zabaan ki maut-vaheed aKhtar

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

زبان  کی  موت  ۔  وحید  اختر

۱

ہزاروں  اصوات  نوحہ  خواں  ہیں  کہ  اک  زباں  پر  ہے  نزع  طاری

حروف  و  الفاظ  سر  بہ  زانو

خموش  ہے  اِک  جہانِ  معنی

کہ  اُس  کے  باسی

تلاشِ  گندم  میں  اپنے  شہروں  کی  فاقہ  کش  عافیت  کو  تج  کر

نئے  جہانوں  کے  اجنبی  راستوں  پہ  آنکھوں  میں  پیاس  لے  کر

بھٹک  رہے  ہیں

۲

نیان  کی  روشنی  میں  لِکّھی  نئی  زبانیں  چمک  رہی  ہیں

جلا  وطن  لفظ  اور  معانی  کو  شور  کرتی  وسیع  سڑکیں  نگل  رہی  ہیں

۳

خموش  ہے  اِک  جہانِ  معنی

کہ  اُس  کے  باسی

نئی  زبانوں  کے  شور  و  غل  سے  وطن  میں  بھی  اجنبی  ہوئے  ہیں

وہ  اپنے  شہرِ  زباں  میں  بھی  بے  زباں  ہوے  ہیں

جو  بات  کرتے  تھے،  اب  وہ  شہر  و  دیار  و  در  ہیں  ساکت

جو  محرمِ  مدعا  تھے  وہ  دشت  و  کوہ  و  صحرا  سدا  کے  گونگے  بنے  ہوئے  ہیں

جو  حرف  کی  آگ  سے  پگھلتے  تھے  وہ  شجر  اور  حجر  ہیں  ساکت

۴

پرانی  آبادیوں  کے  رستے  شکستہ  کھنڈروں  میں  کھو  گئے  ہیں

وہ  محل  و  ایوان  و  طاق  و  گنبد  جہاں  سے  اصوات  کا  سمندر  اُبل  رہا  تھا

اُجڑ  چکے  ہیں

۵

وہ  شاہراہیں  وہ  تنگ  گلیاں  وہ  سیڑھیاں  چوکھٹیں  دریچے

حرم  سرائیں،  غلام  گردش،  وسیع  دالان،  ہنستے  آنگن

گھروں  کے  کونے  لبوں  کے  گوشے

جو  لفظ  کو  دے  رہے  تھے  معنی

جو  صوت  کو  دے  رہے  تھے  نغمہ

خموش  ویرانیوں  کے  مرقد  میں  اپنی  دنیا  کو  دفن  کر  کے

سکوت  کی  چشمِ  حسرت  آگیں  سے  اپنی  میّت  پہ  رو  رہے  ہیں

۶

ہزاروں  اصوات  نوحہ  خواں  ہیں  کہ  اُن  کا  پُرساں  نہیں  ہے  کوئی

ہزاروں  الفاظ  کھوکھلے  ہیں  کہ  اُن  کے  معنی  تلاشِ  نانِ  جویں  میں

اپنا  لباس  بدلے  بھٹک  رہے  ہیں

۷

زبان  سے  ہے  شکم  کا  رشتہ

ہیں  لفظ  کشکولِ  نان  و  گندم

نئی  زبانوں  کے  لفظ  جہدِ  معاش  میں  بے  زبان  لفظوں  کو  روندتے  ہیں

نئی  زبانوں  کی  سلطنت  میں  کسے  پڑی  ہے

جو  اپنے  لفظوں  کو  چھوڑ  کر  دوسروں  کے  لفظوں  کو  دے  معانی

کسے  پڑی  ہے  جو  فاقہ  کش  اور  برہنہ  معنی  کو  لفظ  کے  پیرہن  سے  ڈھانپے

ہمارے  الفاظ  مر  رہے  ہیں،  ہم  اپنی  سانسوں  کو  گِن  رہے  ہیں

۸

ہمارے  بعد  آنے  والی  نسلیں

ہمارے  الفاظ  اور  معانی  کی  قبر  کو  دیکھ  کر

اک  نئی  زباں  کے  انوکھے  لفظوں  میں

یہ  کہیں  گے

کہ  آج  سے  چند  سال  پہلے  یہ  لفظ  و  معنی  بھی  بولتے  تھے

صلیبِ  جمہوریت  پہ  لفظوں  کو  موت  آئی

کہیں  کتابوں  کے  مقبروں  میں  ابھی  تلک  بے  صدا  معانی

سِسک  رہے  ہیں

ज़बान कि मौत – वहीद अख़्तर

हज़ारौं अस्वात नौहा-ख़्वां हैं, के एक ज़बां पर है नज़’अ तारी

हुरूफ़ ओ अल्फ़ाज़ सर-ब-ज़ानू

ख़मोश है एक जहान-ए मुआनी

के उस के बासी

तलाश-ए गन्दुम में अपने शहरौं कि फ़ाक़ा-कश आफ़ियत को तज कर

