Dil mein ek lehar si utthi hai

"These waves" by Neha

(watercolor , gouache and ink; contemporary madhubani)

Dil mein ek lehar si utthi hai abhi

A wave is rising in my heart this moment

Koi taaza hawa chali hai abhi

A fresh breeze is flowing this moment
Dil mein ek laher si utthi hai abhi

shor barpa hai khana-e-dil mein

There is sound of a new beat in the heart
koi deewar si giri hai abhi

A wall has fallen this moment
koi taza hawa chali hai abhi

A fresh breeze is flowing this moment
Dil mein ek laher si utthi hai abhi

kuchh to nazuk mizaaj hain hum bhi

I have a bit delicate nature also
aur ye chote bhi nayi hai abhi

And then this bruise is new
koi taza hawa chali hai abhi
Dil mein ek laher si utthi hai abhi

yaad ke be-nishaan jazeeron se(2)

From my memories
teri awaaz aa rahi hai abhi(2)

Your voice is coming this moment
koi taza hawa chali hai abhi

A fresh breeze is flowing this moment
Dil mein ek laher si utthi hai abhi

A wave is rising in my heart this moment

shehar ki be-charaagh galiyon mein(3)

in the light-less roads of the city
zindagi tujh ko dhoondti hai abhi

life looks for you this moment
koi taza hawa chali hai abhi
Dil mein ek laher si utthi hai abhi

so gaye log us haveli ke

people of that house have slept

ek khidkee magar khulee hai abhi

but one window is still open

koi taza hawa clahee hai abhi

dil mein ek lehar see uthi hai abhi

waqt accha bhi aaye ga

good time will also come

gham na kar zindagi pari hai abhi

don't lose a moment being sad, the whole life is ahead

Listen to this beautiful ghazal in the velvety voice of Ghulam Ali at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw318T3YPic&feature=related

What I Have Lived For

"Fire" by Neha

Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a great ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair.

I have sought love, first, because it brings ecstasy - ecstasy so great that I would often have sacrificed all the rest of life for a few hours of this joy. I have sought it, next, because it relieves loneliness--that terrible loneliness in which one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold unfathomable lifeless abyss. I have sought it finally, because in the union of love I have seen, in a mystic miniature, the prefiguring vision of the heaven that saints and poets have imagined. This is what I sought, and though it might seem too good for human life, this is what--at last--I have found.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have wished to understand the hearts of men. I have wished to know why the stars shine. And I have tried to apprehend the Pythagorean power by which number holds sway above the flux. A little of this, but not much, I have achieved.

Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens. But always pity brought me back to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a burden to their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make a mockery of what human life should be. I long to alleviate this evil, but I cannot, and I too suffer.

This has been my life. I have found it worth living, and would gladly live it again if the chance were offered me.

- The Prologue to Bertrand Russell's Autobiography

Kya kya hai

"The Flight" by Neha

Gulaab, khwab, dawa, zeher, jaam, kya kya hai

Mai aa gaya hoon bata intezaam kya kya hai

Faqeer, shah, qalandar, imaam kya kya hai

tujhe pata nahee tera ghulam kya kya hai

Naye safar ka naya intzaam keh dengey

Hawa ko dhoop chirago ko shaam keh dengey

Kisee se haath bhee chupkar mila-e-ye

Varna isey bhee maulwi sahab haram keh dengey

Loo bhee chaltee thee to woh badey saba kehtey they

Pao phailaye andhero ko ziya kehtey they

Unka anjaam tujhe yaad nahee hai shayad

Aur bhee log they jo khud ko khuda kehtey they

Sooraj, sitarey, chaand merey saath mein rahey

Jab tak tumharey haath merey haath mein rahey

Shakhaon se toot jaayein woh pattey nahee hain hum

aandhee se koi keh de ke auwkat mein rahey

Kabhee mehek kee tarah hum gulo se udtey hain

Kabhee dhooye kee tarah parvat se udtey

Ye kaincheeyan humein udney se khaak rokengee

kee hum paro se nahee hoslon se udtey hain

kee humein labey deeyo kee hawa mein uchaltey rehna

gulo ke rang pe tezaab daaltey rehnaa

Mai noor bankey zamaney mein pher jaaoonga

Tum aftab mein keedey nikaltey rehna

- Rahat Indori

Notes: What a lovely poem....hear Rahat Indori's awesome , funny and moving recital here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XroXS-k_XOw&feature=related

[Key to Urdu words: Ziya = Light, Qalandar = Sufi, Aftab = Sun]

