Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed ahmed husain, amjad hyderabadi (1886/8?-1961) was a highly recognized poet on the local, if not the national stage. A good deal of his early urdu and faarsi Ghazal were lost in the flood of 1908. Later, he established himself as an exponent of ‘rubaaiyaat’, quatrain with sufiyaana and devotional flavour, writing with much sensitivity about the condition of the poor and deprived. Orphaned as an infant of 40 days, brought up by a young widowed mother, married at the young age of 15/16 years, saw his young wife, infant daughter of four and mother swept away in the flood. His daughter’s name was aazam-ul-nissa and it appears (shown in quotes) in a few places in the nazm. He writes about his mother and daughter and only a little about his wife. This is simply a deep cultural inhibition and should NOT be interpreted as a lack of sensitivity to that loss. Years later, when friends persuaded him to write about his experience, he called it “qayaamat-e soGhra” – “Minor Doomsday” – implying that it was second only to the conventional/religious concept of “Doomsday”, end of the world. Such was his anguish.

1
nahiN hai zaKhm koii baKhya ke darKhur mere tan meN
hua hai taar ashk-e yaas rishta-e chashm-e sozan meN
hui hai maana’-e zauq-e tamaasha Khaana veeraani
kaf-e sailaab baaqi hai ba-raNg-e pamba rauzan meN
sar kunam naala agar taab-e shuniidan daari
seena ba-shigaafam agar taaqat-e deedan daari The wounds of my soul too deep for stitching
Eyes melt into tears with the pain of yearning
The desolate heart forces me all joy to spurn
Foaming flood waters to this day in my eyes do burn
I will proceed with my gruesome tale, listen if you dare
I will tear open my bosom, if the sight you can bear
2
maiN morid-e hirmaan o giraftaar-e balaa huN
maaN baap se bichhRa hua bachchauN se juda huN
gah mahv-e fuGhaaN huN kabhi masruf-e buka huN
m’aaloom nahiN Khud mujhe maiN kaun huN kya huN
be-hosh kabhi huN kabhi ho jaata hai sakta
vo aalam-e hairat hai ke kuchh kah nahiN sakta Sorrow descends on me, calamities surround
Children taken away, father nor mother around
Now lost in wailing, yet again in lamenting
I don’t know who I am or what I am doing
Sometimes stunned, at other times I faint
Such a puzzle this, that a picture I cannot paint
3
afsaana kahuN kya dil-e be-taab o tavaaN ka
kya zikr karuN dard o Gham-e ranj-e nihaaN ka
hota nahiN kambaKht asar aah o fuGhaaN ka
hai kaun ke hamdard bane soKhta jaaN ka
kas vaaqif-e maa neest ke az deeda che-haa raft
sailab-e sarashk aamad o toofaan-e balaa raft    Relate the story of my sorrowful heart, I cannot
With hidden pain and sorrow, my heart is fraught
Wailing and sobbing brings no relief
There is none left, to share my grief
Who does not know what my eyes have seen
A flood of tears where the flood of calamities has been
4
jo hum ne sahaa hai, na sahaa hoga kisi ne
dekha hai jo hum ne vo dushman bhi na dekhe
kuchh aise diye charKh-e sitamgaar ne charke
yak laKht hue qalb o jigar ke kaii TukRe
laKhte burd az dil guzarad har ke zapeesham
man qaash farosh dil-e sad paara-e Khweesham None has suffered that which has befallen me
I do not wish this even on my enemy
Cruel Fate has spun and ground me under
In the blink of an eye, my heart torn assunder
I present a piece to everyone that passes
Offered before you are a thousand slices
5
rone ke siva kaam nahiN hai koii dam bhar
manzoor-e nazar ho nahiN sakta koii manzar
tareek hai duniya meri nazrauN meN saraasar
suraj ko samajhta huN maiN jugnu ke baraabar
dar zindagiyam roz mera noor namaanda-ast
vaz umr-e mera juz shab-e daijoor namaanda-ast    Every moment, with every breath have I wept
There is no happy scene that eyes accept
The world is totally dark before my eye
Even the sun is like the faint flash of a firefly
