subah-e-nau roz
subah-e-nau-roz (The morning of a new day)
phooT paReeN mashriq se kirneiN
haal banaa maazii ka fasaanaa
gooNjaa mustaqbil ka taraanaa
bheje haiN ahbaab ne tuhfe
aTe paRe haiN mez ke kone
dulhan banii hui haiN raaheiN
jashn manaao saal-e-nau ke
nikli hai bangle ke dar se
ik muflis dahqaan ki beTi
afsurdah murjhaaii hui hai
jism ke dukhte joR dabaati
aaNchal se seene ko chhupaatii
muTThii meiN ik noT dabaaye
jashn manaao saal-e-nau ke
bhooke zard gadaagar bachche
kaar ke peechhe bhaag rahe haiN
waqt se pahle jaag uThe haiN
peep bharii aaNkheiN sahlaate
sar ke phoRoN ko khujlaate
vo dekho kuchh aur bhi nikle
jashn manaao saal-e-nau ke
Glossary:
mashriq = east
haal = present
maazii = past
mustaqbil = tomorrow
ahbaab = friends
tuhfe = presents
aTe =
saal-e-nau = new year
muflis = poor
dahqaan = villager
afsurdah = sad
noT = english word, “Note” indicating “bill” (currency wise)
zard = yellow
gadaagar = beggars
peep = pus
A sarcastic poem about the new year celebrations, Sahir, in his masterful ways, shows how things just don’t change and we celebrate every New-Year.
Has India been successful in eradicating poverty since the time of Sahir? What Sahir witnessed four decades ago in Bombay is borne by millions of Indians in the metros. They need a metamorphosis to a new social order. Will the new millennium bring hope for them?
July 13th, 2007 | #
Prof. Sahib,
You are absolutely right that what Sahir wrote long time ago is still valid in today’s day and age. Poverty in India should be intimately associated with the corruption that has taken deep roots within our society. Is this going to change? I highly doubt it. At this point, they should have fixed rates for everthing, you want this done, give this much to PA, this much to chaprasi, this much to boss, and then you will have it. Bhagat Singh envisioned a socialist society and warned us in his time that we are simply going to replace a “gora babu” with a “bhoora babu” and this is precisely what has happened. This reminds me of another Sahir’s song “vo subah kabhi to aayegi” and the fact that “ummeed pe duniyaa qaayam hai”. Thank you for your comments.
July 17th, 2007 | #