Hum Qalandar Hain

"Road sign" by Neha

kaam sab ghair zaruuri haiN jo sab karte haiN
aur hum kuchh nahiiN karte haiN ghazab karte haiN

hum pe haakim kaa koii hukm nahiiN chaltaa hai
hum qalandar haiN, shahanshaah laqab karte haiN

aap kii nazroN meN suuraj kii hai jitnii azmat
hum chiraaGoN kaa bhii utnaa hii adab karte haiN

dekhiye jisko use dhun hai masiihaaii kii
aajkal shahroN ke biimar matab karte haiN

-Rahat Indori

Deepak Raag Hai Chahat Apni

"Story" by Neha

Deepak Raag Hai Chahat Apni Kahe Sunayen Tumhein

Hum To Sulagte Hee Rehte Hain Kyun Sulgaien Tumhein

Tark-e-Muhabbat Tark-e-Tammana Kar Chukne K Baad
Hum Pay Yeh Mushkil Aan ParRI Hai Kaisey Bhulaien Tumhein

Deepak Raag Hai Chahat Apni..

Sannata Jab Tanhai Key Zehar Mein Bhujhta Hai,
Woh Ghariyaan Kyoon Kar Kat' ti Hain Kaise Bataien Tumhein

Deepak Raag Hai Chahat Apni Kahe Sunayen Tumhein

Jin Baaton Ne Pyaar Tumhara Nafrat Mein Badla
Darr Lagta Hai Woh Baatien Bhee Bhool Naa Jayen Tumhien

Deepak Raag Hai Chahat Apni Kahe Sunayen Tumhein

Hum To Sulagte Hee Rehte Hain Kion Sulagaien Tumhien...

- Zahoor Nazar

Here's the Hindi version !

दीपक राग है चाहत अपनी काहे सुनाएँ तुम्हें

हम तो सुलगते ही रहते हैं क्यूँ सुलगाएं तुम्हें

तर्क -ए -मुहब्बत तर्क -ए -तम्मना कर चुकने के बाद

हम पे यह मुश्किल आन पडी है कैसे भुलाएँ तुम्हें

दीपक राग है चाहत अपनी ..

सन्नाटा जब तन्हाई के ज़हर में भुझता है ,

वोह गहराइयाँ क्यूं कर कट ' टी हैं कैसे बतैएँ तुम्हें

दीपक राग है चाहत अपनी काहे सुनाएँ तुम्हें

जिन बातों ने प्यार तुम्हारा नफरत में बदला

डर लगता है वोह बातें भी  भूल ना जाएँ तुम्हे

दीपक राग है चाहत अपनी काहे सुनाएँ तुम्हें

हम तो सुलगते ही रहते हैं क्यूँ सुलगाएं तुम्हे ...

- ज़हूर नजर

Resources:

1) Listen to this beautiful ghazal sung by Pakistani singer Shahida Parveen

2) I love the version sung by this YouTube singer as well

Phir mujhe deeda-e-tar yaad aaya

"Splash" by Neha

Phir Mujhe Deeda-e-Tar Yaad Aaya
Dil Jigar Tishna-e-Fariyaad Aaya

[ Deeda-e-Tar =Tearful eyes , Tishna-e-Fariyaad - Desperate to appeal/Thirsty ]

Dum Liya Tha Na Qayamat Ne Hanoz
Phir Tera Waqt-e-Safar Yaad Aaya

[Hanoz= yet/still ]

Saadagii Haaye Tamannaa Yaanii

Phir Wo Nai_Rang-e-Nazar Yaad Ayaa

[Nai_rang=fascinating ]

Zindagi Yu Bhee Guzar hee Jatee

Kyoon Tera Raah Guzar Yaad Aaya

Koi Veerani Si Veerani Hai
Dasht Ko Dekh Ke Ghar Yaad Aaya

[Dasht - Wilderness/Desert ]

Phir terey kuchey ko jaata hai khayal

Dil-e gum gush tha magar yaad aaya

[ Kuchey = narrow street, khayal = thoughts, gush= filled with]

Main Ne Majnu Pe Ladakpan Mein 'Asad'
Sang Uthaya Tha Ke Sar Yaad Aaya

[Asad - Mirza Ghalib's earlier 'Takhallus' i.e. Pen Name, Sang - Stone]

- Mirza Ghalib

Resources:

1) Listen to this ghazal by Lata Mangeshkar at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQCCokHDeVo&feature=related

2) I also love these recitals by Rajni Pallavi : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qFGCRm2t2c&feature=related and the one by Shahida Parveen : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFCF6PAen_I&feature=related