yaum-e mazdoor-neel ahmed

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

یومِ مزدور ۔ نیلؔ احمد

۱

دیوار پہ مزدور کی تصویر سجا کر

اخبار کے کونے میں خبر ایک لگا کر

کچھ کارڈ بھی مزدور کے ہاتھوں میں اٹھا کر

دو چار غریبوں کو بھی دھرتی پہ بٹھا کر

۲

ان میں سے کسی ایک کو اسٹیج پر لا کر

پھر اس کی کہانی سبھی لوگوں کو سنا کر

تقریر کرا کر تو کبھی تالی بجا کر

۳

مزدور کو مزدور کا عرفان دلا کر

اور اپنے تئیں کارِ مقدّس کو نبھا کر

۴

ہر سال یہ احسان جتاتے ہیں بڑے لوگ

مزدور کا پھر جشن مناتے ہیں بڑے لوگ

यौम-ए मज़्दूर – नील अहमद

दीवार पे मज़्दूर की तस्वीर सजा कर

अख़्बार के कोने में ख़बर एक लगा कर

कुछ कार्ड भी मज़्दूर के हाथों में उठा कर

दो-चार ग़रीबों को भी धरती पे बिठा कर

उन में से किसी एक को स्टेज पर ला कर

फिर उस की कहानी सभी लोगों को सुना कर

तक़्रीर करा कर तो कभी ताली बजा कर

मज़्दूर को मज़्दूर का इर्फ़ान दिला कर

और अपने तईं कार-ए-मुक़द्दस को निभा कर

हर साल ये एहसान जताते हैं बड़े लोग

मज़्दूर का फिर जश्न मनाते हैं बड़े लोग

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. neel ahmed (1988-living), pakistan. I do not know much more about this young woman except to say that it takes her realism and biting sarcasm to bring naïve optimism down to earth.
1
diivaar pe mazdoor ki tasviir sajaa kar
aKhbaar ke kone meN Khabar1 ek lagaa kar
kuchh card bhi mazdoor ke haathoN meN uThaa kar
do-chaar GhariiboN ko bhi dharti pe biThaa kar   
1.news, notice
They put up a picture of a worker on the wall, print a notice in a corner of the newspaper. They put a few placards in the hands of workers and get some poor people to come and sit on the ground.

2
un meN se kisi ek ko stage par laa kar
phir us ki kahaani sabhi logoN ko sunaa kar
taqriir1 karaa kar to kabhi taali bajaa kar    
1.speech
From among the workers they get one to come on the stage and tell his story to everyone and get him to make a speech and clap.

3
mazdoor ko mazdoor kaa irfaan1 dilaa kar
aur apne ta’iiN2 kaar-e-muqaddas3 ko nibhaa4 kar    
1.knowledge 2.towards, in the interest of 3.virtuous deed 4.fulfil, perform
They expound to the worker the value of labour and for their own satisfaction, fulfil their good deed of the day.

4
har saal ye ehsaan1 jataate2 haiN baRe log
mazdoor kaa phir jashn3 manaate haiN baRe log  
1.favour, obligation 2.assert 3.celebration
Every year, powerful people assert that they are doing favours to the worker and organize celebrations in honour of the worker.

neel ahmed (1988-living), pakistan.  I do not know much more about this young woman except to say that it takes her realism and biting sarcasm to bring naïve optimism down to earth.
1
diivaar pe mazdoor ki tasviir sajaa kar
aKhbaar ke kone meN Khabar1 ek lagaa kar
kuchh card bhi mazdoor ke haathoN meN uThaa kar
do-chaar GhariiboN ko bhi dharti pe biThaa kar

1.news, notice

They put up a picture of a worker on the wall, print a notice in a corner of the newspaper.  They put a few placards in the hands of workers and get some poor people to come and sit on the ground.
2
un meN se kisi ek ko stage par laa kar
phir us ki kahaani sabhi logoN ko sunaa kar
taqriir1 karaa kar to kabhi taali bajaa kar

1.speech

From among the workers they get one to come on the stage and tell his story to everyone and get him to make a speech and clap.
3
mazdoor ko mazdoor kaa irfaan1 dilaa kar
aur apne ta’iiN2 kaar-e-muqaddas3 ko nibhaa4 kar

1.knowledge 2.towards, in the interest of 3.virtuous deed 4.fulfil, perform

They expound to the worker the value of labour and for their own satisfaction, fulfil their good deed of the day.
4
har saal ye ehsaan1 jataate2 haiN baRe log
mazdoor kaa phir jashn3 manaate haiN baRe log

1.favour, obligation 2.assert 3.celebration

Every year, powerful people assert that they are doing favours to the worker and organize celebrations in honour of the worker.