नये जहानौं के अज्नबी रास्तौं पे आंखौं कि प्यास ले कर

भटक रहे हैं

नियॉन की रौशनी में लिक्खी नई ज़बानें चमक रही हैं

जिला-वतन लफ़्ज़ और मुआनी को शोर करती वस’ई सढकें निगल रही हैं

ख़मोश है एक जहान-ए मु’आनी

के उस के बासी

नई ज़बानौं के शोर ओ ग़ुल से वतन में भी अजनबी हुए हैं

वो अपने शहर-ए ज़बां में भी बेज़बां हुए हैं

जो बात करते थे, अब वो शहर ओ दयार ओ दर हैं साकित

जो महरम-ए मूद्दो’आ थे वो दश्त ओ कोह ओ सहरा सदा के गूंगे बने हुए हैं

जो हर्फ़ की आग से पिघलते थे वो शजर और हजर हैं साकित

पुरानी आबादियौं के रस्ते शिकस्ता ख़ड्रौं में खो गए हैं

वो महल ओ ऐवान ओ ताक़ ओ गुम्बद जहां से अस्वात का समंदर उबल रहा था

उजढ चुके हैं

वो शाहराहें वो तंग गलियां वो सीढ़ियां चोखटें दरीचे

हरम सराएं, ग़ुलाम गर्दिश, वस’ई दालान, हंसते आंगन

घरौं के कोने लबौं के गोशे

जो लफ़्ज़ को दे रहे थे मुआनी

जो सौत को दे रहे थे नग़्मा

ख़मोश वीरानौं में अपनी दुनिया को दफ़्न कर के

सुकूत की चश्म-ए हस्रत-आगीं से अपनी मय्यत पे रो रहे हैं

हज़ारौं अस्वात नौहा-ख़्वां हैं, के उन का पुर्सां नहीं है कोई

हज़ारौं अल्फ़ाज़ खोख्ले हैं, के उन के मुआनी तलाश-ए नान-ए जुईं में

अपना लिबास बदले भटक रहे हैं

ज़बान से है शिकम का रिश्ता

हैं लफ़्ज़ कश्कोल-ए नान ओ गंदुम

नई ज़बानौं के लफ़्ज़ जहद-ए म’आश में बेज़बान लफ़्ज़ौं को रौंदते हैं

नई ज़बानौं कि सल्तनत में किसे पढी है

जो अपने लफ़्ज़ौं को छोढ कर दूसरौं के लफ़्ज़ौं को दे मुआनी

किसे पढी जो फ़ाक़ा-कश और बरहना मुआनी को पैरहन से ड़ांपे

हमारे अल्फ़ाज़ मर रहे हैं, हम अपनी सांसौं को गिन रहे हैं

हमारे बाद आने वाली नस्लें

हमारे अल्फ़ाज़ और मुआनी कि क़ब्र को देख कर

एक नई ज़बां के अनोखे लफ़्ज़ौं में ये कहेंगे

के आज से चंद साल पहले, ये लफ़्ज़ ओ मुआनी भी बोलते थे

सलीब-ए जम्हूरियत पे लफ़्ज़ौं को मौत आई

कहीं किताबौं के मक़्बरौं में अभी तलक बेसदा मुआनी

सिसक रहे हैं

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. vaheed aKhter (1935-1996), hyderabad, poet, writer and critic. He did his PhD in philosophy from osmania university and later taught at aligaRh. His compositions are very thoughtful and thought provoking. His ‘free verse’ nazm are extremely musical. Several examples of it are posted on this site. This nazm is about the death of urdu, although urdu is not mentioned by name. It is linked to other nazm and Ghazal of the same theme to the icon on the Theme page.
1
hazaaroN asvaat1 nauha-KhwaaN2 haiN, keh ek zabaaN par hai naz’a3 taari4
huroof5 o alfaaz6 sar-ba-zaanu7
Khamosh hai ek jahaan-e-mu’aani8
keh us ke baasi9
talaash-e-gandum10 meN apne shahroN ki faaqa-kash11 aafiyyat12 ko taj13 kar
naye jahaanoN14 ke ajnabi15 raastoN pe aaNkhoN ki pyaas le kar
bhaTak rahe haiN  
