This poem by Sahir Ludhianvi is dedicated to a friend who asked me about it only yesterday:
Taaj tere liye ik mazahar-e-ulfat hii sahii
tum ko is vaadii-e-rangii.n se aqiidat hii sahii
mere mahabuub kahii.n aur milaa kar mujh se!
Bazm-e-shaahii me.n Gariibo.n kaa guzar kyaa maanii
sabt jis raah pe ho.n satavat-e-shaahii ke nishaa.N
us pe ulfat bharii ruuho.n kaa safar kyaa maanii
merii mahabuub pas-e-pardaa-e-tashhiir-e-vafaa
Tu ne satavat ke nishaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa
murdaa shaaho.n ke maqaabir se bahalevaalii
apane taariik makaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa
anaginat logo.n ne duniyaa me.n muhabbat kii hai
kaun kahataa hai ki saadiq na the jazbe un ke
lekin un ke liye tashhiir kaa saamaan nahii.n
kyuu.N ke vo log bhii apanii hii tarah mufalis the
ye imaaraat-o-maqaabir ye fasiile.n, ye hisaar
mutal-qulhukm shahanashaaho.n kii azamat ke sutuu.N
daaman-e-dahar pe us rang kii gulakaarii hai jis me.n s
shaamil hai tere aur mere ajadaad kaa Khuu.N
merii mahabuub! u.nhe.n bhii to muhabbat hogii
jinakii sannaa_ii ne baKhshii hai ise shakl-e-jamiil
un ke pyaaro.n ke maqaabir rahe benaam-o-namuud
aaj tak un pe jalaa_ii na kisii ne qa.ndiil
ye chamanazaar ye jamunaa kaa kinaaraa ye mahal
ye munaqqash dar-o-diivaar, ye maharaab ye taaq
ik shahanashaah ne daulat kaa sahaaraa le kar
ham Gariibo.n kii muhabbat kaa u.Daayaa hai mazaak
meri mahabuub kahii.n aur milaa kar mujhase!
S, if you're reading this, remind me to translate it for you!
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3 comments:
G, I need a translation !
:D Okay, check your mail in a few days......
My feeble attempt at translating a masterpiece:
~ Taj Mahal ~
The Taaj may is perhaps only icon of love for you.
Could be that you reverence this beautiful setting.
But, my love, let us meet at another place…
There is no place for the indigent in royal courts.
(In palaces) on whose walls are etched signs of royal grandeur,
the flights of lovers' hearts bear no meaning.
(Looking) beyond this veil of an advertisement of adoration,
you should have sensed the marks of affluence.
You, who are solaced by the rich catacombs of dead emperors,
should have cast a glance at your own darkened home
Countless folk have fallen in love in this world -
were their sentiments not authentic?
But they did not possess the material for advertisement
- for they were penniless like you and I
These edifices, these tombs, these ramparts and forts -
symbols of the greatness of arrogant monarchs -
The face of their world has been embellished by flowers and vines
coloured with the blood of your forebears and mine
My beloved, they too may have loved
They, whose artistry has bestowed (on this building) a beautiful appearance,
the graves of their loved ones remain nameless and without a trace,
does anyone even light a candle there today?
These gardens, the banks of Yamuna, this citadel,
these charming walls, minarets and ledges,
An emperor, falling back on his riches,
has mocked the love of the unfortunate.
My love, let us meet at another place…
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