Mehfil-e-Gazal #29

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Sahir's poetry shows a gradual shift from the pleasing environs of love 
to more serious socio-political topics, clearly showing his increasing 
leanings towards socialism. This shift in values is also reflected in 
his film songs:

zi.ndagii sirf muhabbat nahii.n kuchh aur bhii hai
zulf-o-ruKhsaar kii jannat nahii.n kuchh aur bhii hai
bhuuk aur pyaas kii maarii ju)ii is duniyaa me.n
ishq hii ek haqiiqat nahii.n kuchh aur bhii hai

(from "tum mujhe bhuul bhii jaao to ye haq hai tum ko...")

Of course, this does not mean that Sahir gave up love as a topic for his 
poetry. But love seems to have assumed a more universal,a more 
encompassing meaning in his poetry.

tum agar aa.Nkh churaao to ye haq hai tum ko
mai.n ne tum se hii nahii.n sab se muhabbat kii hai

(from the same song quoted above)

Today's nazm has Sahir in a pensive mood about love, and why it is not
enough reason to live on. I am sure the following lines by a very 
well-known poet are known to us all:

"aur bhii Gam hai.n zamaane me.n muhabbat ke sivaa
raahate.n aur bhii hai vasl kii raahat ke sivaa"


Today's nazm - "sochataa huu.N"

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat se kinaaraa kar luu.N
dil ko begaanaa-e-taraGiib-o-tamannaa kar luu.N

[begaanaa-e-taraGiib-o-tamannaa = devoid of inspiration and desire]

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai junuun-e-rasavaa
cha.nd bekaar-se behuudaa Khayaalo.n kaa hujuum
ek aazaad ko paaba.nd banaane kii havas
ek begaane ko apanaane kii sa_i-e-mauhuum

[rusavaa = bad name/infamy/notoriety (sometimes is aslo used to denote 
reputation]
[sa_i-e-mauhuum = illusionary effort]

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai suruur-e-mastii
isakii tanviir me.n raushan hai fazaa-e-hastii

[tanviir = light; fazaa-e-hastii = environment of life]

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai bashar kii fitarat
isakaa miT jaanaa, miTaa denaa bahut mushkil hai
sochataa huu.N  ki muhabbat se hai taabi.ndaa hayaat
aap ye shamaa bujhaa denaa bahut mushkil hai

[bashar = man; fitarat = nature; taabi.ndaa = lighted; hayaat = life]

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat pe ka.Dii sharte.n hai.n
ik tamaddun me.n masarrat pe ba.Dii shart.en hai.n

[tamaddun = culture]

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai ik afasurdaa sii laash
chaadar-e-izzat-o-naamuus me.n kafanaa_ii hu_ii
daur-e-sarmaayaa kii rau.ndii hu_ii rusavaa hastii
daragah-e-mazahab-o-iKhlaaq se Thukaraa_ii hu_ii

[afasurdaa = disappointment; chaadar-e-izzat-o-naamuus = sheet/cover of 
respect]
[daur-e-saramaayaa = age of capitalism (Sahir's socialistic leanings 
peeking out here)]
[daragah-e-mazahab-o-iKhlaaq = temple of religious and moralistic 
opinions/viewpoints]

sochataa huu.N ki bashar aur muhabbat  kaa junuu.N
aisii bosiidaa tamaddun se hai ik kaar-e-zabuu.N

[kaar-e-zabuu.N = bad deed]

sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat na bachegii zi.ndaa
pesh-az-vaqt kii sa.D jaaye ye galatii hu_ii laash
yahii behatar hai ki begaanaa-e-ulfat hokar
apane siine me.n karuu.N jazb-e-nafarat kii talaash

[pesh-az-vaqt = time preceding now (past); begaanaa-e-ulfat = turned 
away from love]
[jazb-e-nafarat = feeling of hatred]

aur saudaa-e-muhabbat se kinaaraa kar luu.N
dil ko begaanaa-e-taraGiib-o-tamannaa kar luu.N

[saudaa-e-muhabbat = madness of love]


Note: for some reason, I am reminded of a Sahir song from the film Bahu 
Begum:

log kahate hai.n ki ham tum se kinaaraa kar le.n
tum jo kah do to sitam ye bhii gavaaraakar le.n




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