ihys ihys Qwy rqe dks [+okc esa dPps f[kyk;s Fks
ogha bd jkLrk Fkk ^Vgfy;ksa* dk] ftlis ehyksa rd iM+k djrs Fks
>wys lkSa/ks lkou ds
mlh dh lkSa/kh [+kw'kcw ls] esgd mBrh gSa vk¡[ksa
tc dHkh bl [+okc ls xqt+:a
rqEgsa jgrkl dk pyrk dqWavk Hkh rks fn[kk;k Fkk
fd+ys esa cUn jgrk Fkk tks fnu Hkj] jkr dks xkWao esa
vk tkrk Fkk dgrs gSa---
rqqEgsa dkyk ls dkyoky rd ysdj mM+k gw¡ eSa
rqEgsa nj;k;s tgye ij vtc eUt+j fn[kk;s Fks
tgka rcZwt+ ij ysVs gq;s rSjkd yM+ds cgrs jgrs Fks
tgka rxM+s ls bd ljnkj dh ixM+h idM+ dj eSa
ugkrk] Mwcfd;ka ysrk] exj tc x+kSrk vk tkrk rks esjh uhan [kqy tkrh
exj ;s flQ+Z [+okcksa gh esa eqfEdu gS
ogka tkus esa vc nq'okfj;ka gSa dqN fl;klr dh
oru vc Hkh ogh gS] ij ugha gS eqyd vc esjk
ogk tkuk gks vc rks nks nks ljdkjksa ds nl;ksa nQ+rjksa ls
'kdy ij] yxok ds eqgjsa] [+okc lkfcr djus iM+rs gSa!
A Knock
A dream knocked on my door early one morning
Some guests had come from across the border
Familiar to my eyes
Their faces known and read.
I helped wash their hands and feet
Laid out seats in the courtyard
Baked makki-roti in the tandoor for them
My guests had brought as gifts
Gur from past harvests
I woke up to find no one in the house
I touched the tandoor and found it was still warm
And my lips still sticky with the sweet gur
It was a dream perhaps!
Yes, it must have been a dream!
Last night there was shelling at the border, I hear
Last night, some dreams were killed at the border!
nLrd
lqcg lqcg bd [+okc dh nLrd ij njokt+k [kksyk] ns[kk
ljgn ds ml ikj ls dqN esgeku vk, gSa
vk¡[kksa ls ekuwl Fks lkjs
psgjs lkjs lqus lquk,
ikWao /kks,] gkFk /kqyk,
vkaxu esa vklu yxok,
vkSj rUuwj is eDdbZ dh dqN eksVs eksVs jksV idk,
iksVyh esa esgeku esjs
fiNys lkyksa dh Q+lyksa dk xqM+ yk, Fks
vk¡[k [kqyh rks ns[kk ?kj esa dksbZ ugha Fkk
gkFk yxk dj ns[kk rks rUuwj vHkh rd cq>k ugha Fkk
vkSj gksaVksa ij ehBs xqM+ dk t+k;d+k vc rd fpid jgk Fkk
[+okc Fkk 'kk;n!
[+okc gh gksxk!
ljgn ij dy jkr] lquk gS] pyh Fkh xksyh
ljgn ij dy jkr] lquk gS
dqN [+okcksa dk [+kwu gqvk Fkk!
Bhameri*
We were all running
We were refugees
Mother had worn all the jewellery she possessed
My Chhoti, six years of age,
Had been fed fully and given milk
I had my bhameri and a top
Tucked in my pajamas
We were fleeing from our village in the night
We were refugees.
We had crossed a shrieking jungle of fire and smoke,
Running through burning vistas
Our hands tore through the intestines of a storm
Its jaws open wide, its eyes barking
Mother had vomited blood as she ran.
God knows when Chhoti’s hand slipped from mine
There, that day, I discarded my childhood
But in the hush of the deserts at the border, I have often seen
A bhameri still dancing
And a top still spinning.
