Sher of Fahmi Badayuni

pūchh lete vo bas mizāj mirā
kitnā āsān thā ilaaj mirā

zarā īmān-dārī se batāo
hameñ tum se mohabbat ho ga.ī kyā

vo jo tumhārī majbūrī hai
vahī to saarī majbūrī hai

tasvīroñ se bāteñ karnā
kitnī pyārī majbūrī hai

halkī bāteñ kartā hai vo
koī bhārī majbūrī hai

un ko bhūlne kī koshish meñ
jaane kyā kyā bhuul ga.e haiñ

tum se bāteñ karne vaale
bāteñ karnā bhuul ga.e haiñ

aaj usī kī sair kareñge
vo jo duniyā bhuul ga.e haiñ

ham apnā ajnabī-pan bhuul jaa.eñ
agar pahchān le ik baar koī

maiñ ne nārāz kar diyā us ko
jhūTh bole baġhair bāteñ kiiñ

bahut kuchh kahnā paḌtā ho jahāñ
vahāñ par kuchh nahīñ kahtā huuñ maiñ

manā legī use mā'lūm hai
abhī sach-much nahīñ rūThā huuñ maiñ

chhoḌ kar jā rahā huuñ ghar lekin
mujh ko samjhā nahīñ rahā koī

ham natīje kā intizār kareñ
yā abhī imtihān baaqī hai

paḌ ga.ī hai zabān uljhan meñ
jo chhupānā hai vo batānā hai

maiñ ne patthar to kar liyā ḳhud ko
ab tirī raah se haTānā hai

nahīñ milnā hai kuchh nazreñ uThā kar
hameñ to sirf rasta dekhnā hai

jis ko har vaqt dekhtā huuñ maiñ
us ko bas ek baar dekhā hai

dostoñ ne hañsā diyā aa kar
achchhe-ḳhāse udaas baiThe the

farishtoñ jaisī sūrat kyuuñ banā lī
koī ham se sharārat ho ga.ī kyā

ham to rūThe the āzmāne ko
koī aayā nahīñ manāne ko

tere baare meñ sochne vaalā
apne baare meñ sochtā hī nahīñ

pareshāñ hai vo jhūTā ishq kar ke
vafā karne kī naubat aa ga.ī hai

maiñ ne us kī taraf se ḳhat likkhā
aur apne pate pe bhej diyā

kuchh na kuchh bolte raho ham se
chup rahoge to log sun leñge

Tahalte phir rahe haiñ saare ghar meñ
tirī ḳhālī jagah ko bhar rahe haiñ

kaTī hai umr bas ye sochne meñ
mire baare meñ vo kyā sochtā hai

mar gayā ham ko DāñTne vaalā
ab sharārat meñ jī nahīñ lagtā

phūloñ ko surḳhī dene meñ
patte piile ho jaate haiñ

use le kar jo gaaḌī jā chukī hai
maiñ shāyad us ke nīche aa rahā huuñ

achchhe-ḳhāse qafas meñ rahte the
jaane kyuuñ āsmāñ dikhā.ī diyā

phir usī qabr ke barābar se
zinda rahne kā rāsta niklā

yaar tum ko kahāñ kahāñ DhūñDā
jaao tum se maiñ boltā hī nahīñ

kaash vo rāste meñ mil jaa.e
mujh ko muñh pher kar guzarnā hai

tere jaisā koī milā hī nahīñ
kaise miltā kahīñ pe thā hī nahīñ

yaad hai jo usī ko yaad karo
hijr kī dūsrī davā hī nahīñ

ab un ko yaad kar ke ro rahe haiñ
bichhaḌte vaqt ronā chāhiye thā

hamārā haal tum bhī pūchhte ho
tumheñ ma.alūm honā chāhiye thā

vafā majbūr tum ko kar rahī thī
to phir majbūr honā chāhiye thā

tumheñ bas ye batānā chāhtā huuñ
maiñ tum se kyā chhupānā chāhtā huuñ

suno logoñ ko ye shak ho gayā hai
ki ham jiine kī sāzish kar rahe haiñ

mire sahrā se jo bādal uThe the
