My first Urdu Ghazal, written in the same meter as Ghalib’s favourite ghazal ‘dil-e-naadaaN tujhe huaa kya hai’. As a matter of fact, the Ghazal is written in the same ‘zameen’, meaning the same ‘radeef’ and the same ‘qaafiya’. I intend on posting articles on my blog in my own words about my understanding of these concepts in Urdu poetry as a lot of my friends always ask me for guidance when it comes to writing in meters. For now, enjoy the Ghazal, which I think, for a first one, was not so bad.

kis se poocheiN k maajaraa kyaa hai?
ye sanam kyaa hai? ye Khudaa kyaa hai?

maiN to aashiq huuN mujh ko kyaa ma’aloom!
ye fanaa kyaa hai? ye baqaa kyaa hai?
[fanaa = mortality, baqaa = immortality]

bas tira Gham hii zindagii merii!
aur duniyaa se vaastaa kyaa hai?

maiN tiraa dost bhii, pujaarii bhii!
aa mire dil meiN! sochtaa kyaa hai?!?

chaNd lamhe haiN aakhir-e-shab ko
zikr-e-waslat meiN yuuN rakkhaa kyaa hai?
[aakhir-e-shab = the end of night, zikr-e-waslat = talk about meeting]

bevafaa! tujh se kyaa shikaayat ho?
zeest ne bhii mujhe diyaa kyaa hai??
[zeest = life]

raaz-e-hastii sa ban gayaa huuN maiN
merii aaNkhoN meiN DhuuNDataa kyaa hai?
[raaz-e-hastii = existence's secret]

dekh “tanhaa” ko kaise phirtaa hai!
kaun jaane use huaa kyaa hai??

Date September/2002