Mehfil-e-Gazal #9

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Today's ghazal is by Raghupati Sahay. The name doesn't sound familiar? A 
very well known poet, he is known by another name. Some information 
about him after the ghazal:


sakuut-e-shaam miTaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai
suKhan kii shamaa jalaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

[sakuut = silence]

dayaar-e-Gam me.n dil-e-beqaraar chhuuT gayaa
sambhal ke Dhuu.DHane jaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

ye raat vo ke suujhe jahaa.N na haath ko haath
Khayaalo duur na jaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

laTo.n ko chehare pe Daale vo so rahaa hai kahii.n
zayaa-e-ruKh ko churaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

[zayaa = radiance]

havaae.N niim shabii ho.n ki chaadar-e-a.njum
naqaab ruKh se uThaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

[niim shabii = midnight; chaadar-e-a.njum = sheet of stars]

shab-e-siyaah me.n gum ho ga_ii hai raah-e-hayaat
qadam sambhal ke uThaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

guzashtaa ahd kii yaado.n ko phir karo taazaa
bujhe chiraaG jalaao nahut a.Ndheraa hai

[guzashtaa = past]

thii ek uchakatii hu_ii nii.nd zi.ndagii usakii
'Firaq' ko na jagaao bahut a.Ndheraa hai

[uchakatii = disturbed]

So, now you know. Raghupati Sahay (Firaq Gorakhpuri) was born in 
Gorakhpur, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India in 1896. Though his 
father was an advocate, he wrote poetry under the pen-name 'Ibrat'. Thus 
poetry was something that Firaq was exposed to from his very childhood. 
He was a learned scholar of Urdu, Persian and English. He was professor 
of English at Allahabad University for a long time. 

Mostly known for his ghazals, he has also written some rubayis. He was 
honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award in 1960, and the Jnanpith 
Literary Award in 1969. Firaq Gorakhpuri passed away in 1982.

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