My days have been robbed of all their light
Nothing left in my life but the deep dark night
6
naakaamiyauN ne dil meN macha rakkha hai andher
chalti hai tamannaauN pe maayoosi ki shamsher
jeene se Khuda ki qasam ab ho gaya ji sair
phir aane meN kis vaaste karti hai ajal der
haaN aye malak-ul-maut az eeN band reha kun
rahmi ba man-e soKhta-e be-sar o paa kun   Loss has enveloped my heart in darkness
The sword of sorrow cuts through happiness
By god, I have had my fill of living
Why is Death so long in coming
O angel of Death come, cut the bonds of life
Have pity, my sorrowful heart, helpless in strife
7
aye vaah ri taqdeer maiN duniya meN jab aaya
chaaleesveN din hi na raha baap ka saaya
jo baaqi the darya ne kiya un ka safaaya
kambaKht ne ek dam meN azizauN se chhuRaaya
zaKhm-e dil-e sad-chaak ab hum kis ko dikhaayeN
afsaana-e shorida-sari kis ko sunaayeN   I came into this world with a fate of evil ways
Father’s nurturing love, I lost within forty days
Those that were left, taken by the flood
That same evil fate, took everyone I loved
Who can I show the wounds of my torn heart
Who will console me, as I pull my hair apart
8
vo raat ka sannaaTa vo ghangor ghaTaayeN
baarish ki lagataar jhaRi sard havaayeN
girna vo makaanauN ka vo cheeKhauN ki sadaayeN
vo maaNgna har ek ka ro ro ke duaaeN
paani ka vo zor aur vo darya ki ravaani
patthar ka kaleja ho jise dekh ke paani   That fearsome night, the gathering cloud
The constant rain, the chilling wind and thunder loud
The tumbling wall, the collapsing roof and fearsome shriek
The heartwrenching prayer, protection is all they seek
Those raging waters, such was the river’s sweep
Enough to melt a heart of stone, and make you weep
9
dam lene ki taaqat thi na sustaane ki taab aah
thi zindagi-e Khurd o kalaaN naqsh bar aab aah
karti thi alag sail-e ravaaN Khaana Kharaab aah
tote ki tarah aaNkheN badalte the habaab aah
jaaN lene ko har ek mutanaffis ke baRhi theeN
be-vajah nahiN tyoriyaaN maujauN pe chaRhi thee  
No time to relax, or even to breath for that matter
The life of all, big and small, a mere sketch on water
The fast flood destroyed homes along its way
Even bubbles in disdain turned their eyes away
They had come to take the lives of one and all
The waves weren’t angry for no reason at all
10
taareeki meN darya ne ek andher machaaya
sailaab-e fana ban ke kiya sub ka safaaya
paauN se guzarta hua phir seene tak aaya
aage jo baRha maut ne bas halq dabaaya
shab bhar rahe sub paani meN favvaare ki maanind
hote hi sahr Doob gaye taare ki maanind   The river played havoc in the dark of the night
Like Noah’s flood it swept all before its might
Up to the ankles and higher, the waters rose
Rising to the chest and yet again to cover the nose
All night long heads bobbed up and down
By dawn, like the fading stars, were they gone
11
maadar kahiN aur maiN kahiN ba-deeda-e pur nam
bibi kahiN aur beTi kahiN toRti thi dam
aalam meN nazar aata tha taareeki ka aalam
kyuN raat na ho Doob gaya nayyar-e aazam
sub saamne aaNkhauN ke nihaaN ho gaye pyaare
vo Gham tha ke din ko nazar aane lage taare    Leaving me teary eyed, mother gone from my grasp
Wife lost here and there my daughter’s last gasp
And on the world, the god of darkness frowned
Why not, even my brilliant ‘aazam’ was drowned
All the loved ones hidden from my sight
Sorrow enough for even the brave to take fright
12
beTi na tujhe baap ne afsos bachaaya
dast-e sitam-e sayl-e fana se na chhuRaaya
darya ne tere haal pe kuchh rahm na khaaya
kya bholi si soorat pe use rahm na aaya
ye jism tera phool sa deevaarauN se Takraaye
sailaab meN bah jaaye teri nanhi si jaaN haaye    Alas my child, this father could not save you
From the clutches of the flood, could not free you
No kindness in the river’s mighty flow
No pity on you, or your look of innocent glow
