Qissa Mukhtasar

To all the love stories that didnt happen

hameñ bhī ro le hujūm-e-girya ki phir na ā.eñge ġham ke mausam hameñ bhī ro le ki ham vahī haiñ jo āftāboñ kī bastiyoñ se surāġh laa.e the un saveroñ kā jin ko shabnam ke pahle qatroñ ne ġhusl baḳhshā safed rañgoñ se nūr-e-ma.anī nikāl lete the aur chāñdī ujālte the shafaq pe Thahre sunahre bādal se zard sone ko Dhālte the ḳhunuk havāoñ meñ ḳhushbuoñ ko milā ke un ko uḌāne vaale sabā kī partoñ pe sher likh kar adam kī shakleñ banāne vaale dimāġh rakhte the lafz o ma.anī kā aur dast-e-hunar ke mālik vaqār-e-nūr-e-charāġh ham the hameñ bhī ro le hujūm-e-girya hameñ bhī ro le ki ham vahī haiñ jo tez āñdhī meñ saaf chehroñ ko dekh lete the aur sāñsoñ ko bhāñpte the falak-nashīnoñ se guftugūeñ thiiñ aur pariyoñ se khelte the karīm logoñ kī sohbatoñ meñ kushāda kū-e-saḳhā ko dekhā kabhī na rokā thā ham ko sūraj ke chobdāroñ ne qasr-e-baizā ke dāḳhle se vahī to ham haiñ vahī to ham haiñ jo luT chuke haiñ hafīz rāhoñ pe luTne vaale usī falak kī siyah-zamīñ par jahāñ pe larzāñ haiñ shor-e-nāla se ādiloñ kī sunahrī kaḌiyāñ hameñ bhī ro le hujūm-e-girya hameñ bhī ro le ki in dinoñ meñ hamārī pushtoñ pe baar hotā hai zaḳhm-e-tāza ke surḳh phūloñ kā aur gardan meñ sard aahan kī kohna laḌiyāñ hamārī zid meñ safed nāḳhun qalam banāne meñ dast-e-qātil kā saath dete haiñ aur neze uchhālte haiñ havā kī lahroñ ne reg-e-sahrā kī tez dhāroñ se rishte joḌe sharīr hāthoñ se kañkaroñ kī siyāh bārish ke rābte haiñ hamārī zid meñ hī mulkoñ mulkoñ ke shahryāroñ ne ahd bāñdhe yahī ki ham ko dhueñ se bāñdheñ aur ab dhueñ se bañdhe hue haiñ so ham pe rone ke nauha karne ke din yahī haiñ hujūm-e-girya ki musta.id haiñ hamāre mātam ko gahre sāyoñ kī sard shāmeñ ḳhizāñ-rasīda tavīl shāmeñ hameñ bhī ro le hujūm-e-girya ki phir na ā.eñge ġham ke mausam