1.sounds 2.singing dirges, mournful singing 3.last breath, impending death 4.overcome 5.alphabet 6.words 7.head on knee, dejected 8.world of meaning 9.inhabitants, residents 10.in search of wheat/bread 11.starvation inducing 12.welfare, security 13.quitting, giving up 14.worlds 15.unfamiliar
Thousands of sounds sing mournful dirges, that a language is overcome by impeding death. Words and letters are dejected. The world of meaning is silent; its people having left in search of a livelihood, renouncing the life starvation inducing familiarity; wander through unfamiliar streets of distant lands, their thirsty eyes taking in the new surroundings.

2
neon ki raushni1 meN likkhi naii zabaaneN chamak rahi haiN
jila-vatan2 lafz3 aur muaani4 ko shor5 karti vas’ee6 saRkeN nigal7 rahi haiN   
1.lights 2.exiled 3.words 4.meanings 5.noise 6.expansive, wide 7.swallow
In the sparkle of neon lights, new languages shine. The loud noise (distractions) of expansive roads (and cities) swallow the exiled words and meanings of their native tongues.

3
Khamosh hai ek jahaan-e-mu’aani1
keh us ke baasi2
naii zabaanoN ke shor-o-Ghul3 se vatan4 meN bhi ajnabi5 hue haiN
vo apne shahr-e zabaaN meN bhi be-zabaaN hue haiN
jo baat karte the, ab vo shahr o dayaar6 o dar7 haiN saakit8
jo mahram-e-muddua9 the vo dasht10 o koh11 o sahra12 sadaa13 ke gooNge14 bane hue haiN
jo harf15 ki aag meN pighalte16 the vo shajar17 aur hajar18 haiN saakit   
1.world of meaning 2.inhabitants 3.noise and tumult 4.homeland 5.strangers 6.homes 7.door 8.still, silent 9.familiar with intentions/desires 10.wilderness 11.hills 12.desert 13.always 14.mute, silent 15.word 16.melt 17.trees 18.rocks
The world of meaning is silent; its residents, in the tumultous noise of new languages have become strangers in their homeland. The communities, the homes, the doors that used to talk have fallen silent. The wilderness, hills, desert that were familiar with you have become mute. The trees and hurdles that used to melt away before fiery words now stand still in the way i.e., words have lost their fire.

4
puraani aabaadiyoN1 ke raste, shikasta2 khanDroN3 meN kho gaye haiN
vo mahl o aivaan4 o taaq5 o gunbad6 jahaaN se asvaat7 ka samandar ubal8 raha tha
ujaR9 chuke haiN   
1.settlements 2.broken 3.ruins 4.halls 5.archways 6.domes 7.sounds 8.boil 9.ruined
The byways and streets of ancient settlements are lost in ruinous destruction. The palaces, the halls, the archways and domes from where an ocean of sounds would boil, are now ruined.