Your tender frame tossed about, covered with mud
That delicate body washed away in the cruel flood
13
furqat meN teri kya kahuN kya guzre hai mujh par
har vaqt hua jaata hai dil aap se baahir
hai aamad o shud saaNs ki chalta hua Khanjar
bharta nazar aata nahiN zaKhm-e dil-e muztar
tu azm-e safar kardi o Khasti jigar-e maa
basti kamar-e Khweesh o shikasti kamar-e maa    What your separation has done, how can I ink
My heart bursts through my bosom every time I think
The sharp cut of a dagger with every breath I feel
This wound so deep, my heart cannot heal
Determined on a journey of no-return, my heart to crack
You girded up to leave, and broke my back
14
Gham chuTkiyaaN le le ke na kyuN rooh ko taRpaaye
aati rahe kyuN dil se na har vaqt sadaa haaye
kyuN chashm-e jahaaN-biiN meN andhera sa na chhaa jaaye
jab noor-e nazar hi na ho kya Khaak nazar aaye
raushan mere kaashaana-e taareek ko kar ja
aye nayyar-e ‘aazam’! meri aaNkhauN meN utar ja    Why should Sorrow not my soul torment
Why should my bosom not heave a sigh every moment
Why should these eyes not, only darkness see
When the light of my eyes is gone, nothing can be
Come and light up the life you have darkened
O, brilliance of ‘aazam’ into my eyes descend
15
maana ke hai duniya-e dani manzil-e faani
do roz meN miT jaate haiN lazzaat-e jahaani
par aisi bhi kya jaldi thi jo jaane ki Thaani
dil hi meN rahi aarzu-e tasmiya Khwaani
baaqi theeN bahut si abhi ‘aazam’ teri rasmeN
taNg aa gayi duniya se tu kyuN chaar baras meN    The material world is a passing stage, I concede
Its pleasures last but a few days, indeed
But what was the hurry that you had to depart
The desire to see you blossom, smothered in my heart
Your initiation still to celebrate and festivities more
But you departed from this world at the tender age of four
16
vo booTa sa qad vo chamakte hue ruKhsaar
vo chaand is peshaani teri matla-ul-anvaar
vo abru-e Khamdar teri nanhi si talvaar
vo aaNkheN jinheN dekh ke dushman bhi kareN pyaar
teGh-e ajal ek aan meN taRpa gayii tujh ko
aye noor-e nazar kis ki nazar khaa gayii tujh ko    That lively little frame, those shining cheeks
That glow on your brow, the envious horizon seeks
Those arched eyebrows putting daggers to shame
Those starry eyes that enemies could tame
The sword of death cut you up alas
O light of my eyes, what an evil eye it was
17
vo chaand si soorat mujhe aye chaand dikha ja
kuchh meeThi si baateN lab-e naazuk se suna ja
baaqi nahiN ab sabr ki seene meN zara ja
chhaati se phir ek baar laga luN tujhe aa ja
rasta tera takte hue taNg aa gaiiN aaNkheN
aye noor-e nazar dekh, ke pathra gaiiN aaNkheN    Show me the face that glowed like the moon
Prattle with those sweet lips, come back soon
I cannot bear with patience, try with all my might
Come, let me hold you to my bosom close and tight
Longing to see you, their lustre gone
Light of my eyes, my eyes turned to stone
18
duniya ka tareeqa hai ke marta hai jab insaaN
ro-dho ke kiya karte haiN takfeen ka saamaaN
le jaate haiN sub mil ke su-e shahr-e KhamoshaaN
haathauN se tah-e Khaak use karte haiN pinhaaN
miTTi laga dete haiN anbaar-e giraaN ek
kahte haiN mue aadmi ka hai ye nishaaN ek    It is the way of the world, when a dear one departs
Cry and wail at the funeral, we console our hearts
We carry them on our shoulders, it is said that we must
Consign them to the earth, hide them in the dust
We make a mound of earth and carve a stone
We call it a memorial to come back and mourn
19
karta hai agar taNg bahut hi dil-e muztar
besaaKhta turbat se lipaT jaate haiN jaa kar
do phool chaRha dete haiN bekas ki lahad par
betaabi meN marqad se ragaRte haiN kabhi sar
filjumla haraarat to nikal jaati hai dil ki
go kuchh na ho hoti hai magar phir bhi tasalli    When the agitated heart cannot its sorrow hold
To the tomb they go and hug the stone that’s cold
