Monday, December 25, 2000

Ghazal 24: shab ko mahtaab naheeN, subh' ko Khursheed naheeN




shab ko mahtaab naheeN, subh' ko Khursheed naheeN
haaye voh zeest, kih jis meiN kaheeN ummeed naheeN!

ba'ad ik 'umr ke yeh 'uqda khulaa hai mujh par
taalib-e-deed to hooN, mustahaq-e-deed naheeN

kyaa kahaa aap ne? ik baar to phir se kahiye
voh kare, aur meri baat ki taa'eed? naheeN!

voh ho maujood to har roz hai roz-e-barakat!
voh agar saath na ho, 'Eid bhi phir 'Eid naheeN!

lab par us kee hi sanaa, dil meiN hai us kaa hi Khayaal!
phir bhi duniyaa ka hai israar: yeh tauheed naheeN!

jaane kyoN ab bhi usee se hai vafaa kee Khwaahish
jis se ulfat ki ko'ee soorat-e-tajdeed naheeN!!

us pe zaay'a na gayaa jins-e-giraaN.maaya`e-'ishq
tajriba Khoob thaa -- is baat ki tardeed naheeN!

ahl-e-minbar bhi Khilaaf, ahl-e-KhumistaaN bhi Khafaa
dil-e-bad.baKht! kahaaN par tiri tanqeed naheeN?

chaak-e-daamaan-e-Khirad, chaak-e-gireebaan-e-anaa
voh junooN kyaa hai, 'ayaaN jis meiN yeh tajreed naheeN!?

chal kaheeN door tu is shehr se 'naadaaN,' kih yahaaN
rasm-e-ulfat ka ko'ee banda`e-taqleed naheeN!


(DECEMBER 25, 2000 - ARLINGTON, TX - USA)




Saturday, September 30, 2000

Ghazal 23: 'ishq kaa sard hai baazaar, Khudaa Khair kare




R'ishq kaa sard hai baazaar, Khudaa Khair kare
hai yahaaN qaht-e-Khareedaar, Khudaa Khair kare

zindagi ho gayee dushvaar, Khudaa Khair kare
kyaa kare ab dil-e-naadaar? Khudaa Khair kare

paas-e-ulfat hai kaheeN aur na kaheeN paas-e-vafaa!
ho gaye dost bhi aGhyaar, Khudaa Khair kare

chand lamhoN ki masarrat ke liye duniyaa meiN
log marne ko haiN taiyaar?! Khudaa Khair kare

jab bhi bigRi hui qismat pe nazar paRti hai
lab pe aa jaata hai har baar - "Khudaa Khair kare!"

kis tarah qalb-e-pareshaaN ko sukooN haasil ho?
nazar aate naheeN aasaar, Khudaa Khair kare!

halqa`e-Gham meiN kabhi, daam-e-museebat meiN kabhi
dil to paiham hai giraftaar, Khudaa Khair kare

quvvat-e-deed to har shaKhs meiN be.shak hai, magar
kaun hai taalib-e-deedaar? Khudaa Khair kare!

tishnagi baRhti hai aisee k. yeh bujhti hi naheeN,
koi to gaaiye "Malhaar" -- Khudaa Khair kare (1)

jaan dene meiN mujhe 'uzr naheeN hai, lekin
voh agar is se ho bezaar? Khudaa Khair kare!

kyaa kahaa aapne? 'naadaaN' bhi yahaaN mehfil meiN
le ke aayaa hai phir ash'aar? Khudaa Khair kare!

(SEPTEMBER 30, 2000 - ARLINGTON, TX - USA)


(1) "Malhaar" refers to a group of melodic scales in Indian
Classical Music which is associated with the anticipation of
the rains and the rainy season.oman here




Tuesday, February 22, 2000

Ghazal 22: muddat ke baad ab voh mujhe yaad aaye hai




muddat ke baad ab voh mujhe yaad aaye hai
jaise koi bujhaa sa diyaa phir jalaaye hai

maazi ki yaad mujhko hameshaa sataaye hai
soz-e-darooN se aaNkh bhi dariyaa bahaaye hai

deevaangi ne aaj yeh kyaa haal kar diyaa?
kaaNpe haiN mere haath to lab thartharaaye hai

duniya meiN dard-e-dil to rahaa saath mustaqil
so yooN huaa k. Gham hi mujhe raas aaye hai

"jab bhi teri talaash ko nikle, bhaTak gaye" (1)
hai raah kaun si jo tere ghar ko jaaye hai?

ik dasht-e-zindagi ka maiN gumgashta raahrau
DhooNDe hai dil sukooN ko, valekin na paaye hai

dil to raheen-e-ranj-o-alam kab ka ho chukaa
ab dekhiye qismat miri kyaa gul khilaaye hai!

hai kyaa 'ajab jo dost bhi mujh se kareN gurez?
saaya bhi mujh se ab mira katraa ke jaaye hai!

gar hooN rumooz-e-'ishq se na-aashnaa to kyaa?
naadaaN, yeh 'ilm voh hai jo barsoN meiN aaye hai!

(FEBRUARY 22, 2000 - WICHITA, KS - USA)

(1) Dr. Raj Kumar Pathria, PhD.