The Hidden Garden Gopi Narang (year 7 reading list TXT) 📖

lost their verve.34

makke gaya madiine gaya karbala gaya

jaisa gaya tha vaisa hi chal phir ke aa gaya

He went to Makka and Madina.

He went to Karbla as well.

But he came back the same person—

as he was the day he left.

vo mujh se bhaagta hi phira kibr o naaz se

jon jon niyaaz kar ke main us se laga gaya

She always moved away from me

showing her pride and coquetry.

The more I desired her, closer I got to her,

more arrogance and vanity I found.

dekha jo raah jaate tabakhtur ke saath use

phir mujh shikasta-pa se n ik-dam raha gaya

When I saw her walking

showing vanity and conceit,

then the helpless me

could not simply resist.

baitha to boriye ke taiin sar p rakh ke Mir

saf kis adab se ham fuqara ki utha gaya

When I sat Mir

I used the same old sack

which I use as a pillow.

With what great abandon

and carefree manner

I acted as a dervish.35

y Mir-e sitam kushta kisu waqt javaan tha

andaaz-e sukhan ka sabab shor o fughaan tha

This victim of circumstances named Mir

was once a young man.

His style of recitation of poetry

was filled with commotion and sadness.

jaadu ki pudi parcha-e abiyaat tha us ka

munh takiye ghazal parhte a’jab sehr biyaan tha

His notebook of verse

was like a little package of magic.

His face was worth looking at

as he recited his ghazal.

His style of recitation

was truly an act of wizardry!

jis raah se vo dil zadah dilli mein nikalta

saath us ke qayaamat ka sa hangaama ravaan tha

Whatever pathway in the city of Dilli

that man with an afflicted heart walked,

people always followed him and

he carried with him doomsday-like commotion.

afsurda n tha aisa k jon aab-zadah khaak

aandhi thi bala tha koi aashob jahaan tha

His melancholy persona

was not like moistened dust.

He was like a storm, a calamity,

an upheaval for the whole world.

kis martaba thi hasrat-e diidaar mere saath

jo phuul meri khaak se nikla nigraan tha

I carried within my heart

a great desire to see her;

the flower that sprouted from my grave

was in full glory and watchful.

go Mir jahaan mein kinhon ne tujh ko n jaana

maujuud n tha tu to kahaan naam o nishaan tha

Although Mir you did not get

the discerning attention that you deserved,

but do realize you were unfathomable,

not easy to be discovered and people

could not find you anywhere.36

hamaare aage tera jab kisu ne naam liya

dil-e sitam zadah ko ham ne thaam thaam liya

When someone mentioned

your name in my presence,

I had to take hold

of my badly beaten heart.

kharaab rahte the masjid ke aage maikhaane

nigaah-e mast ne saaqi ki intiqaam liya

Mosques always looked upon taverns

as places of trouble.

But this in fact was the punishment

that intoxicated eyes of Saqi bestowed.

vo kaj ravish n mila raaste mein mujh se kabhi

n siidhi tarah se un ne mera salaam liya

The one who was vain and conceited

never crossed my path.

She did not even return my greetings

in a proper manner.

mere saliiqe se meri nibhi muhabbat mein

tamaam u’mr mein naakaamiyon se kaam liya

Thanks to my sophisticated manners,

I did well while I was in love,

though I faced one defeat after another

all my life.

agarche gosha gaziin huun main shaay’iron mein Mir

p mere shor ne ruue zamiin tamaam liya

Although in the company of poets,

I considered myself a humble person,

but whenever I spoke

my voice reverberated all across the globe.37

jo kaho tum se baja hai saahib

ham bure hi sahi bhala saahib

Dear, what you say is perfectly correct.

I am so bad and that also is correct, Sahib.

saadah zahni mein nukta chiin the tum

ab to hain harf aashna saahib

In your naive days,

you were quite critical.

Now you have fallen in love

with the words, Sahib.

bandagi ek apni kya kam hai

aur kuchh tum se kahiye kya saahib

My unflinching devotion to you

is no less in any manner.

What more can I say, Sahib?

phir gaii-iin aankhein tum n aan phire

dekha tum ko bhi vaah vaah saahib

I kept waiting my whole life

and then my eyes closed,

but you never came.

I praised the Lord, Sahib.

kin ne sun she’r Mir y n kaha

kahiyo phir haae kya kaha saahib

Whosoever listened

to Mir recite his couplets

ever resist saying:

Please say it again, vaah!

What did you say, Sahib?38

zakham jhele daagh bhi khaaye bahut

dil laga kar ham to pachhtaaye bahut

I suffered wounds

and I was the target

of many blemishes.

I fell in love,

but regretted it greatly.

dair se suu-e haram aaya n tuk

ham mizaaj apna idhar laaye bahut

From the idols I couldn’t move

to the sacred sanctum even once,

although I tried my best.

phuul gul shams o qamar saare hi the

par hamein in mein tumhiin bhaaye bahut

There were buds and flowers.

There was the sun and the moon.

They all were available.

But, my luck, I liked you the most.

Mir se puuchha jo main aa’shiq ho tum

ho ke kuchh chupke se sharmaaye bahut

I asked Mir:

Are you a lover?

He fell silent

and felt self-effacing

and diffident.39

amiiron tak rasaaii ho chuki bas

meri bakht aazmaaii ho chuki bas

Approached the rich—

that was it.

Tried my luck—

that was it.

bahaar ab ke bhi jo guzri qafas mein

to phir apni rahaaii ho chuki bas

Even this time

I spent the spring in a cell.

My freedom—

that was it.

n aaya vo mere jaate jahaan se

yahiin tak aashnaaii ho chuki bas

She didn’t come to see me

as I left this world.

The limit of our love—

that was it.

laga hai hausla bhi karne tangi

ghamon ki ab samaaii ho chuki bas

Even my enthusiasm

seems impoverished.

Taken care of my sufferings—

that was it.

baraabar khaak ke to kar dikhaaya

falak bas be-adaaii ho chuki bas

You made me feel

like dust.

O God, enough is enough

my luck ran out—

that was it.

gale mein gervi kafni hai ab Mir

tumhaari mirzaaii ho chuki bas

Mir, you have around your neck a saffron shroud

similar to the one borne by vagabonds.

Your status as a Mirza—

that was it.40

khush n aaii tumhaari chaal hamein

yuun n karna tha paiimaal hamein

I was not destined to have your love

But the way you trampled me under your foot,

it was too much!

haal kya puuchh puuchh jaate ho

kabhi paate bhi ho bahaal hamein

You come and inquire

about my wellbeing.

Do you ever find me

fully recovered?

kab tak is tangna mein khiinchi-ye ranj

yaan se yaarab tu hi nikaal hamein

How long can I suffer being a castaway like this?

O God, you are the only one who can save me

from this seclusion.

vajah kya hai k Mir munh p tere

nazar aata hai kuchh malaal hamein

What is the reason Mir

that I see on your