Sprinkling a few petals, some flowers to offer
Rubbing their head on the tomb in vain as they suffer
In short, at least the fire in the heart is put out
Nothing comes of it, but some sorrow is let out
20
kis jaa se maiN ab Doobi hui na’ashauN ko laauN
beTi ka pata kya hai, kahaaN bibi ko paauN
duN kis ko kafan kis ka maiN taboot banaauN
hai qabr kahaaN phool kahaaN ja ke chaRhaauN
hai hai, hadaf-e ranj o mehan kar gaiiN ammaN
afsos ke be gor o kafan mar gaiiN ammaN    Where can I find those bodies that are drowned
Where can my daughter, or my wife be found
No use of a shroud, no casket, small or big
No offerings of flowers nor any grave to dig
Alas, mother you departed, leaving me to mourn
No funeral or memorial, just sorrow to be borne
21
aye musi-e firaun sifat! kuchh to karam kar
aye mauj zara dekh meri haalat-e muztar
haaN aye lab-e saahil na rakh ab mujh ko mukaddar
kah de ke kahaaN hai mera khoya hua gauhar
haaN aye sadaf-e saaf Khuda ke liye muNh khol
chup kyuN hai tu aye maahi-e sar barzada kuchh bol     O Pharaonic Musi, show some compassion
O raging waves, pity my desparate condition
Do not leave me to mourn, O river bank
Where is my precious pearl in your depths so dank
Speak for god’s sake, O shell, where my pearl might be
O haughty fish, open your mouth, surely you can see
22
Khaamosh tu kis vaaste aye barq-e tapaaN hai
aaKhir tere muNh meN bhi to aye r’ad zabaaN hai
aye mehr-e jahaaN taab mera chaand kahaaN hai
kis chaah meN vo yusuf-e gum gashta nihaaN hai
aye qaafila-e reg-ravaaN tu hi bataa de
kis ja hai meri maadar-e marhooma pata de    Why are you silent now, O lightning that flashed
You surely have a tongue, O thunder that cracked
O warm sun, where is the moon I called my own
Down which well, like Joseph is my beloved thrown
O travelers over desert sands can you not tell
Call back my deceased mother, with your caravan bell
23
jab anjuman-e aysh o tarab ho gaii barbaad
afsurda bhala kyuN na rahe Khaatir-e naashaad
tanhaaii meN aati hai azizauN ki agar yaad
besaaKhta karta hai dil-e Ghamzada faryaad
ashk aaNkhauN se jaari haiN kabhi lab pe fuGhaaN hai
marne ke liye marte haiN par maut kahaaN hai    The sudden destruction of my life’s harmony
My unhappy heart drowned in melancholy
Whenever alone, I remember those I loved so much
Lament wells up, my anguish is such
Sometimes my eyes weep, at other times I wail
I am ready for you, O Death, why do you fail
24
har vaqt bichhi rahti hai dil meN saf-e maatam
hota nahiN rona kabhi dam bhar ke liye kam
sab chal base baaqi na raha ek bhi hamdam
beTi ka ke, bibi ka ke maadar ka karuN Gham
aata nahiN ab aah samajh meN koii mazmuuN
hairaaN huN ke do aaNkhauN se kis kis ko maiN ro’uuN    The stage for mourning is always ready
Not a moment when Sorrow lets me be
I have lost everyone, no one left to care
Mourn for mother, wife or daughter, I despair
Perplexed, I don’t know which course is wise
So much mourning and I have but two eyes
25
jaNgal se sarokaar na ji lagta hai ghar meN
Gham shaam o sahar chuTkiyaaN leta hai jigar meN
phirti hai azizauN hi ki tasveer nazar meN
sau martaba yaad aati hai maaN aaTh pahar meN
saNg-e Gham-e maadar dil-e naazuk pe giraaN hai
ye zeest Khuda ki qasam ab kaahish-e jaaN hai   Neither in the wild nor at home, any peace
Grief gnaws at my heart, never does it cease
Pictures of my loved ones rise in the mind
A hundred times a day, my mother I try to find
Her loss sits heavily on my heart, for her I pine
Soul sapping, by god, this wretched life of mine
26
lillaah ye bigRi hui taqdeer bana lo
maiN Khaak pe girne ko huN lo jald sanbhaalo
amjad ko bhi ‘aazam’ ki tarah paas bula lo
ek baar zara phir mujhe chhaati se laga lo
dil meN mere ab sabr ki taaqat nahiN ammaN
duniya meN baGhair aap ke raahat nahiN ammaN For god’s sake, set this ill-fortune aright
