For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ذمّہ داری ہے اہلِ سخن کی آج ۔ اِلزبت کرین موناؔ
۱
کیسے منائیں خیر ہم اپنے وطن کی آج
کچھ باغباں کو فکر نہیں اِس چمن کی آج
۲
وحشی بنے جو بھیڑ تو خطرہ ہے بے پناہ
رہتی ہے جاں ہتھیلی پہ اہلِ وطن کی آج
۳
نفرت کا زہر پھیل نہ جائے ہواؤں میں
حالت ہر اک دِشا میں ہوئی ہے گھٹن کی آج
۴
برپا یوں بستیوں میں کیا حشر موت نے
ہر لاش کو تلاش ہے اپنے کفن کی آج
۵
سنتا نہیں کسی کی کوئی شور و غل میں کچھ
بگڑی ہوئی ہے چال یوں سنسد سدن کی آج
۶
اخبار پڑھ کے دل کو تسلّی بھی کیا ملے
پڑھ پڑھ کے اور بڑھتی ہے چنتا ہی من کی آج
۷
پیغامِ امن پھیل سکے چاروں سمت میں
موناؔ، یہ ذمّہ داری ہے اہلِ سخن کی آج
ज़िम्मेदारी है अहल-ए सुख़न की आज – एलिज़बेत कुरियन मोना
१
कैसे मनाएं ख़ैर हम अपने वतन कि आज
कुछ बाग़बाँ को फ़िक्र नहीं इस चमन की आज
२
वहशी बने जो भीड़ तो ख़त्रा है बे पनाह
रहती है जाँ हथेली पे अहल-ए वतन की आज
३
नफ़्रत का ज़हर फैल न जाए हवाओं में
हालत हर एक दिशा में हुई है घुटन की आज
४
बरपा यूँ बस्तियों में किया हश्र मौत ने
हर लाश को तलाश है अपने कफ़न की आज
५
सुनता नहीं किसी की कोई शोर-ओ-ग़ुल में कुछ
बिगड़ी हुई है चाल यूँ संसद सदन की आज
६
अख़्बार पढ़ के दिल को तसल्ली भी क्या मिले
पढ़ पढ़ के और बढ़ती है चिंता ही मन की आज
७
पैग़ाम-ए अम्न फैल सके चारों सम्त में
मोना ये ज़िम्मेदारी है अहल-ए सुख़न की आज
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now lives in her hometown, hyderabad and pursues her passion in poetry. This Ghazal reflects the political atmosphere and officially sanctioned communalism in the country. It was re-composed in English by the poet herself.
1
kaise manaayeN1 Khair2 hum apne vatan ki aaj
kuchh baaGhbaaN ko fikr3 nahiN is chaman ki aaj 1.to persuade, to coax/conciliate, but also used to mean celebrate 2.welfare 3.concern
How can we celebrate the welfare of our country today
The gardener is not concerned about his garden today
2
vahshi1 bane jo bheeR2 to Khatra3 hai be-panaah4
rahti hai jaaN hatheli5 pe ahl-e-vatan6 ki aaj 1.wild, uncivilized, mad 2.crowd, mob 3.danger 4.without refuge, unrelenting, unsparing 5.palm, ‘hatheli pe jaan rakhna’ is to face mortal danger 6.people of the homeland.