Hkesjh
ge lc Hkkx jgs Fks
jsQ+;wth Fks
ek¡ us ftrus t+soj Fks] lc isgu fy;s Fks
ckU/k fy;s Fks—
NksVh eq>s ls—N lkyksa dh
nw/k fiyk ds] [+kwc f[kyk ds] lkFk fy;k Fkk
eSaus viuh ,d ^Hkesjh* vkSj bd ^ykVw*
iktkes esa mM+l fy;k Fkk
jkr dh jkr ge xkao NksM+ dj Hkkx jgs Fks
jsQ+;wth Fks—
vkx /kw;sa vkSj ph[+k iqdkj ds taxy ls xqt+js Fks lkjs
ge lc ds lc ?kksj /kw;sa esa Hkkx jgs Fks
gkFk fdlh vkU/kh dh vkarsa QkM+ jgs Fks
vk¡[ksa vius tcM+s [kksys HkkSad jgh Fkh
ek¡ us nkSM+rs nkSM+rs [+kwu dh d+S dj nh Fkh
tkus dc NksVh dk eq> ls NwVk gkFk
ogha mlh fnu Qsad vk;k Fkk viuk cpiu—
ysfdu eSaus ljgn ds lUukVksa ds lgjkvksa esa vDlj
ns[kk gS
,d ^Hkesjh* vc Hkh ukpk djrh gS
vkSj ,d ^ykVw* vc Hkh ?kwek djrk gS—!
Bullet
The bullet wove its way through the turban
And the blood splattered on the wall
as though someone had spat a mouthful of paan
A shower of fire and gunpowder fell
Heads, torsos, hands flew in all directions, bursting
Like kernels of corn in a kiln
Reduced to ashes, a trail of firecrackers.
A stunned silence stood for a while
Someone could be heard whimpering
Standing quietly in one corner of the house
An oil-lamp kept quivering!
lkQ+s dks lj ls ijksrh gqbZ xqt+jh xksyh
lkQ+s dks lj ls ijksrh gqbZ xqt+jh xksyh
vkSj nhokj is ;wa [+kwu fxjk] tSls dksbZ iku dk dqYyk dj ns!
,d ckSNkj lh fQj vkfr'k&o&ck:n dh cjlh
lj] /kM+] gkFk] fxjs pkjksa rjQ+ QVrs gq;s
HkV~Vh esa tSls pVdrs gq;s dqN eDdh ds nkus
lc ds lc Hkwus x;s ,d iVk[+kksa dh yM+h ls!
,d lUukVk lk dqN nsj [kM+k lqurk jgk
dksbZ vkokt+ flLdus dh lqukbZ nh Fkh
?kj ds bd dksus esa pqi pki [kM+k
bd fn;k dkai jgk Fkk!
A Scene
The wind was cold, it was the 26th of January!
There was mist all around in Lahore –
The Raavi flowed past –
The court was closed and the British flag fluttered on the roof
The three of them stood leaning against the wall, motionless
The dawn could be heard breathing from a distance
They had to climb the roof and bring down the British flag that night
They were determined to change the attire of Hindustan
Zafar was on the flagpole when the bullet burst into his head
Drops of blood splashed all over the country.
The wind is cold and it is the 26th of January
There is mist all around
Floats parade on Rajpath, Delhi
And the Raavi flows in Lahore.
eUT+kj
cM+h BUMh gok Fkh] vkSj NCchl tuojh Fkh!
fQ+t+k esa dqgjk Fkk] ykgksj Fkk---
nj;k;s jkoh cg jgk Fkk---
dpgjh cUn Fkh] vkSj Nr is vaxzst+ksa dk >UMk Fkk
oks rhuksa ne&c[+kqn nhokj ls yx ds [kM+s Fks
lqcg dh nwj ls lkalsa lqukbZ ns jgh Fkh
mUgsa ml jkr Nr is p<+ ds vaxszt+ksa dk oks ipZe fxjkuk Fkk
oks rhuksa lksp dj vk;s Fks fgUnwlrku dh iks'kkd cnysaxs!