In this wretched dirt I collapse, hold me tight
Call ‘amjad’ to you, as you took little ‘aazam’ along
Hold me to your bosom again, it has been too long
I do not have the fortitude to bear this, O mother
No joy in this world, without you there is no other

Doomsday Minor – amjad hyderabadi
Moosi Flood – 1908

1
The wounds of my soul too deep for stitching
Eyes melt into tears with the pain of yearning
The desolate heart forces me all joy to spurn
Foaming flood waters to this day in my eyes do burn
I will proceed with my gruesome tale, listen if you dare
I will tear open my bosom, if the sight you can bear
2
Sorrow descends on me, calamities surround
Children taken away, father nor mother around
Now lost in wailing, yet again in lamenting
I don’t know who I am or what I am doing
Sometimes stunned, at other times I faint
Such a puzzle this, that a picture I cannot paint.
3
Relate the story of my sorrowful heart, I cannot
With hidden pain and sorrow, my heart is fraught
Wailing and sobbing brings no relief
There is none left, to share my grief
Who does not know what my eyes have seen
A flood of tears where the flood of calamities has been
4
None has suffered that which has befallen me
I do not wish this even on my enemy
Cruel Fate has spun and ground me under
In the blink of an eye, my heart torn assunder
I present a piece to everyone that passes
Offered before you are a thousand slices
5
Every moment, with every breath have I wept
There is no happy scene that eyes accept
The world is totally dark before my eye
Even the sun is like the faint flash of a firefly
My days have been robbed of all their light
Nothing left in my life but the deep dark night
6
Loss has enveloped my heart in darkness
The sword of sorrow cuts through happiness
By god, I have had my fill of living
Why is Death so long in coming
O angel of Death come, cut the bonds of life
Have pity, my sorrowful heart, helpless in strife
7
I came into this world with a fate of evil ways
Father’s nurturing love, I lost within forty days
Those that were left, taken by the flood
That same evil fate, took everyone I loved
Who can I show the wounds of my torn heart
Who will console me, as I pull my hair apart
8
That fearsome night, the gathering cloud
The constant rain, the chilling wind and thunder loud
The tumbling wall, the collapsing roof and fearsome shriek
The heartwrenching prayer, protection is all they seek
Those raging waters, such was the river’s sweep
Enough to melt a heart of stone, and make you weep
9
No time to relax, or even to breath for that matter
The life of all, big and small, a mere sketch on water
The fast flood destroyed homes along its way
Even bubbles in disdain turned their eyes away
They had come to take the lives of one and all
The waves weren’t angry for no reason at all
10
The river played havoc in the dark of the night
Like Noah’s flood it swept all before its might
Up to the ankles and higher, the waters rose
Rising to the chest and yet again to cover the nose
All night long heads bobbed up and down
By dawn, like the fading stars, were they gone
11
Leaving me teary eyed, mother gone from my grasp
Wife lost here and there my daughter’s last gasp
And on the world, the god of darkness frowned
Why not, even my brilliant ‘aazam’ was drowned
All the loved ones hidden from my sight
Sorrow enough for even the brave to take fright
12
Alas my child, this father could not save you
From the clutches of the flood, could not free you
No kindness in the river’s mighty flow
No pity on you, or your look of innocent glow
Your tender frame tossed about, covered with mud
That delicate body washed away in the cruel flood
13
What your separation has done, how can I ink
My heart bursts through my bosom every time I think
The sharp cut of a dagger with every breath I feel
