Monday, March 16, 2009

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.