5
vo shaahraaheN1 vo taNg2 galiyaaN vo siiRhiyaaN3 chaukhaTeN4 dariiche5
haram-saraa’eN6, Ghulaam-gardish7, vas’ii8 daalaan9, haNste aaNgan
gharoN ke kone, laboN10 ke goshe11
jo lafz12 ko de rahe the muaani13
jo saut14 ko de rahe the naGhma15
Khamosh viiraanoN16 meN apni duniya ko dafn17 kar ke
sukoot18 ki chashm19-e hasrat-aagiiN20 se apni mayyat21 pe ro rahe haiN   
1.highways 2.narrow 3.stairs 4.threshold 5.windows 6.women’s quarters 7.verandahs surrounding the house (used in early times for slave/guards to march periodically) 8.vast 9.halls 10.lips 11.corners 12.word 13.meaning 14.sound 15.song, harmony 16.desolation 17.bury 18.silence, stillness 19.eye 20.full of longing 21.corpse, funeral
Those highways, narrow streets, the steep stairs, doors and windows; the women’s quarters and guardian verandahs; nooks and crannies of the house, the corners of mouth, that used to give meaning to words, harmony to sound, having buried their world in desolate stillness; with silent longing looks weep at their own funeral.

6
hazaaroN asvaat1 nauha-KhwaaN2 haiN, keh un ka pursaaN3 nahiN hai koii
hazaaroN alfaaz4 khokhle5 haiN, keh un ke muaani6 talaash7-e naan-e-juiiN8 meN
apne libaas9 badle, bhaTak10 rahe haiN    
1.sounds, voices 2.dirge singing, lamenting 3.asking for, caring 4.words 5.hollow 6.meaning 7.search 8.jawar bread, sustenance 9.clothing 10.wandering
Thousands of sounds lament that there is no one who cares; thousands of words sound hollow; their meaning gone in search of sustenance; in new clothing, wandering in distant streets.

7
zabaan se hai shikam1 ka rishta2
haiN lafz3 kashkol4-e naan5 o gandum6
naii zabaanoN ke lafz3 jahd7-e m’aash8 meN be-zabaan lafzoN ko raundte9 haiN
naii zabaanoN ki saltanat10 meN kise paRi hai
jo apne lafzoN ko chhoR kar doosroN ke lafzoN ko de muaani
kise paRi hai jo faaqa-kash11 aur barhana12 muaani ko pairahan13 se DhaaNpe
hamaare alfaaz14 mar rahe haiN, ham apni saaNsoN ko gin rahe haiN    
1.stomach 2.relationship 3.words 4.begging bowl 5.bread 6.wheat 7.struggle 8.livelihood 9.trample 10.domain, regime 11.starving 12.naked 13.clothing 14.words
Language depends on the stomach; words go begging bowl in hand asking for sustenance. In the struggle for livelihood, words of new languages trample upon helpless, unspoken words. Who in the regime of new languages cares enough to go beyond their own words and give meaning to others. Whoever cares to step forward and feed and clothe starving and naked words. Our words are dying, we are counting our last breaths.

8
hamaare baad aane vaali nasleN1
hamaare alfaaz2 aur muaani3 ki qabr4 ko dekh kar
ek naii zabaaN ke anokhe5 lafzoN6 meN ye kaheNge
keh aaj se chand7 saal pahle, ye lafz6 o muaani3 bhi bolte the
saleeb-e-jamhooriyat8 pe lafzoN6 ko maut9 aaii
kahiN kitaaboN ke maqbaroN10 meN abhi talak be-sadaa11 muaani3
sisak12 rahe haiN   
1.generations 2.words 3.meanings 4.graves 5.unfamiliar 6.words 7.a few 8.cross of freedom – symbolic cross of western cultures 9.death 10.tombs 11.voiceless, helpless 12.sobbing
Generations after us, visiting the tombs of our words and meanings, in unfamiliar accents of a new language, will say – a few years ago, these words and meanings used to speak; bearing the cross of western cultures, they came to their death. Somewhere in the tombs of books, to this day, these helpless meanings are still sobbing.