havā bhī ḳhush-gavār hai guloñ pe bhī nikhār hai (Flowers are bright and fresh) tarannum-e-hazār hai (Thousand rhymes) bahār pur-bahār hai (Abundant blooms) kahāñ chalā hai sāqiyā (bartender) idhar to lauT idhar to aa are ye dekhtā hai kyā uThā subū subū uThā (Pick the goblet) subū uThā pyāla(cup) bhar pyāla bhar ke de idhar chaman kī samt kar nazar (Look at Gardens direction) samāñ to dekh be-ḳhabar vo kaalī kaalī badliyāñ ufuq pe ho ga.iiñ ayaañ (Horizon is so clear) vo ik hujūm-e-mai-kashāñ (That Crowd of drinker) hai sū-e-mai-kada ravāñ (Towards tavern, flowing) ye kyā gumāñ hai bad-gumāñ (Whats the doubt and suspicion) samajh na mujh ko nā-tavāñ (weak) ḳhayāl-e-zohd abhī kahāñ (Thoughts of pity) abhī to maiñ javān huuñ ibādatoñ kā zikr hai (Prayers are mentioned) najāt (salvation) kī bhī fikr hai junūn hai savāb(reward of good deeds) kā ḳhayāl hai azaab(agony) kā magar suno to shaiḳh jī ajiib shai(thing) haiñ aap bhī bhalā shabāb(youth) o āshiqī alag hue bhī haiñ kabhī hasīn jalva-rez hoñ (Manifestation in glory) adā.eñ fitna-ḳhez hoñ (Style seditious) havā.eñ itr-bez(spreading fragrance) hoñ to shauq kyuuñ na tez hoñ nigār-hā-e-fitnagar (Temptation of the sweetheart) koī idhar koī udhar ubhārte hoñ aish par to kyā kare koī bashar (man) chalo jī qissa-muḳhtasar (long story short) tumhārā nuqta-e-nazar (point of view) durust hai to ho magar abhī to maiñ javān huuñ ye gasht kohsār kī (Patrolling of mountains) ye sair jū-e-bār(dividing stream of liquid) ye bulbuloñ ke chahchahe ye gul-ruḳhoñ ke qahqahe (beautiful exclusive laughter) kisī se mel ho gayā to rañj (sorrow) o fikr kho gayā kabhī jo baḳht (luck) so gayā ye hañs gayā vo ro gayā ye ishq kī kahāniyāñ ye ras bharī javāniyāñ udhar se mehrbāniyāñ idhar se lan-tarāniyāñ (tall tales) ye āsmān ye zamīñ nazāra-hā-e-dil-nashīñ (Beautiful sightings) inheñ hayāt-āfrīñ (Praiseworthy life) bhalā maiñ chhoḌ duuñ yahīñ hai maut is qadar qarīñ (close) mujhe na aa.egā yaqīñ nahīñ nahīñ abhī nahīñ abhī to maiñ javān huuñ na ġham kushūd(openness) o bast(close-knit) kā buland kā na past kā (Neither high or low) na buud kā na hast kā (Neither past nor existing) na vāda-e-alast kā (Promise of the day of creation) ummīd aur yaas(despair) gum havās gum qayās gum (The senses and presumptions are lost) nazar se aas paas gum hama-bajuz gilās gum (Everything but the glass is lost) na mai(liquor) meñ kuchh kamī rahe qadah se hamdamī rahe (Bowl keeps friendships alive) nashist (gathering) ye jamī rahe yahī hamā-hamī(bragging boasting) rahe vo raag chheḌ mutribā (female singer) tarab-fazā, alam-rubā (Joyful or sorrowful) asar sadā-e-sāz(music of intruments) kā jigar meñ aag de lagā har ek lab pe ho sadā (voice) na haath rok sāqiyā pilā.e jā pilā.e jā abhī to maiñ javān huuñ

sabza sabza suukh rahī hai phīkī zard dopahar dīvāroñ ko chaaT rahā hai tanhā.ī kā zahr duur ufuq tak ghaTtī baḌhtī uThtī rahtī hai kohr kī sūrat be-raunaq dardoñ kī gadlī lahr bastā hai is kohr ke pīchhe raushniyoñ kā shahr ai raushniyoñ ke shahr kaun kahe kis samt hai terī raushniyoñ kī raah har jānib be-nūr khaḌī hai hijr kī shahr-panāh thak kar har sū baiTh rahī hai shauq kī maand sipāh aaj mirā dil fikr meñ hai ai raushniyoñ ke shahr shab-ḳhūñ se muñh pher na jaa.e armānoñ kī rau ḳhair ho terī lailāoñ kī un sab se kah do aaj kī shab jab diye jalā.eñ ūñchī rakkheñ lau City of Lights On each patch of green, from one shade to the next, the noon is erasing itself by wiping out all color, becoming pale, desolation everywhere, the poison of exile painted on the walls. In the distance, there are terrible sorrows, like tides: they draw back, swell, become full, subside. They've turned the horizon to mist. And behind that mist is the city of lights, my city of many lights. How will I return to you, my city, where is the road to your lights? My hopes are in retreat, exhausted by these unlit, broken walls, and my heart, their leader, is in terrible doubt. But let all be well, my city, if under cover of darkness, in a final attack, my heart leads its reserves of longings and storms you tonight. Just tell all your lovers to turn the wicks of their lamps high so that I may find you, Oh city, my city of many lights.

