For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اگر یاد آیا ۔ پنّالال سریواستو نورؔ
۱
پھر وہ خوں گشتہ جگر یاد آیا
پھر مجھے دیدۂ تر یاد آیا
۲
پھر لگے ڈوبنے تارے دل میں
پھر کوئی رشکِ قمر یاد آیا
۳
بے خودی ساتھ اسیری میں رہی
در کھلا تھا نہ مگر یاد آیا
۴
یاد آئی تھی جگر تھام لیا
ناز اُٹھایا تھا اثر یاد آیا
۵
اِک رُخِ ناز نہ بھولا تھا ابھی
پھر بہ اندازِ دگر یاد آیا
۶
نورؔ سے تم نہ ملوگے مانا
کیا کروگے وہ اگر یاد آیا
अगर याद आया – पन्नालाल स्रीवास्तव नूर
१
फिर वो ख़ूं गश्ता जिगर याद आया
फिर मुझे दीदा-ए तर याद आया
२
फिर लगे डूबने तारे दिल में
फिर कोई रश्क-ए क़मर याद आया
३
बे-ख़ुदी साथ असीरी में रही
दर खुला था न मगर याद आया
४
याद आई थी जिगर थाम लिया
नाज़ उठाया था असर याद आया
५
एक रुख़-ए नाज़ न भूला था अभी
फिर ब-अंदाज़-ए दिगर याद आया
६
नूर से तुम न मिलोगे माना
क्या करोगे वो अगर याद आया
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! pannalal srivastav noor BA LLB, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. I pick it as representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after “saNg uThaaya tha keh sar yaad aaya”. The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
phir vo KhuN-gashta1 jigar2 yaad aaya
phir mujhe diida3-e tar4 yaad aaya 1.blood spewing 2.liver (seat of forbearance, fortitude) 3.eyes 4.wet, tearful
The poet/lover is in a state of despair because of the indifference of the beloved. He looks at himself again sees his bleeding heart (or liver – they are used interchangeably. Usually the heart is considered to be seat of emotions and liver the seat of fortitude/strength) and his tearful eyes.
2
phir lage Doobne1 taare dil meN
phir koii rashk2-e qamar3 yaad aaya 1.sinking 2.envy 3.full moon
The beloved, because of her beauty is the envy of the full moon. The poet/lover recalls her (looking at the moon) and his heart begins to sink. ‘taare Doobna’ is the setting of stars after a long night of waiting. With the dawning day, there is no chance of her coming. All hope is lost.
3
be-Khudi1 saath asiiri2 meN rahi
dar3 khula tha na magar4 yaad aaya 1.trance 2.imprisonment, caging 3.door 4.but
The imagery is that of a caged bird. In poetic tradition the bird loves the rose but the bird-catcher has it snagged and caged. Trance has accomplied the bird to its cage. In trance because of the intensity of its love and sense of loss, even though the door of the cage is open, it still does not notice it and does not fly away.
4
yaad aaii thi jigar thaam liya
naaz uThaaya tha asar yaad aaya 1.liver/heart 2.to hold 3.coquetry, whims 4.effect
The poet/lover recalls the beloved and holds his heart (to stem the pain). He had been the victim of her coquetry and followed her whims and still remembers the effect that it had on him.
5
ek ruKh1-e naaz2 na bhoola tha abhi
phir ba-andaaz3-e digar4 yaad aaya 1.face, aspect, facet 2.coquetry, mischief 3.in the style of 4.another
The beloved has several facets of her coquetry which she tries out. The poet/lover was reeling from the memory of one facet when recalls a different style.
6
noor1 se tum na miloge maana2
kaya karoge vo agar3 yaad aaya 1.pen-name of the poet 2.agree, accept 3.if
You (the beloved) say you will not see noor again, I accept. But what will you do if you remember him.
This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! pannalal srivastav noor BA LLB, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. I pick it as representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after “saNg uThaaya tha keh sar yaad aaya”. The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
phir vo KhuN-gashta1 jigar2 yaad aaya
phir mujhe diida3-e tar4 yaad aaya
1.blood spewing 2.liver (seat of forbearance, fortitude) 3.eyes 4.wet, tearful
The poet/lover is in a state of despair because of the indifference of the beloved. He looks at himself again sees his bleeding heart (or liver – they are used interchangeably. Usually the heart is considered to be seat of emotions and liver the seat of fortitude/strength) and his tearful eyes.
2
phir lage Doobne1 taare dil meN
phir koii rashk2-e qamar3 yaad aaya
1.sinking 2.envy 3.full moon
The beloved, because of her beauty is the envy of the full moon. The poet/lover recalls her (looking at the moon) and his heart begins to sink. ‘taare Doobna’ is the setting of stars after a long night of waiting. With the dawning day, there is no chance of her coming. All hope is lost.
3
be-Khudi1 saath asiiri2 meN rahi
dar3 khula tha na magar4 yaad aaya
1.trance 2.imprisonment, caging 3.door 4.but
The imagery is that of a caged bird. In poetic tradition the bird loves the rose but the bird-catcher has it snagged and caged. Trance has accomplied the bird to its cage. In trance because of the intensity of its love and sense of loss, even though the door of the cage is open, it still does not notice it and does not fly away.
4
yaad aaii thi jigar thaam liya
naaz uThaaya tha asar yaad aaya
1.liver/heart 2.to hold 3.coquetry, whims 4.effect
The poet/lover recalls the beloved and holds his heart (to stem the pain). He had been the victim of her coquetry and followed her whims and still remembers the effect that it had on him.
5
ek ruKh1-e naaz2 na bhoola tha abhi
phir ba-andaaz3-e digar4 yaad aaya
1.face, aspect, facet 2.coquetry, mischief 3.in the style of 4.another
The beloved has several facets of her coquetry which she tries out. The poet/lover was reeling from the memory of one facet when recalls a different style.
6
noor1 se tum na miloge maana2
kaya karoge vo agar3 yaad aaya
1.pen-name of the poet 2.agree, accept 3.if
You (the beloved) say you will not see noor again, I accept. But what will you do if you remember him.
