Make way for the Emperor

William Dalrymple made him famous with the book - "The Last Mughal". The protagonist, last in the illustrative line of Mughals, a hen-pecked, bedraggled, old man. Crowned with a worthless beggar's bowl, ruled an empire that included most of the Red Fort and little else, Lived a life of expensive misery at the mercy of Company Sarkar. A victim of his time, birth and place the man found solace in poetry.


Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar's an excuse of a court was not marshalled by great statesmen, fierce army generals or noted administrators. But his court could boast of hosting some of the greatest names of Urdu Poetry including Ghalib, Zauq and Momin.


The emperor is not remembered for his statecraft, his legacy is his poetry. Frustrated by his misfortune and hopelessness, he wrote an epitaph for himself which probably is his most famous ghazal.


लगता नहीं है दिल मेरा उजडे दायर में
किसकी बनी है आलम-इ-नापैदर में

Lagta Nahin Hai Dil Mera Ujde Dayar Mein
Kiski Bani Hai Aalam-e-Napaidar Mein

This devastated place (the world) does not interest me. Nobody has profited in this ungainly world.

कहदो इन हसरतों से कहीं और जा बसें

इतनी जगह कहाँ है दिल-इ-दागदार में

Kehdo In Hasraton Se Kahin Aur Ja Basen
Itni Jagah Kahan Hai Dil-e-Daagdaar Mein
Ask these dreams and desires to find a new abode, my broken and burdened house can not afford them anymore.


उम्र-इ-दराज़ मांग के लाये थे चार दिन
दो आरजू में कट गए दो इन्तेज़ार में
Umr-e-Daraz Mang Ke Laye The Chaar Din
Do Aarzoo Mein Kat Gaye Do Intezaar Mein
From the long life I had requested four days (refers to the common phrase "life is made of four days" "char din ki zindagani") two were wasted in putting the words to my desires and the other two were wasted in awaiting the fulfillment of those desires.

इतना है बदनसीब "ज़फर" दफन के लिए
दो गज ज़मीन भी न मिली कू-इ-यार में
Itna Hai Badnaseeb "Zafar" Dafn Ke Liye
Do Gaz Zameen Bhi Na Mili Koo-e-Yaar Mein
(He belongs to the line of most illustratious emperors India has had. He had lost everything but the name. He doesn't decry that loss of kingdoms and wealth. He believes the epitome of his misfortune in this-) What a misfortune it is Zafar that you aren't granted even a small piece of land for your burial in the land of beloved!!!

The emperor died and was buried in Burma. Away from his country, his empire, his city. The last Mughal could not find even do-gaz-zameen in burial grounds of his erstwhile empire.

प्रांशुलभ्ये फले लोभाद बाहुर्रवि वामन:

Pranshulabhye fale Lobhad bahurravi vaamanah - Like a dwarf longigly trying to grab a fruit so easily available to tall people.
No, this is not Urdu.
Yes, it is Sanskrit.
While I am talking about some of the tallest names in the field, I also intend to slip a few poems by yours truly. Now as I have already admitted, I am a novice as far as Urdu is considered. Nor have I studied shastr or science of Ghazal-writing. I know words like beher (meter), radeef-kaafiya, makta and misra but that about sums up my knowledge on structure of ghazals. But I am still going to post my own ghazals (if they can be called that.) So instead of boring you by debating why I should not write Ghazals, let me give you an example. (I have a feeling the last sentence does not sound right. What is it? Darn it! Let's get on with the business at hand.)
As a disclaimer I am going to repeat God's message about his creation from the fourth book in HitchHiker's Guide to Galaxy trilogy- "WE APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!"
So here it goes-

वो देते है दर्द और करते दवा भी
वो मासूम है और है बदगुमाँ भी
vo dete hai dard aur karte dava bhi vo maasum hai aur hai badgumaan bhi
She is the one who causes pain and she also is the healer. She is dainty, she has a temper too.

है फरमान यह की न हो ज़िक्र उनका
और उस पर ये जिद हम कहे दास्ताँ भी
hai farmaan yeh ki na ho zikr unka aur us par ye zid hum kahe daastaan bhi
I have been ordered that her name should not be mentioned. But then there is (her) insistence that I should tell the tale too.

तेरी जुल्फ का ये खुल के बिखरना
काफिर ही बन जाए अल्लाह-मियाँ भी
teri zulf ka ye khul ke bikharana qaafir hi ban jaaye allah-miyaan bhi
This beauty of your tresses can make even the gods stumble from the path of righteousness.

ये सुर्ख आँखें ये सुना आलम
चुप भी है हम और करते बयाँ भी
ye surkh aankhen ye suna aalam chup bhi hai hum aur karte bayaan bhi
Through this blood-shot eyes and this subdued appearance. I am making the situation apparent even when I am silent.

हाँ मुझ से खफा है वो रूठी है मुझ से
मगर ज़िन्दगी है मेरी दिलरूबा भी
haan mujh se khafaa hai vo ruthi hai mujh se magar zindagi hai meri dilrooba bhi
Yes, she is angry with me, and yes, she is sore with me. Still she is my life. (or life still is a darling.)

अगर वो न हो तो कोई ग़म न होगा
मगर जब तलक है वो है आशना भी
agar vo na ho to koi gham na hoga magar jab talak hai vo hai ashna bhi
I will not grieve when some day she(life) won't be here. But as long as she is around, she is close to my heart.

ज़रा दिल लगा कर तुम उनको भी सुनना
तुम्ही से मुखातिब ये खामोशियाँ भी
zaraa dil laga kar tum unko bhi sunana tumhi se mukhatib ye khaamoshiyaan bhi
I beg you hear them (unspoken words) also with all your heart (your ears surely can't hear those) beacuse they are also addressed to you..
and only you.