^t+Q+j* cYye is Fkk] tc lj esa ;wa tkdj QVh xksyh fd
iwjs eqyd esa NhaVs iM+s mM+ dj---!
cM+h BUMh gok gS] vkSj NCchl tuojh gS
fQ+t+k esa dqgjk gS]
fnYyh esa ^>kadh* py jgh gS
ykgksj esa nj;k;s jkoh cg jgk gS!
Karachi
Kites hover over corpses in your city
In much the same way they do
In my city, on its crossroads.
When bodies fall
Prey to police firing
The vultures begin to descend
In this, our two countries
So much is common among the common people.
djkph!
rsjs 'kgj esa Hkh rks physa
mlh rjg yk'kksa ds m$ij eaMykrh gSa
tSls esjs 'kgj ds pkSjkgksa ij
cUnkscLr dh xksfy;ka [kkdj---
yksxksa dh yk'ksa tc fxjrh gSa
vkLeku ij eaMykrs fx/k uhps mrj vkrs gSa
ge nksuksa ds] nks eqYdksa esa
vke vkneh fdrus feyrs tqyrs gSa!
Toba Tek Singh
I have to meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah
He still stands there on swollen feet
where Manto had left him mumbling:
‘Ooper di gurh-gurh di moong di daal di laltain.’
I have to search for that madman
Who would climb a high branch and proclaim
That he was God
And only he could decide which village would go to which side.
When will he descend from his branch?
I have to tell him
That the job of dividing and cutting is still in progress
That partition was the first one
Some more partitions remain!
I have to meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah
And tell him about his friend Afzal,
And Lahan Singh, Wadhwa Singh, Amrit behen –
All of whom came this side after they were killed
Their heads were looted with their belongings on the way
It’s time to sacrifice Bhuri
No one will come for her now
And that girl who grew a finger’s length every twelve months
Now shrinks by part of a finger year by year
I have to tell him
That not all lunatics have reached their destinations
There are many who still roam around on both sides
Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan often calls me to Wagah, saying,
‘Ooper di gurh-gurh di moong di daal di laltain
Di Hindustan te Pakistan di durr phite munh.’*
Vksck Vsd flag!
eq>s ok?kk is ^Vksck Vsd flag* okys ^fc'ku* ls tkds feyuk gS
lquk gS oks vHkh rd lwts iSjksa ij [kM+k gS ftl txg eUVks us NksM+k Fkk
oks vc rd cM+cM+krk gS
^mij nh xqM+ xqM+ eax nh nky nh ykyVsu*
irk ysuk gS ml ikxy dk
m$Waph Mky ij p<+ dj tks dgrk Fkk
[+kqnk gS oks
mlh dks Q+Slyk djuk gS fdl dk xkWao fdl fgLls esa tk;sxk
oks dc mrjsxk viuh Mky ls
ml dks crkuk gS
vHkh dqN vkSj Hkh ny gSa
fd ftu dks ckWaVus dk] dkVus dk dke tkjh gS
oks cVokjk rks igyk Fkk
vHkh dqN vkSj cVokjk Hkh] ckd+h gSa!
eq>s ok?kk is Vksck Vsd flag okys fc'ku ls tkds feyuk gS
[+kcj nsuh gS mlds nksLr ^vQ+t+y* dh
oks ^ygu flag*] ok/kok flag] oks ^HkSu ve`r*
tks lkjs d+ry gksdj bl rjQ+ vk;s Fks
mudh xnZusa lkeku gh esa
yqV xbZa ihNs
t+cg djns oks ^Hkwjh* vc dksbZ ysus u vk;sxk!
oks yM+dh ,d maxyh tks cM+h gksrh Fkh gj ckjg eghuksa esa
oks vc gj bd cjl bd iksVk iksVk ?kVrh jgrh gS
crkuk gS fd lc ikxy vHkh igaqps ugha vius fBdkuksa ij
cgqr ls bl rjQ+ gSa] vkSj cgqr ls ml rjQ+ Hkh gSa
eq>s ok?kk is Vksck Vsd flag okys fc'ku vDlj ;gh dg ds cqykrk gS
^mij nh xqM+ xqM+ eqax nh nky nh ykyVsu---
nh fgUnwLrku rs ikfdLrku nh nqj QVs eqag*!
