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Recitation
یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو ۔ بالمکند عرش ملسیانی
۱
کبھی ہم میں تم میں بھی پیار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
نہ کسی کے دل میں غُبار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
۲
یہ چلی ہے کیسی ہوا کہ اب نہیں کِھلتے پھول ملاپ کے
کبھی دور فصل بہار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
۳
تھیں بہم نشاط کی محفلیں تھیں قدم میں لطف کی منزلیں
بڑا زندگی پہ نِکھار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
۴
تھی ہر ایک بات میں چاشنی حق و صِدق و لطف و خلوص کی
رہِ حق پہ چلنا شعار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
۵
ہوئے لڑ کے ہم سے اگر جُدا رکھی اور مُلک کی اِک بِنا
یہ تمہیں کا شوقِ فرار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
۶
ہوئی جنگ و حرب کی اِبتدا تو بتاؤ بس یہی اِک پتا
کوئی تم میں ننگِ وِقار تھا تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
याद हो के न याद हो – बालमुकंद अर्श मल्सियानी
१
कभी हम में तुम में भी प्यार था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
न किसी के दिल में ग़ुबार था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
२
ये चली है कैसी हवा के अब नहीं खिलते फूल मिलाप के
कभी दौर-ए-फ़स्ल-ए-बहार था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
३
थीं बहम नशात की महफ़िलें थीं क़दम में लुत्फ़ की मंज़िलें
बड़ा ज़िंदगी पे निखार था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
४
थी हर एक बात में चाशनी हक़-ओ-सिद्क़-ओ-लुत्फ़-ओ-ख़ुलूस की
रह-ए-हक़ पे चलना शिआ’र था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
५
हुए लड़ के हम से अगर जुदा रखी और मुल्क की एक बिना
ये तुम्हीं का शौक़-ए-फ़रार था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
६
हुई जंग-ओ-हर्ब की इब्तिदा तो बताओ बस यही एक पता
कोई तुम में नंग-ए-वक़ार था तुम्हें याद हो के न याद हो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. Here, the poet writes about the pain and loss of partition mixed with a hint of complaint/blame. He uses momin KhaaN momin’s classic Ghazal ‘tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho’ as a pattern.
1
kabhi hum meN tum meN bhi pyaar tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
na kisi ke dil meN Ghubaar1 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho 1.dust, fog, suspicion, distrust
There was a time when there was love between you and us, do you remember or not. There was no distrust in our hearts, do you remember or not.
2
ye chali hai kaisi hava ke ab nahiN khilte1 phuul milaap2 ke
kabhi daur3-e fasl4-e bahaar5 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho 1.blossom 2.friendship 3.times, age of 4.season of 5.spring
What is this (poisonous) wind that is blowing, flowers of friendship do not blossom. There were times when spring was in season, do you remember or not.
3
thiiN baham1 nashat2 ki mahfileN3 thiiN qadam4 meN lutf5 ki manzileN6
baRa zindagi pe nikhaar7 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho 1.mutual, together 2.comfort, enjoyment 3.gatherings 4.step 5.pleasure 6.destinations, goals 7.freshness, refreshing
There were gatherings of enjoyment together. Goals of pleasure were within reach. Life was refreshing, do you remember or not.
4
thi har ek baat meN chaashni1, haq2-o-sidq3-o-lutf4-o-Khuloos5 ki
rah-e-haq6 pe chalna she’aar7 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho 1.sweet syrup 2.truth 3.sincerity 4.elegance 5.friendship 6.pathway of honesty 7.habit, nature, tradition
There was sweetness in mutual dealings, sweetness of truth, sincerity, elegance and friendship. It was a tradition and a habit to walk the path of honesty, do you remember or not.
5
hue laR ke hum se agar juda1 rakhi aur2 mulk ki ek bina3
ye tumhiN ka shauq4-e faraar5 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho 1.separate 2.different, additional 3.basis, foundation 4.desire for 5.exiting
There can be a debate about whether there was a desire to exit/go a different way or whether this was forced. There is plenty of blame on all sides. I prefer to concentrate on the expression of pain mixed with love. Disagreeing with us, you laid the basis of a different country. This was your own desire to go a different way, do you remember or not.
6
hui jaNg-o-harab1 ki ibteda2 to bataao bas yahi ek pata3
koi tum meN naNg4-e vaqar5 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho 1.war and conflict 2.beginning 3.clue, indication 4.disgrace 5.honour
Give me at least this clue, when war and conflict started, was there anyone among you who acted to disgrace honour/tradition. Again, there is much blame to go around, but this is an invitation to self-examination.
baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. Here, the poet writes about the pain and loss of partition mixed with a hint of complaint/blame. He uses momin KhaaN momin’s classic Ghazal ‘tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho’ as a pattern.
1
kabhi hum meN tum meN bhi pyaar tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
na kisi ke dil meN Ghubaar1 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
1.dust, fog, suspicion, distrust
There was a time when there was love between you and us, do you remember or not. There was no distrust in our hearts, do you remember or not.
2
ye chali hai kaisi hava ke ab nahiN khilte1 phuul milaap2 ke
kabhi daur3-e fasl4-e bahaar5 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
1.blossom 2.friendship 3.times, age of 4.season of 5.spring
What is this (poisonous) wind that is blowing, flowers of friendship do not blossom. There were times when spring was in season, do you remember or not.
3
thiiN baham1 nashat2 ki mahfileN3 thiiN qadam4 meN lutf5 ki manzileN6
baRa zindagi pe nikhaar7 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
1.mutual, together 2.comfort, enjoyment 3.gatherings 4.step 5.pleasure 6.destinations, goals 7.freshness, refreshing
There were gatherings of enjoyment together. Goals of pleasure were within reach. Life was refreshing, do you remember or not.
4
thi har ek baat meN chaashni1, haq2-o-sidq3-o-lutf4-o-Khuloos5 ki
rah-e-haq6 pe chalna she’aar7 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
1.sweet syrup 2.truth 3.sincerity 4.elegance 5.friendship 6.pathway of honesty 7.habit, nature, tradition
There was sweetness in mutual dealings, sweetness of truth, sincerity, elegance and friendship. It was a tradition and a habit to walk the path of honesty, do you remember or not.
5
hue laR ke hum se agar juda1 rakhi aur2 mulk ki ek bina3
ye tumhiN ka shauq4-e faraar5 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
1.separate 2.different, additional 3.basis, foundation 4.desire for 5.exiting
There can be a debate about whether there was a desire to exit/go a different way or whether this was forced. There is plenty of blame on all sides. I prefer to concentrate on the expression of pain mixed with love. Disagreeing with us, you laid the basis of a different country. This was your own desire to go a different way, do you remember or not.
6
hui jaNg-o-harab1 ki ibteda2 to bataao bas yahi ek pata3
koi tum meN naNg4-e vaqar5 tha tumheN yaad ho ke na yaad ho
1.war and conflict 2.beginning 3.clue, indication 4.disgrace 5.honour
Give me at least this clue, when war and conflict started, was there anyone among you who acted to disgrace honour/tradition. Again, there is much blame to go around, but this is an invitation to self-examination.
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