vaheed aKhter (1935-1996), hyderabad, poet, writer and critic.  He did his PhD in philosophy from osmania university and later taught at aligaRh.  His compositions are very thoughtful and thought provoking.  His ‘free verse’ nazm are extremely musical.  Several examples of it are posted on this site.  This nazm is about the death of urdu, although urdu is not mentioned by name.  It is linked to other nazm and Ghazal of the same theme to the icon on the Theme page.
1
hazaaroN asvaat1 nauha-KhwaaN2 haiN, keh ek zabaaN par hai naz’a3 taari4
huroof5 o alfaaz6 sar-ba-zaanu7
Khamosh hai ek jahaan-e-mu’aani8
keh us ke baasi9
talaash-e-gandum10 meN apne shahroN ki faaqa-kash11 aafiyyat12 ko taj13 kar
naye jahaanoN14 ke ajnabi15 raastoN pe aaNkhoN ki pyaas le kar
bhaTak rahe haiN

1.sounds 2.singing dirges, mournful singing 3.last breath, impending death 4.overcome 5.alphabet 6.words 7.head on knee, dejected 8.world of meaning 9.inhabitants, residents 10.in search of wheat/bread 11.starvation inducing 12.welfare, security 13.quitting, giving up 14.worlds 15.unfamiliar

Thousands of sounds sing mournful dirges, that a language is overcome by impeding death.  Words and letters are dejected.  The world of meaning is silent; its people having left in search of a livelihood, renouncing the life starvation inducing familiarity; wander through unfamiliar streets of distant lands, their thirsty eyes taking in the new surroundings.
2
neon ki raushni1 meN likkhi naii zabaaneN chamak rahi haiN
jila-vatan2 lafz3 aur muaani4 ko shor5 karti vas’ee6 saRkeN nigal7 rahi haiN

1.lights 2.exiled 3.words 4.meanings 5.noise 6.expansive, wide 7.swallow

In the sparkle of neon lights, new languages shine.  The loud noise (distractions) of expansive roads (and cities) swallow the exiled words and meanings of their native tongues.
3
Khamosh hai ek jahaan-e-mu’aani1
keh us ke baasi2
naii zabaanoN ke shor-o-Ghul3 se vatan4 meN bhi ajnabi5 hue haiN
vo apne shahr-e zabaaN meN bhi be-zabaaN hue haiN
jo baat karte the, ab vo shahr o dayaar6 o dar7 haiN saakit8
jo mahram-e-muddua9 the vo dasht10 o koh11 o sahra12 sadaa13 ke gooNge14 bane hue haiN
jo harf15 ki aag meN pighalte16 the vo shajar17 aur hajar18 haiN saakit

1.world of meaning 2.inhabitants 3.noise and tumult 4.homeland 5.strangers 6.homes 7.door 8.still, silent 9.familiar with intentions/desires 10.wilderness 11.hills 12.desert 13.always 14.mute, silent 15.word 16.melt 17.trees 18.rocks

The world of meaning is silent; its residents, in the tumultous noise of new languages have become strangers in their homeland.  The communities, the homes, the doors that used to talk have fallen silent.  The wilderness, hills, desert that were familiar with you have become mute.  The trees and hurdles that used to melt away before fiery words now stand still in the way i.e., words have lost their fire.
4
puraani aabaadiyoN1 ke raste, shikasta2 khanDroN3 meN kho gaye haiN
vo mahl o aivaan4 o taaq5 o gunbad6 jahaaN se asvaat7 ka samandar ubal8 raha tha
ujaR9 chuke haiN

1.settlements 2.broken 3.ruins 4.halls 5.archways 6.domes 7.sounds 8.boil 9.ruined

