Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza haadi rusva (1858-1931). He was an accomplished poet but is better known as a novelist, writer and critic. Among his novels, ‘umrao jaan ada’, an entirely fictional character, became so popular that it is now commonly (but mistakenly) believed that this was a real person. He learnt faarsi, arabi, Greek and sankrit, astronomy and mathematics. He taught in a school and later as a professor in Christian College, lukhnau. He also worked in the Department of Translations, Osmania University, hyderabad under josh malihabadi. This Ghazal is composed in the style of Ghalib’s “Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi keh pinhaaN ho gaiiN” and is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
raahateN¹ tuul²-e araz³ ki sarf⁴-e darmaaN⁵ ho gaiiN
zindagi jin mushkiloN se thii vo aasaaN⁶ ho gaiiN   1.comfort, pleasure 2.length, elongation 3.appeal, request 4.spent, used 5.healing balm 6.easy, solve
The poet/lover seems to derive comfort/healing from long appeals. These appeals were useful because they healed his sick heart. The difficulties that life faced have now become easy to handle. He does not explicitly say who the appeals were made to. Conventionally, such appeals made to the beloved are met with disdain. But then rusva has been counter-conventional in other parts of this Ghazal too. In any case, the problems of his live were solved by these long appeals.
2
suurateN¹ ummiid² ki Khwaab-e-pareshaaN³ ho gaiiN
saamne aaNkhoN ke aaiiN aur pinhaaN⁴ ho gaiiN   1.ways, means, methods 2.hope 3.nightmares 4.hidden, disappear
The pathways of hope, the thoughts/presumptions that led to hope, have become like nightmares (because they have turned out to have no basis – perhaps it was self-deception). They appeared before the poet/lover’s eyes and then disappeared, leaving him hopeless.
3
un se kya lutf¹-e ta’alluq² un se kya vaabastagi³
Ghair⁴ ke maatam⁵ meN jo zulfeN⁶ pareshaaN⁷ ho gaiiN    1.pleasure, joy 2.relationship 3.association 4.rival 5.mourning, lamentation 6.hair 7.spread
The beloved’s hair are considered to be a beautiful feature to be associated with. The poet/lover wants to spend his life in the shadow of the beloved’s hair. Said Ghalib …
niind us kii hai dimaaGh us kaa hai raateN us ki haiN
terii zulfeN jis ke baazuu par pareshaaN ho gaiiN
‘zulf pareshaaN’ hona – to untie and spread hair out, can also be a sign of distress. Thus, here, the beloved seems to have loosened her in distress because she is lamenting the loss of the rival. The poet/lover does not like this one bit and unlike poetic convention, is willing to call it out. Of what use is my relationship and association with those hair that are spread out in lamenting for the the beloved. I don’t want to have anything to do with it – seems to be the attitude.
4
naaKhun-e vahshat¹ ne jo siine pe kiiN gulkaariyaaN²
fasl-e-gul³ meN ziinat⁴-e chaak⁵-e garebaaN⁶ ho gaiiN   1.frenzy, passion 2.etching/drawing flowers/patterns 4.flowering season, spring 4.adornment 5.tear 6.collar
There are several conventions here. The mad/passionate lover in a frenzy of passion beats his chest and cuts it up with his long nails, perhaps making designs. He also rents is collar in distress like majnuN. This is particularly true in spring, because that is when he misses the beloved most. The torn collar exposes his chest which has all these cuts which now become his adornment during spring.
5
saiNkRoN¹ raKhne² kiye paida dar³ o diivaar meN
shauq⁴ ki nazreN⁵ raqiib⁶-e chashm⁷-e darbaaN⁸ ho gaiiN   1.millions 2.cracks 3.door 4.desire, yearning 5.eyes 6.rival 7.eyes 8.watchman
There are walls around the beloved’s house and a watchman who shoos unwanted lovers away. But the eager passionat lover has been able to make millions of cracks in the doors and walls around the beloved’s house and can see through. Thus, his eyes have become a rival of the watchman’s watchful eyes which are supposed to guard against any peeking.
6
be-marammat¹ si jo qabreN² koocha³-e vahshat⁴ meN thiiN
vo bhi aaKhir⁵ sarf⁶-e istehkaam⁷-e zindaaN⁸ ho gaiiN    1.unrepaired, neglected, ruined 2.graves 3.street 4.frenzy 5.at last 6.used 7.reinforce 8.prison
The beloved’s street is the ‘street of frenzy – koocha-e vahshat’ where passionate/frenzied lovers throng. They die there and are buried in her street. The street is littered with ruined and neglected graves. Finally, these gravestones find some use. How ironic that they are used to reinforce prison walls. Although not clearly stated, it is implied that such prisons are used to confine other frenzied lovers.
7
khul gaye chiin-e-jabiiN¹ se un ki bad-Khuuii² ke bhed³
jin adaa’oN⁴ ko chhupaate the numaayaaN⁵ ho gaiiN   1.wrinkled/furrowed brow, annoyed look 2.bad nature 3.secrets 4.style, manner 5.revealed, exposed
It is implied that he is talking about the beloved. Her annoyed looks revealed the secret – her ill temper. The manners/habits that she used to hide became apparent.
8
dil meN ab kya rah gaya hai na-ummiidi¹ ke siva²
aarzu’eN³ Khoon ho kar nazr⁴-e mizshgaaN⁵ ho gaiiN    1.hopelessness 2.except for 3.desires 4.offering 5.eyelashes
There are several conventions rolled into the words here. ‘aarzu Khoon hona’ is an expression meaning desires were not just unfulfilled, but completely destroyed. But then the expression also relates to crying tears of blood. So, the aarzu is bleeding and has become a sacrificial offering to the eyelashes i.e., he is crying tears of blood. All this leaves nothing in his heart except hopelessness.
9
chand¹ baateN vo jo ham rindoN² meN thiiN zarb-ul-misl³
ab suna mirza⁴ keh vird⁵-e ahl-e-irfaaN⁶ ho gaiiN   1.a few 2.wine lovers, tavern patrons 3.common knowledge, everyday saying 4.pen-name of the poet 5.repetitive chant 6.people of mysticism, mystics, sufi
I hear, O mirza, that a few things that were common knowledge among us, patrons of the tavern, have now become the devotional chant of the mystics.