Meg Index | July 2001 Index

Date: 02-Jul-2001
Poet: Himayat Ali Shaayar


Himayat Ali Shaayar is well known for a new type of 
poetry called 'sulasi'. It consists of three lines 
and is similar to the 'trivenis' written by Gulzar.

Here is an example of a 'sulasi' recited by Himayat 
Ali Shaayar at the Houston mushaira:

is dukh bhare jahaa.N me.n ko_ii kahaa.N rahe
girajaa ho gurudvaaraa ho mandir ho yaa haram
jis ko jahaa.N sukuu.N mile vo vahaa.N rahe

He recited some of his old ghazals and nazms on 
request. He also announced the release of his 
autobiography "Aaina Dar Aaina" which is written 
completely in verse. 

Here is a ghazal he recited at the Houston mushaira 
in the 'zamiin' of Mirza Ghalib:


paao.n ke zaKhm hai.n farsh-e-gul-e-tar hone tak
raah dushvaar hai aaGaaz-e-safar hone tak

[farsh = floor; dushvaar = difficult; aaGaaz = beginning]

ye alag baat ke Khaamosh hai.n ahal-e-zindaa.N
varnaa ye qaid hai diivaar me.n dar hone tak

[zindaa.N = prison; ahal-e- = residents of]

ek nazar naqsh-e-kaf-e-paa kaa hunar to dekho
kahkashaa.N sii nazar aatii hai sahar hone tak

[naqsh-e-kaf-e-paa = footprints; kahkashaa.N = Milky Way]

haaye vo biij jo miTTii me.n dabaa rahataa hai
kin maraahil se guzarataa hai shajar hone tak

[biij = seed; maraahil = stages; shajar = tree]

kyaa Khabar tum ko ki ye saqf ye diivaar hai.n kyaa
ham pe kyaa guzarii hai is chhaao.n ke ghar hone tak

[saqf = ceiling]