Silence at the Border
Why is everything so still at the border?
I am scared of this frozen silence.
This stork-like silence is very cunning
While standing on one leg
Meditating with one eye closed
It keeps the other open.
Cactuses of thorny voices sprout
At the slightest stir
On either side of the border.
In the deserts along the border
Even the wind moves holding its breath
And the sand blows rubbing its neck against the ground.
A stillness has descended on the border
I am scared of this icy silence along the border.
ljgn ij ;s ldrk D;ksa gS
ljgn ij ;s ldrk D;ksa gS
bl cQ+kZc lh [+kkeks'kh ls Mj yxrk gS!
cxys tSlh [+kkeks'kh eDdkj cgqr gS
,d Vkax ij [kM+s [kM+s Hkh
,d vkWa[k ls /;ku yxk;s]
nwth vkWa[k [kqyh j[krh gSA
tc Hkh dksbZ gypy gks rks
ljgn dh nkuksa tkfuc gh
dkaVsnkj vkokt+ksa ds dqN dsdV~l mxus yxrs gSa!
ljgn ds jsfxLrkuksa esa
lkal nck dj pyrh gS [+kkeks'k gqvk
jsr] t+eha ls xnZu f?kl dj mM+rh gS
ljgn ij ldrk rkjh gS
ljgn dh cQ+kZc lh bl [+kkeks'kh ls vc Mj yxrk gS!
Neighbour
As long as there is light in the house opposite mine
Shadows from that house walk about
On the wall of my room.
There is a wheelchair
It keeps getting pushed left or right
Two pet birds flying in that house crash against
my wall
A cage hanging there becomes a cage in my house.
God knows which window with bars closes
And creates a prison door on my wall
All the passers-by look like prisoners.
When the naked bulb moves and swings
People start floating in the air
A circus begins
And chaos reigns for a while.
Then the barred window opens
Another light is switched on
Two swaying shadows, clasped in an embrace, come to stand in the balcony
Perhaps they are looking at my house.
Sometimes it so happens
That smoke from that house casts shadows
on my wall
And then it seems
As though both houses are on fire!
iM+kslh
tc rd esjs lkeus okys ?kj esa jkS'kuh tyrh gS
esjs dejs dh nhokj is
ml ?kj dh iNkZb;ka pyrh jgrh gSa
/kDdk [kk ds nk,sa ck,sa ?kwerh jgrh gS
ml ?kj dh nks ikyrw fpfM+;ka mM+rh gSa rks esjh bl nhokj ls Vdjk tkrh gSa
ml ?kj esa yVdk bd fiatjk] esjs ?kj dk fiatjk yxrk gS
tkus dkSu lh f[kM+dh cUn gksrh gS] ftldh tkyh ls
nhokj is tsy dk njokt+k cu tkrk gS
vkrs tkrs yksx lHkh d+Snh yxrs gSa
uaxk yVdk cYc dHkh fgy tk, rks
yksx gok esa mM+us yxrs gSa
bd ldZl yx tkrh gS
dqN nsj x+nj ep tkrk gS
fQj oks f[kM+dh [kqy tkrh gS
vkSj dksbZ cRrh tyrh gS
nks >wwers lk,s fyiVs fyiVs] ckyduh esa] vkds [kM+s gks tkrs gSa
'kk;n esjs ?kj dh tkfuc ns[k jgs gSa
dHkh dHkh ;wa Hkh gksrk gS
ml ?kj ds /kw,sa dh iNkZbZa] esjh nhokj is iM+rh gS
rc yxrk gS---
nksuksa ?kjksa esa vkx yxh gS!
