Today’s nazm: isi doraahe par

ab na in unche makaanoN meiN qadam rakhouNga
maiN ne ik baar ye pahle bhi qasam khaayii thii
apnii naadaar muhabbat ki shikastoN ke tufail
zindagii pahle bhi sharmaayii thi, jhunjhlaayii thii

aur ye ahd kiya tha k ba-iiN-haal-e-tabaah
ab kabhii pyaar bhare geet nahiiN gaaouNgaa
kisii chilman ne pukaaraa bhi to baRh jaaouNgaa
koi darwaazaa khulaa bhi to palaT jaaouNgaa

phir tire kaaNpte hoNThoN ki fusuNkaar haNsii
jaal bun_ne lagii, bunti rahi, buntii hi rahii
maiN khiNchaa tujhse, magar tu meri raahoN ke liye
phool chunti rahi, chunti rahi, chuntii hi rahii

barf barsaayii mire zehn-o-tasavvur ne magar
dil meiN ik sho’la-e-benaam saa lahraa hi gayaa
teri chupchaap nigaahoN ko sulagte paakar
merii bezaar tab’iyat ko bhi pyaar hi aa gayaa

apni badli hui nzaroN ke taqaaze na chhupaa
maiN is andaaz ka mafhoom samajh saktaa houN
tere zarkaar dareechoN ki bulandi ki qasam
apne aqdaam ka maqsoom samajh saktaa houN

ab na in unche makaanoN meiN qadam rakhouNga
main ne ik baar ye pahle bhi qasam khaayii thi
isi sarmaaya-o-iflaas ke doraahe par
zindagii pahle bhi sharmaayii thi, jhunjhlaayii thi

Glossary

shikast = defeat
tufail = by means of, through the merits of
ahd = promise, oath
ba-iiN-haal-e-tabaah = even if I’m devastated (tabaah haal hone par bhi)
chilman = curtain, covering (as in head/face covering that women have)
fusuuNkaar = magical
zehn-o-tasavvur = mind and imagination
sho’laa-e-benaam = an unknown fire
bezaar = angry, displeased
taqaaze = demand, claim
mafhoom = meaning
zarkaar = golden
dareechoN = window
bulandi = height
aqdaam = foot steps
maqsoom = future
sarmaaya-o-iflaas = wealth and poverty