This wound so deep, my heart cannot heal
Determined on a journey of no-return, my heart to crack
You girded up to leave, and broke my back
14
Why should Sorrow not my soul torment
Why should my bosom not heave a sigh every moment
Why should these eyes not, only darkness see
When the light of my eyes is gone, nothing can be
Come and light up the life you have darkened
O, brilliance of ‘aazam’ into my eyes descend
15
The material world is a passing stage, I concede
Its pleasures last but a few days, indeed
But what was the hurry that you had to depart
The desire to see you blossom, smothered in my heart
Your initiation still to celebrate and festivities more
But you departed from this world at the tender age of four
16
That lively little frame, those shining cheeks
That glow on your brow, the envious horizon seeks
Those arched eyebrows putting daggers to shame
Those starry eyes that enemies could tame
The sword of death cut you up alas
O light of my eyes, what an evil eye it was
17
Show me the face that glowed like the moon
Prattle with those sweet lips, come back soon
I cannot bear with patience, try with all my might
Come, let me hold you to my bosom close and tight
Longing to see you, their lustre gone
Light of my eyes, my eyes turned to stone
18
It is the way of the world, when a dear one departs
Cry and wail at the funeral, we console our hearts
We carry them on our shoulders, it is said that we must
Consign them to the earth, hide them in the dust
We make a mound of earth and carve a stone
We call it a memorial to come back and mourn
19
When the agitated heart cannot its sorrow hold
To the tomb they go and hug the stone that’s cold
Sprinkling a few petals, some flowers to offer
Rubbing their head on the tomb in vain as they suffer
In short, at least the fire in the heart is put out
Nothing comes of it, but some sorrow is let out
20
Where can I find those bodies that are drowned
Where can my daughter, or my wife be found
No use of a shroud, no casket, small or big
No offerings of flowers nor any grave to dig
Alas, mother you departed, leaving me to mourn
No funeral or memorial, just sorrow to be borne
21
O Pharaonic Musi, show some compassion
O raging waves, pity my desparate condition
Do not leave me to mourn, O river bank
Where is my precious pearl in your depths so dank
Speak for god’s sake, O shell, where my pearl might be
O haughty fish, open your mouth, surely you can see
22
Why are you silent now, O lightning that flashed
You surely have a tongue, O thunder that cracked
O warm sun, where is the moon I called my own
Down which well, like Joseph is my beloved thrown
O travelers over desert sands can you not tell
Call back my deceased mother, with your caravan bell
23
The sudden destruction of my life’s harmony
My unhappy heart drowned in melancholy
Whenever alone, I remember those I loved so much
Lament wells up, my anguish is such
Sometimes my eyes weep, at other times I wail
I am ready for you, O Death, why do you fail
24
The stage for mourning is always ready
Not a moment when Sorrow lets me be
I have lost everyone, no one left to care
Mourn for mother, wife or daughter, I despair
Perplexed, I don’t know which course is wise
So much mourning and I have but two eyes
25
Neither in the wild nor at home, any peace
Grief gnaws at my heart, never does it cease
Pictures of my loved ones rise in the mind
A hundred times a day, my mother I try to find
Her loss sits heavily on my heart, for her I pine
Soul sapping, by god, this wretched life of mine
26
For god’s sake, set this ill-fortune aright
In this wretched dirt I collapse, hold me tight
Call ‘amjad’ to you, as you took little ‘aazam’ along
Hold me to your bosom again, it has been too long
I do not have the fortitude to bear this, O mother
No joy in this world, without you there is no other