi thi thakan

16.dear 17.vision of dawn 18.near 19.glamorous beauties 20.subtle 21.desire

But the yearning for that dawn was much stronger, even though the allure of radiant beauties was at hand, our desire (for dawn) was strong and our fatigue was contained.

suna hai ho bhi chuka hai firaq22-e zulmat o noor23
suna hai ho bhi chuka hai visal24-e manzil o gaam25
badal chuka hai bahut ahl-e dard26 ka dastuur27
nishat-e vasl28 halal29 o azab-e hijr30 haraam31

22.separation, clarification 23.darkness-light, wrong-right 24.union
25.pathway  26.fellow sufferers 27.behaviour 28.pleasure of union with the beloved.29. allowed 30.pain of separation 31.forbidden

They say that darkness and light have been clearly separated.  They have declared the endeavour successful, goal achieved.  The ways of comrades have much changed.  Pleasure is permitted, anguish of separation forbidden.  “firaq e zulmat o noor” is the separation/clarification of darkness and light (right and wrong, justice and injustice) and “visaal e manzil o gaam” is the confluence of the pathway and the goal i.e.the goal has been reached. They have declared that now luxuries (a release from the struggle) are allowed and the pain of struggle is disallowed (no longer necessary).  faiz uses sarcasm to say, “it is heard that they have achieved their goal” followed by an emphatic and significant “BUT”, which is followed by a number of qualifications.

jigar ki aag32, nazar ki umang33, dil ki jalan34
kisi pe chara e hijraN35 ka kuch asar hi nahiN
kahaN se aaii nigaar-e saba36 kidhar ko gaii
abhi chiraGh-e sar-e rah37 ko kuch Khabar38 hi nahiN
abhi girani-e shab39 men kami nahiN aaii
najat40 e dida o dil41 ki ghaRi nahiN aaii
chale chalo ke vo manzil abhi nahiN aaii

32.fire in the liver (pain) 33.eye’s desire (goal) 34.burning heart pain 35.curative potions 36.beauty of the morning breeze 37.lamp at the head of the pathway i.e. the poet 38.awareness  39.heaviness/oppression of the night 40.deliverance 41.heart and soul

But the pain of the heart (seat of emotions) and liver (seat of life, in urdu poetic convention) has not been cured and the fulfilment of desire is nowhere in sight.   Where did that breeze of morning come, where did it go, neither the lamp at the end of the street, nor I, do know.  The lamp at the head of the street is the poet himself. See, for example, Majruh Sultanpuri

vo jis pe tumheN shama’ e sar e rah ka gumaN hai
vo sho’la e avara hamari hi zabaN hai

That which you suspect is the lamp at the head of the street
That itinerant flame is none other than my tongue

Thus, even Faiz does not know where the morning breeze (independence, new policies) came and went.  The dread of the night still palls, weighs heavy.  The time of deliverance is not at hand.  Come, let’s be on our way… the goal is still far away.  “chale chalo ke vo manzil abhi nahiN aaii”  has echoes of maKhdoom saying “dosh par apni apni salebeN uThaaye chalo” – continue the struggle, this is not the real goal.

Search Words:  faiz-maKhdoom pairs, social justice, communal harmony, continuous struggle