Shamm-e-aman [Gandhi Jayanti ke mauqe par ek tasur] - nazm by Ali Jawad Zaidi

Shamm-e-aman
[Gandhi Jayanti ke mauqe par ek tasur]

      - Ali Jawad Zaidi

Khushada haath ke sardi bhare andhere mein
nikaali jisne dil-e-sang se bhi chingaari
Khushada log jinhone ye aag bujhne na di
kisi ne raakh ki chadar se dhaanp kar rakha
kisi ne shola-ba-shola ise farogh diya
kisi ne iski parastish aashti paayi

                                Ye aag jalti rahi, zindagi machalti rahi
                                ragon mein garm raha isse khoon-e-insaani

Ye aag vo hai ke laakhon ke haath jhulsaaye
magar isi ne shab-e-taar ko jamaal diya
khushada zehen ke jisne zara se sholey ko
andhere ghar ke diye ki chamak mein dhaal diya
Diye ki lau se ladi.n tez andhiyaa.n sau baar
Kahin to champayi aanchal hi ban gaya deewar
kahin subuk si hatheli bani haseen hisaar

                                 Kisi ne band kiye rozano.n ke darwaaze

                                 kisi ne oat ki khatir bana liye fanoos

Kahin darogh kahin mahshar-e-nifaaq-o-jidaal
Kahin pe jahal-o-toham, kahin pe istehsaal
Hazaar shaklon mein dekha gaya andheron ko 
hazaar baar andheron ne saazishein ki hain
hazaar baar hui hai shikast-e-faash unhein 

                                 Badha hai le ke diya dast-e-shauq mein koi
                                 na khauf-e-sarsar-o-toofan, na khauf-e-daar-o-saleeb

Ye saamne se guzarta juloos sadiyo.n ka 
Kisi ke sar pe chamakta hai taaj kaanto.n ka
kisi ke dast-e-qavi mein hai zeher ka pyaala 
kisi ke paaye mubarak mein aahani zanjeer
kisi ke halaq pe hai zeher mein bujhi shamsheer 

                                      Har ek baar andhere ko ye gumaan guzra
                                      kisi bhi shamm ki lau ab na thar-tharaaegi
                                      magar har ek jagah intezaam-e-shamm bhi tha
                                      jahaan-jahaan se andheron ka kaarwaa.n guzra

                                      Vo neem barahnagi ka jalaal-e-shahaana
                                      jo zindagi ko jalaata raha diye ki tarah
                                      ke khud jale to jale bazm jagmagaati rahe
                                      gudaaz qalb-o-nazar, shamm bhi tha, tesha bhi tha 
                                      Pighal-pighal gaye kohsaar, gir padi deewar
                                      bhala ye kis mein tha dum kham ke raasta roke? 

Ye ik naheef musafir jafaa ki raaho.n ka 
tamaam umr nabard aazma raha gham se 
koi sawaal liye seena-e-shahadat mein 
kisi jawaab ka taalib hai aaj bhi hum se.

  
***

Word meanings:

Shamm (shama): flame/lamp 
Khushada: liberal or generous
Aashti: peace

Subuk: light-weight

Hisaar: encirclement or fortress

Sarsar: cold and wild winds

Daar o saleeb: gallows

Rozan: vent or gap
Oat: shelter or veil

Fanoos: lampshade or chandelier

Darogh: falsehood

Mahshar: related to ressurection

Nifaaq: saleable or hypocrisy or malice

Jidaal: to make strong, or altercation
Jahal o toham: ignorance and superstition

Istehsaal: to make gains, or exploitation

Qavi: robust

Aahani: iron

Neem barahnagi: half-naked

Gudaaz: molten or soft 

Qalb: heart

Tesha: axe

Kohsaar: mountains

Jafaa: tyranny or unkindness

Kham: twist, bend, or curve 

Naheef: weak 

Nabard: battle

Taalib: seeker, student, or one who asks a question

Kya kisi se kam tha ishq beimaan apna?

Transcribed an old ghazal written by my grandfather, Ali Jawad Zaidi, for those who are into this sort of thing but don't know the Urdu script. 

Kya kisi se kam tha, ishq beimaa.n apna?
Intizaar kyun karti marg e nagahaa.n apna?

Jab Tahu ke deta hai dard e bekaraa.n apna
Gungunaane lagta hai shauq e naghmakhwa.n apna

Jis jagah havaon se shole baat karte hain
Bas vahin kahin par tha gosha e imaa.n apna

Manzilon mein shabkhoon hain, raaston mein rahzan hain
Hum ko phir bhi chalna hai leke kaarwaa.n apna

Uske saare taaqon par rang o buu ki devi hai
Dair e khush-navaayi hai sang e aastaa.n apna

Dost agle waqton ke daude bahr e hamdardi
Kaash main bhi sun sakta shor "Ala maa.n" apna

Sau payaam ulfat ke kaanpte hain hothon par
Ajnabi si galiyon mein kaun hum-zabaa.n apna

Zindagi ki mahroomi tohfa e mohabaat hai
Humne inse paaya hai dard e raigaa.n apna

Daastaa.n faroshi to shaayri nahin Zaidi
Fan kahin na ban jaaye zeb e daastaa.n apna

- Ali Jawad Zaidi (page 37, Naseem-e-dasht-e-aarzu)