Friday, October 31, 2008

Justuju Khoye Huon Ki Umr Bhar Kartay Rahay

Justuju khoye huon ki umr bhar kartay rahay
Chaand ke hamraah hum her shab safar kartay rahay
justuju = effort to achieve

(Poet is saying that she kept trying to get those people she had lost, all her life. In doing so, she continued to travel with the moon all night long. It's a known fact that the moon travels around the globe)

Raaston ka ilm tha hum ko na simton ki khabar
Sheher-e-namaaloom ki chaahat magar kartay rahay
simt = direction (i.e. north, south, east, west)

(She didn't know which way to go, or which direction to walk in, to get an unknown place where her heart wanted to be)

Hum ne khud se bhi chupaya aur saaray sheher se
Teray jaanay ki khabar deevaar-o-darr kartay rahay
darr = door; darvaza

(She tried to hide the fact that someone close to her had departed, but the city realized the absence of one of its inhabitants -- meaning the fact couldn't be hidden for long)

Vo na aaye ga hamain maaloom tha us shaam bhi
Intezaar us ka magar kuch soch ker kartay rahay

(She knew he wouldn't come that day either, but something kept her waiting for him anyway)

Aaj aaya hai hamain bhi un uraanon ka kheyaal
Jin ko teray zom mein be-baal-o-par kartay rahay
uraan = parvaaz; high flight
zom = maan; trust and pride in someone (usually a beloved)
be-baal-o-par = without wings and the proper required equipment required for flying (metaphor for birds)


(She's now recalling the highs she felt when she was with her beloved. The time when she was able to fly to cloud nine just because she was with someone who made her touch the skies.. -- love is a strong feeling!)

~Parveen Shakir

Friday, October 24, 2008

Na Shikayatain Na Gila Karay

Na shikayatain na gila karay
Koi aisa shakhs hua karay
Jo meray liye he saja karay
Mujh he se baatain kiya karay

Kabhi roye jaaye vo bepanaah
Kabhi betahasha udaas ho
Kabhi chupke chupke dabay qadam
Meray peechay aa ker hansa karay

Meri qurbatain meri chahatain
Koi yaad rakkhay qadam qadam
Main taveel safar mein hoon agar
Meri vaapsi ki dua karay

~Amjad Islam Amjad

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Hum Log

Hum log
Daairon mein chaltay hain
Daairon mein chalnay se
Daairay to barhtay hain
Faaslay nahin ghat.tay
Aarzuain chalti hain
Jis taraf ko jaatay hain
Manzilain tamanna ki
Saath saath chalti hain
Gard urti rehti hai
Dard barhta rehta hai
Raastay nahin ghat.tay
Subah-dam* sitaaron ki tez jhilmilaahat ko
Raushni ki aamad ka pesh-baab* kehtay hain
Ik kiran jo milti hai, aaftaab* kehtay hain
Daaira badalnay ko inqilaab* kehtay hain

*Subah-dam = dawn; early morning
*Pesh-baab = preface (as in a book); something to hint or suggest what's about to come; foreshadower

*Aaftaab = sun
*Inqilaab = revolution ; complete change in the dynamics of something


(We (humans/people) have our set ways of doing things. We simply follow them and hope that somehow our problems will get resolved, our wishes will get fulfilled, but don't take any step towards these goals. Because we follow just one pattern, we keep going in circles, and keep increasing our journey towards unfulfilled desires (since there's no end point, the distance to travel is infinitely long). And then the smallest thing that happens out of the ordinary, we start to take that as a sign of positive change. For us, the biggest revolution is simply the change of direction (implying that's how ignorant we are when it comes to working towards something better). We don't even know how to take a positive step forward)

~Amjad Islam Amjad

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Zahid ne - Abida Parveen (Raqs-e-bismil)

Us ka mukh ik jot hai ghoonghat hai sansaar
Ghoonghat mein vo chup gaya mukh per aanchal daar(daal)

(This might be pushing it, but this is my exegesis of the couplet. Her face is like light (guiding light) and the ghoonghat is the world -- symbolizing life and the struggle to find a place in the world. She hid herself in her veil and covered her face. Meaning the guiding light is lost/hidden in the world, and it's up to the lover to find it. How else will he reach his destination?!)

Zaahid ne mera hausla-e-eimaa.n nahin dekha
Rukh per teri zulfon ko pareeshaa.n nahin dekha

(The pious has not seen the strength of my faith, since he was not the one who saw your hair spread on your face. Implying if he saw what I saw, he would've lost all control. I didn't lose my control, hence proving the strength of my faith)

Her haal mein bus pesh-e-nazar hai vohi soorat
Main ne kabhi roo-e-shab-e-hijraa.n nahin dekha

(I can never experience a night without my beloved, because his/her face is always in my thoughts)

Aaye thay sabhi tarah ke jalvay meray aagay
Main ne magar aye deeda-e-hairaa.n nahin dekha

(There have been many wonderful sights that have come before my eyes, but I didn't see any of them. Implying my thoughts are fixated on a single face -- that of my beloved)

Kiya kiya hua hangaam-e-junoo.n yeh nahin maaloom
Kuch hosh jo aaya to gareebaa.n nahin dekha

(I don't know what chaos has taken place here. All I know is, when I came to my senses, my collar was torn. Implying I was so deep into my thoughts about my beloved that I didn't even realize when or how my collar got ripped)

~Asghar Gondvi