kisī dariyā pe bārish kar rahe haiñ

sochnā kuchh nahīñ hameñ filhāl
un se koī bhī baat karnā hai

jis kī ḳhātir charāġh bantā huuñ
ghūrtā hai vahī havā kī tarah

ham tire ġham ke paas baiThe the
dūsre ġham udaas baiThe the

bas vahī imtihāñ meñ paas hue
jo tire ās-pās baiThe the

nahīñ ho tum to aisā lag rahā hai
ki jaise shahr meñ curfew lagā hai

koī barbād ho kar jā chukā hai
koī barbād honā chāhtā hai

jise aatā na ho paanī samajh meñ
use kyā aa.egī machhlī samajh meñ

tumheñ chāñd aur tāroñ kī paḌī hai
hameñ aatī nahīñ miTTī samajh meñ

jo tum se der tak bāteñ karegā
nahīñ aa.egā vo jaldī samajh meñ

kisī kā āḳhirī ḳhat paḌh liyā hai
nahīñ aa.egā ab kuchh bhī samajh meñ

vahī to dāstāñ rahtī hai zinda
ki jo aatī nahīñ puurī samajh meñ

vo jahāñ tak dikhā.ī detā hai
us ke aage maiñ dekhtā hī nahīñ

achchhe-achchhoñ ne rāsta māñgā
maiñ tirī raah se haTā hī nahīñ

āḳhirī baar dekhnā hai use
phir lagātār dekhnā hai use

do hī mausam the dhuup yā bārish
chhatriyoñ kī dukān chaltī rahī

bas tumhārā makāñ dikhā.ī diyā
jis meñ saarā jahāñ dikhā.ī diyā

vo kahīñ thā kahīñ dikhā.ī diyā
maiñ jahāñ thā vahīñ dikhā.ī diyā

ḳhvāb meñ ik hasīñ dikhā.ī diyā
vo bhī parda-nashīñ dikhā.ī diyā

us ko le kar chalī ga.ī gaaḌī
phir hameñ kuchh nahīñ dikhā.ī diyā

koī panchhī koī shikārī hai
zinda rahne kī jañg jaarī hai

ye jo bāhar ḳhudā se Dar rahe haiñ
bahut kuchh dil ke andar kar rahe haiñ

yahāñ par koī dariyā-dil nahīñ hai
sab apne ghar kā paanī bhar rahe haiñ

tirī ḳhushbū se jo vāqif nahīñ haiñ
vo phūloñ se guzāra kar rahe haiñ

buniyādeñ kamzor nahīñ thiiñ
dīvāroñ se aayā paanī

āḳhir kis kis niim kī jaḌ meñ
kab tak Dāleñ mīThā paanī

muñh meñ jab tak zabān baaqī hai
aap kī dāstān baaqī hai

jī nahīñ lag rahā paḌhā.ī meñ
aur abhī imtihān baaqī hai

le to saktā huuñ naam qātil kā
mas.ala ye hai jaan baaqī hai

aur kitnā buland ho jā.ūñ
terī chaukhaT pe sar jhukāne ko

yeh mirā ghar hai vo zamāna hai
ab batāo kidhar ko jaanā hai

aap agar mehrbāñ nahīñ hote
ham jahāñ haiñ vahāñ nahīñ hote

chāhe jitne buland hoñ bādal
ye kabhī āsmāñ nahīñ hote

dhyān rakkheñ pukārne vaale
ham jahāñ haiñ vahāñ nahīñ hote

mirī pahlī nazar lauTā de mujh ko
tirī jānib dubāra dekhnā hai

nahīñ milnā hai kuchh nazreñ uThā kar
hameñ to sirf rasta dekhnā hai

us ne kyā kyā nahīñ diyā mujh ko
chain phir bhī nahīñ milā mujh ko

sochtā huuñ ki ab kahāñ jā.ūñ
tū bhī pāgal na kar sakā mujh ko

maiñ chhupā rahtā zindagī meñ aur
tū kahīñ aur DhūñDtā mujh ko

maiñ vahī shor likhtā rahtā huuñ
jis ne ḳhāmosh kar diyā mujh ko

tumhāre sāmne baiThā huuñ maiñ