tum na aa.e the to har ik chiiz vahī thī ki jo hai āsmāñ hadd-e-nazar rāhguzar rāhguzar (path) shīsha-e-mai shīsha-e-mai (glass of wine) aur ab shīsha-e-mai rāhguzar rañg-e-falak rañg hai dil kā mire ḳhūn-e-jigar (bloody heart) hone tak champa.ī(purple)rañg kabhī rāhat-e-dīdār(pleasant/comfort) kā rañg surma.ī(dark grey) rañg ki hai sā.at-e-bezār (disturbing/disgust) kā rañg zard (pale) pattoñ kā ḳhas-o-ḳhār(fragrance of dried leaves) kā rañg surḳh (red) phūloñ kā dahakte hue gulzār kā rañg zahr kā rañg lahū rañg shab-e-tār(dark night) kā rañg āsmāñ rāhguzar shīsha-e-mai koī bhīgā huā dāman koī dukhtī huī rag koī har lahza badaltā huā ā.īna hai ab jo aa.e ho to Thahro ki koī rañg koī rut koī shai ek jagah par Thahre phir se ik baar har ik chiiz vahī ho ki jo hai āsmāñ hadd-e-nazar rāhguzar rāhguzar shīsha-e-mai shīsha-e-mai

Baat phoolon ki suna karte the Hum kabhi sheer kaha karte the Mashalein le ke tumhare gham ki Hum andheron mein chala karte the Ab kaha aisi tabiyat vale Chot kha kar jo dua karte the Tark-e-ehsaas-e-mohabbat mushkil Haan magar ahl-e-wafa karte the Bikhri bikhri zulfon wale Qafilein rok liya karte the Aaj gulshan mein shagoofe saaghar Shikwah baad e saba karte the

be-ḳhayālī meñ yūñhī bas ik irāda kar liyā apne dil ke shauq ko had se ziyāda kar liyā jānte the donoñ ham us ko nibhā sakte nahīñ us ne va.ada kar liyā maiñ ne bhī va.ada kar liyā ġhair se nafrat jo pā lī ḳharch ḳhud par ho ga.ī jitne ham the ham ne ḳhud ko us se aadhā kar liyā shaam ke rañgoñ meñ rakh kar saaf paanī kā gilās āb-e-sāda(plain water) ko harīf-e-rañg-e-bāda(against the colours of wine) kar liyā hijratoñ(separation/migration) kā ḳhauf thā yā pur-kashish kohna maqām (Ancient dwelling) kyā thā jis ko ham ne ḳhud dīvār-e-jāda(wall of path) kar liyā ek aisā shaḳhs bantā jā rahā huuñ maiñ 'munīr' jis ne ḳhud par band husn o jaam o baada (wine) kar liyā

chāñdī vāle, shīshe vāle, āñkhoñ vaale shahr meñ kho gayā ik shaḳhs mujh se, dekhe-bhāle shahr meñ sard rātoñ kī havā meñ uḌte pattoñ ke masīl kaun tere shab-navardoñ ko sambhāle shahr meñ kāñch kī shāḳhoñ pe laTke terī vahshat ke samar terī vahshat ke samar bhī ham ne paale shahr meñ dil ke reshoñ se ridā-e-nūr bunte miT ga.e shab kī fasloñ meñ nahīñ āsāñ ujāle shahr meñ

sitāroñ se aage jahāñ aur bhī haiñ abhī ishq ke imtihāñ aur bhī haiñ tahī zindagī se nahīñ ye fazā.eñ yahāñ saikḌoñ kārvāñ aur bhī haiñ qanā.at na kar ālam-e-rañg-o-bū par chaman aur bhī āshiyāñ aur bhī haiñ agar kho gayā ik nasheman to kyā ġham maqāmāt-e-āh-o-fuġhāñ aur bhī haiñ tū shāhīñ hai parvāz hai kaam terā tire sāmne āsmāñ aur bhī haiñ isī roz o shab meñ ulajh kar na rah jā ki tere zamān o makāñ aur bhī haiñ ga.e din ki tanhā thā maiñ anjuman meñ yahāñ ab mire rāz-dāñ aur bhī haiñ

do chaar gaam raah ko hamvār dekhnā phir har qadam pe ik na.ī dīvār dekhnā āñkhoñ kī raushnī se hai har sañg ā.īna har aa.ine meñ ḳhud ko gunahgār dekhnā har aadmī meñ hote haiñ das biis aadmī jis ko bhī dekhnā ho ka.ī baar dekhnā maidāñ kī haar jiit to qismat kī baat hai TuuTī hai kis ke haath meñ talvār dekhnā dariyā ke is kināre sitāre bhī phuul bhī dariyā chaḌhā huā ho to us paar dekhnā achchhī nahīñ hai shahr ke rastoñ se dostī āñgan meñ phail jaa.e na bāzār dekhnā