If the mob becomes wild, there is very great danger
The people of the country are in fear of their lives today
3
nafrat1 ka zahr2 phail na jaaye havaaoN meN
haalat3 har ek disha4 meN hui hai ghuTan5 ki aaj 1.hatred 2.poison 3.conditon 4.direction 5.choking, suffocation
Let not the poison of hatred permeate the air
There is suffocation in all directions today
4
barpa1 yuN bastiyoN meN kiya hashr2 maut3 ne
har laash4 ko talaash5 hai apne kafan7 ki aaj 1.to bring about, to spread 2.tumult, fear 3.death 4.corpse 5.search 7.burial shroud
Death has created such a calamity in the community
Every corpse is in search for a shroud today
5
suntaa nahiN kisi ki koi shor-o-Ghul meN kuch
bigRi hui hai chaal yuN sansad-sadan1 ki aaj 1.parliament, assembly
Nobody listens to anybody else in the uproar
The state of parliament has deteriorated today
6
aKhbaar1 paRh ke dil ko tasalli2 bhi kya mile
paRh paRh ke aur baRhti hai chinta3 hi man4 ki aaj 1.newspaper 2.comfort, consolation 3.worry 4.heart
What comfort do we get by reading the newspaper
By constant reading, our worries increase today
7
paiGhaam1-e amn2 phail sake chaaroN samt3 meN
mona4 ye zimmedaari5 hai ahl-e-suKhan6 ki aaj 1.message 2.peace 3.directions 4.pen-name of poet 5.responsibility 6.people of verse, poets
The message of peace should spread in all directions
Mona this is the responsibility of all poets today
Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now lives in her hometown, hyderabad and pursues her passion in poetry. This Ghazal reflects the political atmosphere and officially sanctioned communalism in the country. It was re-composed in English by the poet herself.
1
kaise manaayeN1 Khair2 hum apne vatan ki aaj
kuchh baaGhbaaN ko fikr3 nahiN is chaman ki aaj
1.to persuade, to coax/conciliate, but also used to mean celebrate 2.welfare 3.concern
How can we celebrate the welfare of our country today
The gardener is not concerned about his garden today
2
vahshi1 bane jo bheeR2 to Khatra3 hai be-panaah4
rahti hai jaaN hatheli5 pe ahl-e-vatan6 ki aaj
1.wild, uncivilized, mad 2.crowd, mob 3.danger 4.without refuge, unrelenting, unsparing 5.palm, ‘hatheli pe jaan rakhna’ is to face mortal danger 6.people of the homeland.
If the mob becomes wild, there is very great danger
The people of the country are in fear of their lives today
3
nafrat1 ka zahr2 phail na jaaye havaaoN meN
haalat3 har ek disha4 meN hui hai ghuTan5 ki aaj
1.hatred 2.poison 3.conditon 4.direction 5.choking, suffocation
Let not the poison of hatred permeate the air
There is suffocation in all directions today
4
barpa1 yuN bastiyoN meN kiya hashr2 maut3 ne
har laash4 ko talaash5 hai apne kafan7 ki aaj
1.to bring about, to spread 2.tumult, fear 3.death 4.corpse 5.search 7.burial shroud
Death has created such a calamity in the community
Every corpse is in search for a shroud today
5
suntaa nahiN kisi ki koi shor-o-Ghul meN kuch
bigRi hui hai chaal yuN sansad-sadan1 ki aaj
1.parliament, assembly
Nobody listens to anybody else in the uproar
The state of parliament has deteriorated today
6
aKhbaar1 paRh ke dil ko tasalli2 bhi kya mile
paRh paRh ke aur baRhti hai chinta3 hi man4 ki aaj
1.newspaper 2.comfort, consolation 3.worry 4.heart
What comfort do we get by reading the newspaper
By constant reading, our worries increase today
7
paiGhaam1-e amn2 phail sake chaaroN samt3 meN
mona4 ye zimmedaari5 hai ahl-e-suKhan6 ki aaj
1.message 2.peace 3.directions 4.pen-name of poet 5.responsibility 6.people of verse, poets
The message of peace should spread in all directions
Mona this is the responsibility of all poets today
Shahed, i love these nazms. Simple, and lovely. The line in the second nazm, ہر لاش کو تلاش ہے اپنے کفن کی آج, is outstanding, and so apropos. I think the meter in the 6th couplet, second line is a little off. I think! the word ہی could have been omitted I think. I loved both the poems a lot. She is good, no?
Hope Asha had a great Mom’s Day today.
Best to both of you,
Zakiah.