POST16: MUDDAT HUI HAI YAAR TO MEHMAN KIYE HUE
मुद्दत हुई है यार को मेहमाँ किए हुए
This is one of the more popular ghazals written by Mirza Asad-Ullah Ghalib. He lived from December 1797 to 1869 and witnessed the first war of independence in 1857. Events of 1857 greatly affected him and his family. The British took back the city of Delhi in September 1857 and expelled most of the population. Hindus returned after three months but Muslims were allowed to come only after two years.
This ghazal has been sung by legend Mohammed Rafi. It is a private ghazal. This ghazal has been sung by many but the effect of yearning and longing created by Rafi is inimitable. The opening narration is by Kaifi Azmi, who is reading from a letter by Ghalib.
Important words:मुद्दत long time; जोश-ए-क़दह tinkling sound made by wine goblets;बज़्म चराग़ाँ holding an evening together;जम्अ’ collect;जिगर-ए-लख़्त-लख़ shredded liver or heart;दावत-ए-मिज़्गाँ feast of eyelashes;वज़-ए-एहतियात careful act or conduct;चाक गरेबा slitting of throat or neck or chest; गर्म-नाला-हा-ए-शरर-बार grief which causes sparks to fly; नफ़स spirit;सैर-ए-चराग़ाँ stroll along an illuminated path;पुर्सिश-ए-जराहत-ए-दिल finding the well being of incised heart;सामान-ए-सद-हज़ार thousands of provisions;नमक-दाँ salt cellar; ख़ामा-ए-मिज़्गाँ ब-ख़ून-ए-दिल writing instrument with blood of the heart.तराज़ी-ए-दामाँ style of the hem of the dress; लब-ए-बाम corner of the terrace; ज़ुल्फ़-ए-सियाह black tresses; तसव्वुर-ए-जानाँ thinking about the beloved; नौ-बहार-ए-नाज़ lover; फ़रोग़-ए-मय glowing with intoxication from wine;
It would interest most that one sher, from this ghazal has been used by Gulzar in the film Mausam. दिल ढूंढ़ता है फिर वही फुर्सत के रात दिन
मुद्दत हुई है यार को मेहमाँ किए हुए
जोश-ए-क़दह से बज़्म चराग़ाँ किए हुए
It has been ages since my beloved came to my home, as a guest,
Has not illuminated the milieu
with the fervour and clanking of the cups of wine
माँगे है फिर किसी को लब-ए-बाम पर हवस
ज़ुल्फ़-ए-सियाह रुख़ पे परेशाँ किए हुए
My desires ,want somebody to come,
to the corner of the roof,
with her black tresses covering her face
जी ढूँडता है फिर वही फ़ुर्सत कि रात दिन
बैठे रहें तसव्वुर-ए-जानाँ किए हुए
My heart desires those days and nights of relaxed nothingness,
need to keep on sitting, doing nothing except thinking of the beloved
इक नौ-बहार-ए-नाज़ को ताके है फिर निगाह
चेहरा फ़रोग़-ए-मय से गुलिस्ताँ किए हुए
My eyes are searching, for the beloved,
Her face illuminated like a flower garden,
intoxicated with wine!
‘ग़ालिब’ हमें न छेड़ कि फिर जोश-ए-अश्क से
बैठे हैं हम तहय्या-ए-तूफ़ाँ किए हुए
Oh Ghalib, please don’t bother me, pester me with surge of tears,
As I am waiting for the coming storm with determination, commitment.
In this ghazal written by Mirza Ghalib, there are quite a few other sher but these have not been included in the songs. I am translating a few of those also.
करता हूँ जम्अ’ फिर जिगर-ए-लख़्त-लख़्त को
अर्सा हुआ है दावत-ए-मिज़्गाँ किए हुए
I keep on gathering, collecting pieces of my broken heart,
Such a long time has passed that my eyes had a heartful feast.
फिर वज़-ए-एहतियात से रुकने लगा है दम
बरसों हुए हैं चाक गरेबाँ किए हुए
I am feeling so choked as I am being overcautious!
Years have passed since I shredded my heart,
फिर गर्म-नाला-हा-ए-शरर-बार है नफ़स
मुद्दत हुई है सैर-ए-चराग़ाँ किए हुए
Because of my grief once again ,
My soul has sparks flying,
Such a long time has passed ,
since when we strolled in an illuminated avenue.
फिर पुर्सिश-ए-जराहत-ए-दिल को चला है इश्क़
सामान-ए-सद-हज़ार नमक-दाँ किए हुए
Once again love is enquiring,
about the incision of the heart,
Hundred and thousands of provisions,
have not been stored properly.
फिर जी में है कि दर पे किसी के पड़े रहें
सर ज़ेर-बार-ए-मिन्नत-ए-दरबाँ किए हुए
It is my intention, to lie at the door of someone,
with my head humbled ,
under the weight of gratitude for the doorkeeper.
The same ghazal has been sung by Mehdi Hassan and is a treat in itself.
Also by Noor Jahan for a Pakistani movie.
It was a very pleasurable effort to collect all this information and then discover this ghazal sung by so many! I hope you enjoy my effort.
Happy weekend.
Happy Dusshera!!
24.10.2020