yahī to soch kar zinda huuñ maiñ

pareshāñ dhuup kartī hai mujhe
shikāyat chāñd se kartā huuñ maiñ

sirf dil kā mu'āmla hī nahīñ
'ishq hai ek zimme-dārī bhī

aap ḳhāmoshiyāñ bhī sunte haiñ
aah sun lījiye hamārī bhī

un ko manzil DhūñD hī legī
ghar kā rasta bhuul ga.e haiñ

ham ko rasta batā ke lauT ga.e
ham-safar muskurā ke lauT ga.e

vo jo kahte the ghar banā.eñge
sirf naqsha banā ke lauT ga.e

hoñTh to hil rahe the raat un ke
kyā pata kyā batā ke lauT ga.e

ḳhudā ko bhūlnā āsān hai
hamārā mas.ala insān hai

zarūrat hī nahīñ hai naam kī
tirī ḳhushbū mirī pahchān hai

idhar bhī pheñkiye ḳhanjar koī
hamāre jism meñ bhī jaan hai

maiñ ne DhūñDā sharāb ke andar
aur nasha thā naqāb ke andar

apne apne savāl hote haiñ
apne apne javāb ke andar

maiñ ne masjid meñ jaanā chhoḌ diyā
roz mil jaatā thā ḳhudā koī

bahut dushvār hai rasta hamārā
nahīñ kar pāoge pīchhā hamārā

khā rahā hai abhī taras mujh par
'ishq andhā nahīñ huā hai abhī

lafz dil tak abhī nahīñ pahuñche
vo nigāhoñ se sochtā hai abhī

taar aise juḌe haiñ āñkhoñ ke
sochtā vo hai boltā maiñ huuñ

baḌā ulTā zamāna aa gayā hai
mohabbat karne vaale so rahe haiñ

ḳhudā kā shukr hai ġham par hamāre
jo ḳhush hote the vo bhī ro rahe haiñ

use kaise bhulā.e koī jise
yaad karnā paḌe bhulāne ko

tum to sab kuchh batā.e dete ho
kuchh bachā kar rakho chhupāne ko

us ne kuchh der sun liyā varna
kaun suntā mire fasāne ko

terī maujūdgī meñ kam se kam
jī to kartā hai muskurāne ko

kaun is jhoñpḌī meñ aa.egā
vo bhī barsāt kāTne ke liye

tirī āvāz dhīmī ho rahī hai
koī dīvār ūñchī ho rahī hai

us se kuchh bhī nahīñ chhupāte ham
vo hamārā 'ilāj kartā hai

vo safar sirf janāze kā safar hotā hai
jis meñ apnā yā parāyā nahīñ dekhā jaatā

ye jo vīrāne meñ baiThā huā hai
kisī āvāz se bichhḌā huā hai

ek din mere naam ke uupar
dūsrā naam likh diyā us ne

mujh se mā'mūlī she'r likhvā kar
ḳhud ko mash.hūr kar liyā us ne

mire pīchhe-pīchhe jo chaltī rahī
usī bhiiḌ ne maar Daalā mujhe

jiine lagtā hai zindagī ke baġhair
koī martā nahīñ kisī ke baġhair

ham tirī aarzū ke daftar meñ
kaam karte haiñ salary ke baġhair

kitnī bāteñ haiñ jin ko dīvāne
kah nahīñ sakte ḳhāmushī ke baġhair

ham se sīkho ki apnī marzī se
kaise marte haiñ ḳhud-kushī ke baġhair

dikhā sakte haiñ dānāoñ ko rasta
miyāñ ham 'ishq meñ andhe hue haiñ

tirā bāzār kaise chhoḌ jaa.eñ
yahīñ mahñge yahīñ saste hue haiñ

jo bhī chāhe ḳharīd le ham ko
bas gale se lagānā paḌtā hai

aaj us ke dil meñ dekhā dūsrā apnī jagah
phir jo apne dil meñ dekhā kuchh na thā apnī jagah

aaj bhī mahfil meñ us kī jashn puurā ho gayā
rah gayā is baar bhī maiñ DhūñDtā apnī jagah

