Hazaaron Khwahishen ....

Source: Wikimedia Commons (See image information below)

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Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dum nikle

bahot nikle mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle

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Daray kyon mera qaatil? kya rahega us ki gardan par?

Voh khoon, jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yoon dam-ba-dam nikle

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Nikalna khuld se aadam ka soonte aaye hain

lekinBahot be-aabru hokar tere kooche se hum nikle

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Bharam khul jaaye zaalim! teri qaamat ki daraazi ka

Agar is tarahe par pech-o-kham ka pech-o-kham nikle

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Magar likhvaaye koi usko khat, to hum se likhvaaye

Hui subaha, aur ghar se kaan par rakh kar qalam nikle

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Hui is daur mein mansoob mujh se baada aashaami

Phir aaya voh zamaana, jo jahaan mein jaam-e-jaam nikle

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Hui jin se tavaqqa khastagi ki daad paane ki

Voh ham se bhi zyaada khasta e tegh e sitam nikle

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Mohabbat mein nahin hai farq jeenay aur marnay ka

Usi ko dekh kar jeetay hain, jis kaafir pe dam nikle

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Zara kar jor seene par ki teer-e-pur sitam nikle

jo wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dam nikle

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Khuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uthaa zaalim

Kaheen aisa na ho yaan bhi wahi kaafir sanam nikle

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Kahaan maikhane ka darwaaza Ghalib aur kahaan vaaiz

Par itna jaantay hain kal voh jaata tha ke ham nikle

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Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle

Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle...

Mirza Ghalib

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Key to Urdu Words: chashm=eye; tar=wet; dam ba dam=continously; Khuld=Paradise; be-aabaruu=disgrace; kuuchaa=street,qaamat=stature; daraazii=delay; turra=ornamental tassel worn in the turban, pech-o-Kham=curls in the hair, mansoob=association, baada aashaami=related to drinking, tavaqqa=expectation; Khastagi=injury, daad=justice,Khasta=broken/injured, tegh=sword, sitam=cruelity , vaaiz = preacher

About the poet : Well what does one say about Ghalib! He is one of the most celebrated Urdu poets of all times. Watch this space for I am gonna write more about him!

References:

1) For comprehensive information on Ghalib see http://www.ghalib.org/

2) Read about Ghalib on wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghalib

3) For a good English translation of Hazaaron Khwahishen see : http://www.cedcc.psu.edu/khanjan/Hazaaron.htm

Image Information: This image was selected picture of the day on July 25, 2006 for Wikimedia commons. It was captioned as "old boat near the panoramic terrace of the Vauban passage, in the "Petite France" district in Strasbourg". For more information see http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Strasbourg-RemiLeblond-Barque2.jpg