Today’s Nazm — kal aur aaj

(1)

kal bhi booNdeiN barsii thiiN
kal bhi baadal chhaye the

aur kavi ne sochaa thaa!

baadal ye aakaash ke sapne, in zulfoN ke saaye haiN
dosh-e-havaa par maiKhaane hi maiKhaane ghir aaye haiN
rut badlegi, phool khileiNge, jhoNke madhu barsaayeiNge
ujle ujle khetoN meiN rangeeN aaNchal lahraayeiNge
charvaahe bansii kii dhun se geet fazaa meiN boyeiNge
aamoN ke jhunDoN ke neeche pardesi dil kholeiNge
peNg baRhaati gori ke maathe se kauNde lapkeiNge
johaR ke Thahre paani meiN taare aaNkheiN jhapkeiNge
uljhi uljhi raahoN meiN vo aaNchal thaame aayeiNge
dharti, phool, aakaash sitaare sapna sa ban jaayeiNge

kal bhi booNdeiN barsii thiiN
kal bhi baadal chhaye the

aur kavi ne socha!

(2)

aaj bhi booNdeiN barseiNgi
aaj bhi baadal chhaye haiN

aur kavi is soch meiN hai

basti pe baadal chhaaye haiN, par ye bastii kiski hai
dharti par amrit barsegaa, lekin dharti kiski hai
hal jotegi khetoN meiN alhaR Tolii dahqaanoN kii
dharti se phooTegii mehnat faaqaakash insaanoN kii
fasleiN kaaT ke mehnatkash, galle ke Dher lagaayeiNge
jaageeroN ke maalik aakar sab pooNjii le jaayeiNge
booRhe dahqaanoN ke ghar baniye kii qurqii aayegii
aur qarze ke sood meiN koi gori bechi jaayegii
aaj bhi jantaa bhooki hai aur kal bhi jantaa tarsii thii
aaj bhi rimjhim barkhaa hogi, kal bhi baarish barsii thii

aaj bhi baadal chaaye haiN
aaj bhi booNdeiN barseiNgii

aur kavii is soch meiN hai!

Glossary

dosh-e-havaa = Wind’s shoulder (havaa ka kandha)
madhu = honey
charvaahe = shepherds
peNg = swing (peeng)
kauNde = lightening
johaR = a pond
dahqaanoN = farmers
faaqaakash = poor
mehnatkash = hardworkers
galle = money box
pooNjii = money
qurqii = embargo, act of seizing, seizure, confiscation
qarze = debt
sood = interest