Kabhi Kabhi
Popularized by the movie “kabhi kabhi”, the nazm featured in Sahir’s “talKhiyaaN” and was later simplified for the movie version. The movie contained two different versions of the nazm, the one that was sung by Mukesh and then Mukesh and Lata and the other version was from ‘talKhiyaaN’, recited by Amitabh Bachchan. The one I’m posting right now is straight from his book ‘talKhiyaaN’ and was recited by Amitabh Bachchan in the movie “Kabhi Kabhi”
kabhii kabhii mere dil meiN Khayaal aataa hai
k zindagii tirii zulfoN ke narm chaaoN meiN
guzarne paati to shaadaab ho bhi saktii thii
ye teeragi jo miri zeest ka muqaddar hai
tirii nazar ki shu’aaoN meiN kho bhi sakti thii
ajab na thaa k maiN begaana-e-alam ho kar
tirii jamaal ki ra’anaaiyoN meiN kho rahtaa
tiraa gudaaz badan terii neembaaz aaNkheiN
inheeN haseen fasaanoN meiN mahv ho rahtaa
pukaarti mujhe jab talKhiyaaN zamaane ki
tire laboN se halaavat ke ghooNT pee letaa
hayaat cheekhti phirti barhanaa sar aur maiN
ghaneri zulfoN ke saaye meiN chhup ke jee letaa
magar ye ho na sakaa aur ab ye ‘aalam hai
k tuu nahiiN tira Gham , teri justajoo bhi nahiiN
guzar rahii hai kuchh is tarah zindagii jaise
ise kisii ke sahaare ki aarzoo bhi nahiiN
zamaane bhar ke dukhoN ko lagaa chukaa houN gale
guzar rahaa houN kuchh anjaani rah-guzaaroN se
muheeb saaye mirii samt baRhte aate haiN
hayaat-o-maut ke purhaul KhaarzaaroN se
na koii jaadaa, na manzil, na roshnii ka suraag
bhaTak rahii hai KhalaaoN meiN zindagii meri
inhii KhalaaoN meiN rah jaaouNgaa kabhii kho kar
maiN jaantaa houN mirii ham nafas magar yuuN hi
kabhi kabhi mere dil meiN Khayaal aataa hai
Glossary:
shaadaab = pleasant, agreeable
teeragi = darkness
zeest = life
shu’aaoN = light, rays, brightness
begaana-e-alam = stranger to the world
jamaal = beauty
ra’anaayioN = elegance
gudaaz = gentle, tender
neembaaz = half open
mahv = drowned
talKhiyaaN = bitterness
halaavat = sweetness
hayaat = life
barhanaa = naked
muheeb = dreadful
samt = towards
hayaat-o-maut = life and death
purhaul = full of deceit, might
KhaarzaaroN = a place full of thorns
jaada = road
KhalaaoN = darkness
hamnafas = companion
Thank you for providing the meanings of difficult words
September 19th, 2007 | #
sigh. such a beautiful nazm :\
shukriya, amit..
September 28th, 2007 | #
I know.. i was reading it to a friend last night.. reciting it.. and yeah, after i finished reciting it, i had the same reaction :”sigh!” such a beautiful nazm
September 28th, 2007 | #
oh man oh man oh man do i love this or what!! and i like this version better than what amitabh sings in that movie
October 6th, 2007 | #
thank you for providing the meaning to all the words I could not understand before…..now that I undersatnd them….i cant think about anything else apart from this nazm….
October 29th, 2007 | #
This is just excellent.
December 4th, 2007 | #
Hi, i’ve been searching for the english translation of this poem Kabhi Kabhi, and my search led me here. Its a nice site, but unfortunately i don’t understand Urdu. would someone be kind enough to provide me with the English translation in full ? Thank you
April 19th, 2008 | #
Beautiful Nazm
May 14th, 2008 | #
Thank you to provide original nazm here with tough urdu vocabulary. Since this Nazm is “Biographical” to the great poet.
January 20th, 2009 | #
wow… I didnt know a sahir community existed! I am thrilled to find this wonderful site….
April 10th, 2009 | #
its a fantastic nazm by my favorite shayar sahir.i have no more words to appriciate this.
May 19th, 2011 | #
I think this is best written nazm along with “baat niklegi to”
August 31st, 2011 | #
Its a nice nazm. But their is a mistake in the glossary.
In the phrase “Begana-e-Alam”, Alam means ‘Gham; Sorrow’ not World. Aalam is the word for ‘World; Duniya’..
=> So here it means “Gham se la’taaluq hona”
Thank you 4 Publishing!
October 3rd, 2011 | #
Thank you very much for listing the complete poem. Sahir was one of the best and most popular, poet of the 20th century. I like this poetry and song a lot.
October 22nd, 2011 | #
the words are memorable to me,the emotions are thrilling. The thoughts incite a kind of adventure in your heart when you try to feel them yourself
November 3rd, 2011 | #
November 3rd, 2011 | #
and
November 3rd, 2011 | #
its complicated, its original and its soooo beautiful….
December 4th, 2011 | #
laafaanee or lajawaab
December 9th, 2011 | #
the great poet gives great poem kabhi kabhi mery dil me yeh khayal ata hai which is still on the mouth of every human body we miss you sahir ludhiyanwi
December 17th, 2011 | #
waoooooooooooooooooo this is perfect nazm
December 27th, 2011 | #
it perfectely depicted my situation, i really don’t hv any words to praise it, it is my most favourite nazm for almost last 15 years or so n will remain the same, thanks great sahir ludhiyanvi
March 25th, 2012 | #
very good poem.
May 17th, 2012 | #
hilarious poem,i liked very much
June 18th, 2012 | #
I always admired this poem but was not very clear of meaning of certain words,thanks for providing that. I have noted them on my original book “Talkhiyan” for future reference Thanks once again
July 26th, 2012 | #
magar ye ho na sakaa aur ab ye ‘aalam hai
k tuu nahiiN tira Gham , teri justajoo bhi nahiiN
guzar rahii hai kuchh is tarah zindagii jaise
ise kisii ke sahaare ki aarzoo bhi nahiiN
kya baat hai allaaww … !
November 10th, 2012 | #
Today only i came to know about Sahir Ludhianvi, as i landed up here searching “Kabhi kabhi” english translation. What a choice of words, what a wndrful feeling it gives alongwith the pain the reader feels…Would luk for Sahir’s more poetry….once again…excellent piece
December 29th, 2012 | #
February 7th, 2013 | #
Bahut khoob…….aaj jaana ki iss kavita ke jo kathin shabd hain unka meaning kya hai……….
February 27th, 2013 | #