Cold 'n' Hot

Overhead lights, in the fifth floor ladies' washroom, in the NDTV building

Pashemaani / A Sense of Regret

Main ye soch kar uske dar se uttha tha
Ki woh rok legi, manaa legi mujhko,

Hawaaon mein lehraata aata tha daaman
Ki daaman pakaD kar bittha legi mujhko,

Kadam aise andaaz se utth rahe thay
Ki aawaaz dekar bula legi mujhko,

Magar usne roka na mujhko manaaya
Na daaman hi pakDa na mujhko bitthaaya,

Na aawaaz hi di, na waapas bulaaya
Main aahista-aahista baDhta hi aaya,

Yahaan tak ki usse juda ho gaya main.

- Kaifi Azmi

Hausla / Courage

Tu khursheed hai, baadalon mein na chhup
Tu mehtaab hai, jagmagaana na chhoD

Tu shokhi hai shokhi, riaayat na kar
Tu bijli hai bijli, jalaana na chhoD

Abhi ishq ne haar maani nahin
Abhi ishq ko aazmaana na chhoD

- Kaifi Azmi


You are the sun, don't hide in the clouds
You are the moon, continue to shine.

You are mischievous seduction, don't let it subside
You are the lightning, continue to strike.

Love has not yet admitted defeat
Continue to test it, as much as you like.

Translation by Pavan K. Varma

Taj Mahal

In the wake of the recent mania concerning making The Taj part of the new Seven Wonders of the World - and, the fact that all Indian television and radio channels, and mobile phone operators are making tonnes of money with this - here's something from Sahir Ludhianvi:

taaj tere liye ik mazahar-e-ulfat hi sahi
tum ko is vaadi-e-rangeen se aqeedat hi sahi

[mazahar-e-ulfat = symbol of love; vaadi-e-rangeen = beautiful spot; aqeedat = respect/preference]

mere mehboob kaheen aur mila kar mujh se!

bazm-e-shaahi mein gareebon ka guzar kya maanee
sabt jis raah pe ho.n satavat-e-shaahi ke nishaan
us pe ulfat bhari ruuho.n kaa safar kya maani

[bazm-e-shaahi = royal court; sabt = etched]
[satavat-e-shaahi = royal grandeur; ulfat bhari ruuh = lovers]

meri mehboob pas-e-pardaa-e-tashheer-e-vafaa
tu ne satavat ke nishaano.n ko to dekha hota
murdaa shaaho.n ke maqaabir se bahalevaalee
apne taareek makaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa

[pas-e-pardaa-e-tashheer-e-vafaa = behind the veil of this advertisement of faith/love] [satavat = wealth/grandeur; maqaabir (maqabaraa) = tomb; taareek = dark]

anaginat logo.n ne duniya mein mohabbat ki hai
kaun kehta hai ki saadiq na the jazbe un ke
lekin un ke liye tashheer ka saamaan nahin
kyun ke vo log bhi apni hi tarah mufalis the

[saadiq = true; tashheer = advertisement; mufalis = poor]

ye imaaraat-o-maqaabir ye faseele.n, ye hisaar
mutal-qulhukm shehenshaaho.n ki azamat ke sutuu.n
daaman-e-dahar pe us rang ki gulakaari hai
jis mein shaamil hai tere aur mere ajadaad kaa khoon

[hisaar = forts; mutal-qulhukm = unthinking/arrogant; azamat = greatness; sutuu.n = symbol]
[daaman-e-dahar = on the face of this world; gulakaari = flowers and vines; ajadaad = ancestors]

meri mehboob! unhein bhi to mohabbat hogi
jinki sannai ne bakhshi hai ise shakl-e-jameel
un ke pyaaron ke maqaabir rahe benaam-o-namuud
aaj tak un pe jalaayi na kisi ne qandeel

[sannai = artistry; shakl-e-jameel = beautiful form]
[benaam-o-namuud = without name or even a trace; qandeel = candle]

ye chamanzaar ye jamuna ka kinara ye mahal
ye munaqqash dar-o-deevaar, ye meheraab ye taaq
ik shehenshaah ne daulat ka sahara le kar
ham gareebo.n ki mohabbat ka udaayaa hai mazaak

[chamanzaar = garden; munaqqash = picturesque]

mere mehaboob kahin aur mila kar mujhse!

A new start...

...again.

Though, today's the 26th day of the new start.