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!

Aao Ki Koi Khwaab Bunein... - Sahir Ludhianvi

aao ki koi khhwaab bunein kal ke vaaste
varnaa ye raat aaj ke sangeen daur ki
Das legi jaan-o-dil ko kuchh aise ki jaan-o-dil
ta'umr phir na koi haseen khwaab bun sakein

[bunein = to weave; sangeen daur = difficult times]
[Das legi = will bite; ta'umr = entire life]

go hum se bhaagti rahi ye tez-gaam umr
khwaabon ke aasare pe kaTi hai tamaam umr

[tez-gaam = fleet-footed]

zulfon ke khwaab, honThon ke khwaab, aur badan ke khwaab
meraaj-e-fan ke khwaab, kamaal-e-sukhan ke khwaab

[meraaj-e-fan = (to reach) summit of art; kamaal-e-sukhan = perfection in poetry]

tehzeeb-e-zindagi ke, farog-e-vatan ke khwaab
zindaan ke khwaab, kuuchaa-e-daar-o-rasan ke khwaab

[tehzeeb-e-zindagi = civilized life; farog-e-vatan = nation's upliftment]
[zindaan = prison; kuuchaa-e-daar-o-rasan = road leading to the gallows]

ye khwaab hi to apni jawaani ke paas thay
ye khwaab hi to apne amal ke asaas thay
ye khwaab mar gaye hain to be-rang hai hayaat
yoon hai ki jaise dast-e-tah-e-sang hai hayaat

[amal = work; asaas = foundation; hayaat = life]
[dast-e-tah-e-sang = hands crushed under a stone/helpless]

aao ki koi khwaab bunein kal ke vaaste
varna ye raat aaj ke sangeen daur ki
Das legi jaan-o-dil ko kuchh aise ki jaan-o-dil
ta'umr phir na koi haseen khwaab bun sakein

ye husn teraa ye ishq meraa...by Sahir

Yep! Another post so soon after the first one! This is one of my favourite poems, from one of my favourite poets.

ye husn teraa ye ishq meraa

ye husn teraa ye ishq meraa
rangiin to hai bad_naam sahii
mujh par to ka_ii ilzaam lage
tujh par bhii ko_ii ilzaam sahii

is raat kii nikharii rangat ko
kuchh aur nikhar jaane de zaraa
nazaro.n ko bahak jaane de zaraa
zulfo.n ko bikhar jaane de zaraa

kuchh der kii hii taskiin sahii
kuchh der kaa hii aaraam sahii

jazbaat kii kaliyaa.N chunanaa hai
aur pyaar kaa tohfaa denaa hai

logo.n kii nigaahe.n kuchh bhii kahe.n
logo.n se hame.n kyaa lenaa hai
ye Khaas ta'alluq aapas kaa
duniyaa kii nazar me.n aam sahii

rusavaa_ii ke Dar se ghabaraa kar
ham tark-e-vafaa kab karate hai.n
jis dil ko basaa le.n pahaluu me.n
us dil ko judaa kab karate hai.n
jo hashr huaa hai laakho.n kaa
apanaa bhii vahii anjaam sahii

ye husn teraa ye ishq meraa
rangiin to hai bad_naam sahii
mujh par to ka_ii ilzaam lage
tujh par bhii ko_ii ilzaam sahii

This one's by Sahir Ludhianvi. My other favourites...Bashir Badr and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. If you liked this one, you'll find many more on the link to Urdu Poetry on my Links sidebar.

Cheerio.