Monday, May 22, 2006

Philosophical Poetry: Urdu couplets for humanity and against religious fundamentalism

NAUSHAD ALI 'NAUSHAD'
Naushad Ali is one of the most popular music composers of Hindustani movies, that are popularly termed as Bollywood, but not many are aware that he was an exceptional poet.

As a music director, he got enormous success, name and fame. But he remained a closet poet. In fact, his poetic abilities are an eye-opener. Naushad Ali was born in Lucknow in 1919.

Naushad sahab passed away in Mumbai in 2006. Now read the first couplet of this ghazal:


Na mandir mein sanam hotay na masjid mein khuda hota
HameeN se yah tamasha hai na ham hotay to kya hota

न मन्दिर में सनम होते न मस्जिद में ख़ुदा होता
हमीं से है यह तमाशा है, न हम होते तो क्या होता

Aren't you impressed! Now see these lines of the same ghazal:


Na aisii manzilein hoteeN na aisa raasta hota
Sambhal kar ham zara chalte to aalam zer-e-paa hota


Ghata chhati, bahaar aati, tumhara tazkira hota
Phir uske baad gul khiltay ki zakhm-e-dil hara hota

The 'ghazal' that has five couplets deals with a gamut of issues which the world is facing. In a classical mould, still, its as progressive and modernist, as Urdu poetry can be.

From urging people to shun narrow-mindedness and stop fighting over God, all the 'ashaar' not only have a message but they are also enchanting to read and listen.

Bula kar tumnay mehfil mein hamko ghair se uthwaya
HameeN khud uth gaye hotay ishara kar diya hota


Tere ahbaab tujh se mil ke bhi mayoos laut gaye
Tujhe Naushaad kaisi chup lagi thi kuchh to kaha hota!


Read the entire GHAZAL in URDU, HINDI and ROMAN ENGLISH AT THIS LINK