sāmne ho to bas ishāra kar
vo chalā jaa.e to pukārā kar

ab ye kahānī lambī chalegī
is meñ hamārā qissa kam hai

rāste sab agar hasīñ hote
fāsle paidā hī nahīñ hote

tū hī tū hai tirī kahānī meñ
kaash ham bhī kahīñ kahīñ hote

hañste haiñ yā udaas hote haiñ
paas vāloñ ko duur jā ke dekh

kahīñ se jab koī āvāz aa.ī
maiñ ye samjhā tirī āvāz aa.ī

ham bhī miTTī tum bhī raakh
tez havā kā shikva kyā

#FahmiBadayuni #Ghazal #PhilosophyOfLife #Poems #Poetry #Shayari #SherOfFahmiBadayuni #UrduPoetry

And They Called Faiz an Unbeliever, an Atheist, a Communist and All Sorts Of Names

The title is a comment under Sabhi Kuch Hai Tera Diya Hua Ghazal sung by Iqbal Bano and penned by Faiz Ahmad Faiz.

Youtube

Iqbal Bano has sung select verses from Faiz's ghazal. Full ghazal and its English translation are below. The translation is from me and is, of course not perfect or anywhere close to the poetic brilliance of Faiz, but is only offered for those who don't understand Urdu and can get some idea about what Faiz is trying to say.

सभी कुछ है तेरा दिया हुआ सभी राहतें सभी कुल्फ़तें कभी सोहबतें कभी फ़ुर्क़तें कभी दूरियाँ कभी क़ुर्बतें All comforts, all hardships, everything is granted by you Moments of togetherness, separation, at times distance and intimacy [...]

https://write.as/meetdheeraj/and-they-called-faiz-an-unbeliever-an-atheist-a-communist-and-all-sorts

Rejected In Paris

I got told off by The Paris Review today. Maybe it wasn’t necessarily directed at me, but as they say in the, now old, new lingo, I felt attacked.  You see, recently, drawing on the well of inspiration that is history I succeeded in writing a poem, but not just any poem. I wrote a ghazal. 

Those who know me for any amount of time are made aware of my taste for writing poetry. It’s usually pretty bad but I persist, cause why not. The OG is long gone anyway. The ghazal is an especially ambitious type of poetry to be taken up my someone with my modest talents. To make matters worse, as I learned today, the ghazal is really well suited for the Urdu. For all practical matters, I know only English. 

By me! San Diego Botanic Garden, California Poppy (I think).

For anyone with any little interest in love and romance, being born in South Asia is a special kind of blessing. We are lucky to have had Urdu poetry reach its peak here. Urdu is perhaps the perfect medium to transmit mischief, passion, pain, longing, and the myriad other emotions which are handmaidens to big Love. Not any kind of expert, but all my life I’ve consumed shayari, sher, ghazals, whether in mainstream Bollywood or in sparkling corners of the internet. 

Armed with the internet, full of inspiration, my trusty editor, Mir ChatGPT, in the other tab. I decided it was time to go all in. The Ghazal was to be written. It was, it follows all the rules, I even make a self reference in the last couplet as is the tradition, but it lacks oomph. A good sher, a good ghazal, should pierce you and make you blush for it’s andaaz, mischief and audacity. 

Mine… well, you can read it here yourself, don’t forget to play the tiny desk concert, it is lovely. 

Definitely read The Paris Review article for it’s a great take of view from a writer who transfers the styles of poetry in one language to another.

#bollywoodPoetry #creativeWriting #crossCulturalWriting #expatWriting #ghazal #languageAndTranslation #literaryCulture #literaryHumor #literaryMagazines #lovePoetry #parisReview #personalEssay #poemWriting #Poetry #poetryCommunity #poetrySubmission #shayari #urduPoetry #writerSLife #writingProcess #writingRejection

#BegumAkhtar remains the greatest #ghazal singer for me. Much more than a ghazal singer, of course. My son's piano teacher lent his precious #vinyl to me, and my god to listen to her record (and I don't even have a top end player/speaker) hits differently.