Photo credit Vakil Ansari
May 22nd, 2015 was the day of the 4th Annual International Mushaira of Halqa Arbab e Zauq. Some of the notables from Pakistan and India could not make it. It was presided by Pirzada Qasim. Details can be found in the media, For Urdu Times Click here.
Although I had participated in similar events in college days, this is the first time I read poetry in a proper Mushaira. All my previous 'work' was during college days and since then I had attempted a poem here and there; it was really the encouragement of the Halqa which made me start writing again.
I am thankful to the Halqa and all those who encouraged including Saeed Naqvi, Vakil Ansari, Naeem Rathor, Abdul Rehman Abd and Baji Nusrat. Special thanks to Shaukat Fehmi whose fan I was from the earlier days I used to attend Halqa sessions in Zameer Jafri and Johar Mir's days of 1990's.
This is a ghazal and has difficult subjects in each verse to deal with. I am sure I have not done justice to each subject. For my readers who cannot read Urdu, I have transliterated and translated in the end, without going into much of the details.
Transliteration and translation
tum ko chahiye jesi bood o baash kar day ga
dharkaney jama kar do, ba muaash kar day ga
What ever type of living style you want, you will get
Just surrender your feelings, and (big brother) will take care of you
sung kay muqadar ka teshagar musanif hay
nehr khod laye ga, but(h) tarash kar day ga
The destiny of the rock is authored by the stone cutter
He can make a water way out of it, or carve a statue
(there are mythical references to it, Sheren Farhad story)
soch ki qadamat ne so tahen lagai hain
aaghi ka ik lamha ramz faash kar day ga
Fossilized thoughts have put hundreds of layers
One moment of enlightenment is enough to reveal the hidden truth
dostoon kay qissay ko chairtay nahi socha
munhalik yey saniha e dilkhirash kar day ga
You did not realize when you started to talk about old friends
This heartwrenching episode will be fatal
ma'badon kay bargad say fikr to paray rakhna
ye milap paiwande irtiaash kar day ga
Keep (independent) thoughts away from the Banyans of Worship Houses
This joint will end up in trembling of the (profoundly calm) tree
deed kay talabgaro hosla muqadam hay
jils(e) yusofana hay qaash qaash kar day ga
Have to have a strong heart before you ask for audiance
Seeing Joseph will end up (you) cutting yourself in peices
(Reference to the Quranic story of ladies of Egypt cutting their fingers when seeing the captive Joseph)
sahiron ka Halqa hay soch kar qadam rakhna
kis qumaash kay tum ho kis qumaash kar day ga
Think (twice) before you step in the circle (halqa) of these magicians
It will make you a different person
(reference to Halqa Arbab e Zauq)
raastay ki shorish say zaat ko bacha laya
tahelka do ander hay paash paash kar day ga
I kept myself safe from the vicissitudes of the journey
The turmoil inside me is what will decimate me
terey kaflay ka wo aakhri payada hay
jo gohar gira tuj say wo talaash kar day ga
He is the last man walking in your caravan
Whatever is dropped (lost) by you will be found by him
(there is a historic reference for those who know)
