us ka apna hi karishma hai fusun hai yun hai yun to kehne ko sabhi kehte hain yun hain yun hain (fusun - magic) jaise koi dar-e-dil par ho sitaada kab se ek saya na darun hai na barun hai yun hai (dar-e-dil - door of heart, sitaada - standing, darun - inner, barun - outer) tum ne dekhi hi nahi dasht-e-wafa ki tasveer nok-e-har-khar pe ik qatra-e-khoon hai yun hai (dasht - desert, khar - thorn, qatra - drop) ...
If you are a fan of Urdu poetry and haven’t had a chance to read Ghalib may be it is the time to do that. Understanding Ghalib is no easy task, though. You may not the get the real context what he wants to say in the verse. That is where some translation helps. Most of the translations from Urdu to English do kill the real essence but Love Sonnets of Ghalib (Translated by Sarfaraz Niazi) doesn’t do that. I think it is the best reference out there on Diwan-e-Ghalib; at least in English. It is a must have for any Ghalib poetry lover especially people for whom Urdu is not the native language. But I am sure people having Urdu as their native language will also enjoy reading the translations. He provides with the verse translation first and then goes on to explain the context of that verse in detail. Reading Ghalib from this book has been an absolute pleasure. ...
Yesterday while searching for a live version of Ghalib’s ye na thi hamari qismat on Youtube came across this brilliant rendition of the same poem by Tina Sani. It is done bit differently where she picked up another poem by Daag Dehlvi and she sings one verse from Ghalib’s poem and then next one from Daagh’s poem and so on. Verses from both the poets are somewhat related to each other in terms of the emotion that is expressed. On top of that there is a brilliant singing by Tina Sani. Absolutely mesmerizing. Can it be a called a new year gift ? Yes I think. ...
Have just been trying to understand the opening verse of Diwan-e-Ghalib. Finally after looking at few of the books and translations, it is making some sense to me. So here is what I understood of it. Poets generally start their work by remembering the God and praising him for creating this world. Waris Shah opens his epic qissa Heer with: awal hamd khuda da vird keeje, ishq kita su jag da mool miyan ...
Beautiful words and sung equally beautifully sung by Jagjit & Chitra Singh pehle to apne dil ki raza jaan jaiye phir jo nigah-e-yaar kahe maan jaiye (raza - will, desire) pehle mizaaj-e- rahguzar jaan jaiye phir gard-e- raah jo bhi kahe maan jaiye (mizaaj - temperament, rahguzar - path. gard - dirt, raah - street) kuch keh rahi hain aapke seene ki dhadkanein mera nahi to dil ka kaha maan jaiye ...
Magical ! kabhi aah lab pe machal gai kabhi ashq aankh se dhal gaye ye tumaare gham ke charaag hain kabhi bujh gaye kabhi jal gaye (lab-lips, charaag-lamp) main khiyal-o-khwab kii mehfilein na baqadr-e-shauq sajaa saka teri ik nazar ke saath hi mere sab iraade badal gaye (baqadr-worthwhile, irada-desire,intention) kabhi rang mein kabhi roop mein kabhi chhaaon mein kabhi dhoop mein kahin aaftaab-e-nazar hain wo kahin mahataab mein dhal gaye (aaftab-sun, mahataab-moon) ...
nazar bujhi to karishmein bhi roz-o-shab ke gaye ke ab talak nahin aaye hain log jab ke gaye (roz-a day,daily, shab-night) karega kaun teri bewafaion ka gila yehi hai rasm-e-zamaana to hum bhi ab ke gaye (rasm-custom) girifta dil the magar haunsla na haara tha girifta dil hain magar haunsle bhi ab ke gaye (girifta-seized,smitten) ab aaye ho to yahan kya hai dekhne ke liye yeh shahar kab ka hai veraan wo log kab ke gaye ...
Faraz ab koi sauda koi junoon bhi nahin magar qaraar se din kat rahe ho yun bhi nahin (sauda-madness, junoon-passion, qaraar-satisfaction,ease) lab-o- dahan bhi mila guftagu ka fan bhi mila magar jo dil pe guzarti hai kah sakoon bhi nahin (lab-lips, dahan-mouth, guftagu-conversation,fan-skill) meri zubaan ki luknat se badgumaan na ho jo tu kahe to tujhe umar bhar miloon bhi nahin (luknat-stammering, badgumaan-suspicious) Faraz jaise koi diya turbat-e-hava chaahe hai tu paas aaye to mumkin hai main rahoon bhi nahin ...
Melody ! aap hain kyon khafa, kuch pata to chale hai meri kya khata, kuch pata to chale (khafa - angry, khata - fault) aaj chehre pe rang-e-udaasi hai kyon ae mere dilruba kuch pata to chale aapke aur mere pyar ke darmiyaan kyon hai ye faasila kuch pata to chale main agar bewafa hoon to yun hi sahi kaun hai bawafa kuch pata to chale (bawafa - faithful) आप हैं क्यों खफा, कुछ पता तो चले है मेरी क्या खता, कुछ पता तो चले ...
dukh chhupaye huye hain hum dono zakhm khaye huye hain hum dono aisa lagta hai fir zamane ko yaad aaye huye hum dono tu kabhi chaandni thi dhoop tha main ab to saaye huye hain hum dono (saya - shadow) jaise ik doosre ko paa kar bhi kuch ganwaye huye hain hum dono jaise ik doosre se sharminda sar jhukaye huye hain hum dono jaise ik doosre ki chahat ko ab bhulaye huye hain hum dono ...