POST 11: Aah ko chaea ek umra aasar hone tak
आह को चाहिए ईक उम्र असर होने तक
Mirza Asad-Ullah Khan Ghalib, was one of the greatest ghazal writer of all times! He was born in December 1797, in Agra. He married early, at 13 and shifted to Delhi.It appears that his marriage was not a really happy one.He died in February,1869,at 72. He was a prolific ghazal writer and was known for his keen observation, understanding of human nature besides being a passionate lover himself. In any collection of ghazals my rough and ready estimate is that his contribution would be at least half!
This is a ghazal that speaks about the helplessness of the lover in such realistic terms, one feels as though it is his own poetry.
I begin by offering to you this ghazal sung by Beghum Akhtar, who was crowned as the Mallika e ghazal.She started her career as a mehfil singer under her own name Akhtari Bai. Ghazal, Dadra and Thumri aspects of the Hindustani classical music were her forte.
She continued to sing up to the age of 60, when she died on 30th October, 1974, of a heart attack. She was active from 1929 to 1974.
आह !Sigh!!
It can not be explained in words. It is a cry,a wail coming out of an unhappy heart. It is a stock expression of classical Urdu poetry. Usually, it is the sigh of a lover pining for the other. It is a sigh of helplessness when hurt.
बकौल जिगर मुरादाबादी:
आदत के बाद दर्द भी देने लगा मज़ा
हँस हँस के आह आह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
बकौल जलील मानिकपुरी:
मेरी आह का असर देख लेना।
वो आयेंगे थामे जिगर देख लेना ।।
Important words: आशिकी love/ romance; सब्रे तलब requiring patience ; तमन्ना desire
बेताब unrestrained;ख़ून ऐ जिगर blood of the heart;तग़ाफ़ुल ignore; ख़ाक dust; ग़मे हस्ती question of existence, life कुज़ besides; मर्ग death; परतब-ए- ख़ुर Suns reflection ;शबे फ़ुरक़त night of separation; फ़ना death or disappearance; फुर्सत ए हस्ती duration of life; गाफिल under sedation, careless;गर्मी ए ब़जम warmth of assembly; रक्स ए शरर dancing spark;बेश too much;
The ghazal has been sung by such great singers like Mallika e ghazal Beghum Akhtar, epitome of ghazal singing K.L. Saigal, beautiful and melodious Suraiya, Jagjit Singh and many others.
Now hear the same ghazal in the voice of legend Kundal Lal Saigal
आह को चाहिए इक उम्र असर होते तक
कौन जीता है तिरी ज़ुल्फ़ के सर होते तक
Cry,sigh of the unhappy heart needs time to take effect,
Who can live for ever hoping to win you, for you to express your consent?
आशिक़ी सब्रे तलब और तमन्ना बेताब
दिल का क्या रँग करूँ खून-ए-जिगर होने तक
Love demands patience,
While desire is unrestrained,
How am I to reconcile the two,
colour of the heart and colour of the blood,
for happiness of my heart?
हम ने माना के तग़ाफ़ुल न करोगे लेकिन
खाक हो जाएंगे हम, तुम को खबर होने तक
Agreed you, my lover would not ignore my plea of love,
But I would be dead by the time you agree to respond.
ग़म-ए-हस्ती का ‘असद’ किससे हो कुज़-मर्ग-ए-इलाज
शमा हर रँग में जलती है सहर होने तक
Who can solve the question of life, existence except death,
A candle remains illuminated till the dawn of day.
Note:This alludes to the lady love who remains committed, whatever the circumstances.
There are some more Sher in this ghazal but these have not been included in ghazals sung by most famous singers.
दाम-ए-हर-मौज में है हल्क़ा-ए-सद-काम-ए-नहंग
देखें क्या गुज़रे है क़तरे पे गुहर होते तक
Every wave followed by another wave,
has a thousand hazards hidden in the form of a crocodile
let us see how the raindrop fares till it becomes a pearl
क़यामत शब-ए-फ़ुर्क़त में गुज़र जाएगी उम्र
सात दिन हम पे भी भारी हैं सहर होते तक
Till dooms day, life will be spent in nights of separation,
Seven days are crucial for me, before the dawn breaks.
परतव-ए-ख़ुर से है शबनम को फ़ना की तालीम
मैं भी हूँ एक इनायत की नज़र होते तक
reflection of the Sun, prompts the dew to disappear,
Even I am waiting for a favourable response!
यक नज़र बेश नहीं फ़ुर्सत-ए-हस्ती ग़ाफ़िल
गर्मी-ए-बज़्म है इक रक़्स-ए-शरर होते तक
One sighting is not just not enough for the duration of life, Oh careless one!
The warmth of being together can not last longer than the life of a dancing spark.
I would like to treat you to a different dimension in ghazal singing. The same ghazal has been sung by Suraiya in the film Mirza Ghalib, produced in 1954.The Emperor, who had left the seat to leave the mushaira,could not help but had to return to listen to this ghazal and he bestowed on Ghalib,the honour of the court ghazal writer and singer.The music in the film ,was directed by Ghulam Mohammad.
It has been a pleasure to present this translation. Enjoy the ghazal and listen to these great singers.
Happy weekend!