Compatriot
(For Ahmad Faraz)
At long last, the sun’s hue has changed
At long last, you have smiled again.
Suppressing my hiccups for half a century
I have been waiting for you to look at me
And, perhaps, read what the parched tears have to say
For, the pain of separation is no less for me.
Every day, I have bowed my head towards your land
Every night, I have kissed your sky
The moon and stars you see lying on your roof
Are the same that bathe my courtyard.
The moon you have autographed time and again
And set afloat in the sky, night after night
I read your signature on it even today.
When the breeze wafts towards you
I tie a thousand gajras to its wrist
When clouds travel in that direction, I tell them
To soften their thunder and shower with respect.
You love your country, I know
I love it too, believe me.
There’s a small differ
ence, though, if only you understand
You are there, and I belong there.
ge oru
¼vgen Q+jkt+ ds fy;s½
cgqr fnuksa esa lgh] jax /kwi dk cnyk
cgqr fnuksa esa lgh] fQj ls eqLdjk, rqe
ipkl lky ls eSa fgpfd;kWa nck, gq,
bl bUrst+kj esa Fkk] vk¡[k mBk ds ns[kks rqe
rks [+kq'kd v'kdksa dh rgjhj i<+ ldks 'kk;n
fd esjk nnZ tqnkbZ dk rqe ls de rks u Fkk
gj ,d jkst+ rqEgkjh t+eha dks ltnk fd;k
gj ,d jkr rqEgkjs Q+yd dks pwek gS
fd esjs pk¡n flrkjs rks vkt Hkh gSa ogh
tks Nr is ysVs gq, jkst+ ns[krs gks rqe
fd pk¡n vkt Hkh i<+rk gw¡ eSa mlh #[+k ls
oks ftl is rqe us dbZ ckj nLr[+r dj ds
Q+yd is NksM+ fn;k] jkr jkr mM+rk jgs
gok xbZ tks dHkh >wy dj rqEgkjh rjQ+
gt+kj xtjs dykbZ is ckWa/k dj Hkstk
x, tks vcj dHkh ml rjQ+] dgk mu ls
oks ysgtk ueZ j[ksa vkSj vnc ls cjlk djsa
rqEgsa vt+ht+ gS viuk oru] eSa tkurk gw¡
eq>s Hkh ml ls eqgCcr gS] rqe ;d+ha dj yks
t+jk lk Q+d+Z gS xj rqe le> ldks bldks
fd rqe ogha ds gks vkSj eSa ogha ls gw¡!
Zindanama*
Ambling across the alleys of Lahore one night, the moon
Climbed the high ramparts of the prison
And like a ‘commando’ jumped into the cell, soundlessly.
The guards remained oblivious.
It had gone to meet Faiz
To ask him to write new verses.
The pulse of time has stopped
Say something
To make the pulse of time throb again.
ft+Unka ukek
pk¡n ykgksj dh xfy;ksa ls xqt+j ds bd 'kc
tsy dh m$Waph Q+lhysa p<+ ds
;wa ^dekUMks* dh rjg dwn x;k Fkk ^lsy* esa]
dksbZ vkgV u gqbZ
isgjsnkjksa dks irk gh u pyk
Q+St+ ls feyus x;k Fkk] ;s lquk gS
Q+St+ ls dgus] dksbZ uT+e dgks]
oD+r dh uCt+ #dh gS
dqN dgks
oD+r dh uCt+ pys!
Eyes Don’t Need a Visa
Eyes don’t need a visa
Dreams have no borders
Eyes closed, I cross the border every day
To meet Mehdi Hasan!
I have heard that his voice is injured
And the ghazal sits in front of him, mute