The byways and streets of ancient settlements are lost in ruinous destruction.  The palaces, the halls, the archways and domes from where an ocean of sounds would boil, are now ruined.
5
vo shaahraaheN1 vo taNg2 galiyaaN vo siiRhiyaaN3 chaukhaTeN4 dariiche5
haram-saraa’eN6, Ghulaam-gardish7, vas’ii8 daalaan9, haNste aaNgan
gharoN ke kone, laboN10 ke goshe11
jo lafz12 ko de rahe the muaani13
jo saut14 ko de rahe the naGhma15
Khamosh viiraanoN16 meN apni duniya ko dafn17 kar ke
sukoot18 ki chashm19-e hasrat-aagiiN20 se apni mayyat21 pe ro rahe haiN

1.highways 2.narrow 3.stairs 4.threshold 5.windows 6.women’s quarters 7.verandahs surrounding the house (used in early times for slave/guards to march periodically) 8.vast 9.halls 10.lips 11.corners 12.word 13.meaning 14.sound 15.song, harmony 16.desolation 17.bury 18.silence, stillness 19.eye 20.full of longing 21.corpse, funeral

Those highways, narrow streets, the steep stairs, doors and windows; the women’s quarters and guardian verandahs; nooks and crannies of the house, the corners of mouth, that used to give meaning to words, harmony to sound, having buried their world in desolate stillness; with silent longing looks weep at their own funeral.
6
hazaaroN asvaat1 nauha-KhwaaN2 haiN, keh un ka pursaaN3 nahiN hai koii
hazaaroN alfaaz4 khokhle5 haiN, keh un ke muaani6 talaash7-e naan-e-juiiN8 meN
apne libaas9 badle, bhaTak10 rahe haiN

1.sounds, voices 2.dirge singing, lamenting 3.asking for, caring 4.words 5.hollow 6.meaning 7.search 8.jawar bread, sustenance 9.clothing 10.wandering

Thousands of sounds lament that there is no one who cares; thousands of words sound hollow; their meaning gone in search of sustenance; in new clothing, wandering in distant streets.
7
zabaan se hai shikam1 ka rishta2
haiN lafz3 kashkol4-e naan5 o gandum6
naii zabaanoN ke lafz3 jahd7-e m’aash8 meN be-zabaan lafzoN ko raundte9 haiN
naii zabaanoN ki saltanat10 meN kise paRi hai
jo apne lafzoN ko chhoR kar doosroN ke lafzoN ko de muaani
kise paRi hai jo faaqa-kash11 aur barhana12 muaani ko pairahan13 se DhaaNpe
hamaare alfaaz14 mar rahe haiN, ham apni saaNsoN ko gin rahe haiN

1.stomach 2.relationship 3.words 4.begging bowl 5.bread 6.wheat 7.struggle 8.livelihood 9.trample 10.domain, regime 11.starving 12.naked 13.clothing 14.words

Language depends on the stomach; words go begging bowl in hand asking for sustenance.  In the struggle for livelihood, words of new languages trample upon helpless, unspoken words.  Who in the regime of new languages cares enough to go beyond their own words and give meaning to others.  Whoever cares to step forward and feed and clothe starving and naked words.  Our words are dying, we are counting our last breaths.
8
hamaare baad aane vaali nasleN1
hamaare alfaaz2 aur muaani3 ki qabr4 ko dekh kar
ek naii zabaaN ke anokhe5 lafzoN6 meN ye kaheNge
keh aaj se chand7 saal pahle, ye lafz6 o muaani3 bhi bolte the
saleeb-e-jamhooriyat8 pe lafzoN6 ko maut9 aaii
kahiN kitaaboN ke maqbaroN10 meN abhi talak be-sadaa11 muaani3
sisak12 rahe haiN

1.generations 2.words 3.meanings 4.graves 5.unfamiliar 6.words 7.a few 8.cross of freedom – symbolic cross of western cultures 9.death 10.tombs 11.voiceless, helpless 12.sobbing

Generations after us, visiting the tombs of our words and meanings, in unfamiliar accents of a new language, will say – a few years ago, these words and meanings used to speak; bearing the cross of western cultures, they came to their death.  Somewhere in the tombs of books, to this day, these helpless meanings are still sobbing.

One comment:

  1. Dear Shahed , it was a magical evening . Hyder Bhai’s son Arif in Atlanta would like to join Urdu Shahkar ,

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