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Khwaab hai kyuN-raam prakash raahi
For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/rpr-Khwaab-hai-kyuN-audio.mp3
Recitation
خواب ہے کیوں ۔ رام پرکاش راہیؔ
۱
توقعات کی چہروں پہ آب و تاب ہے کیوں
سوال بن کے یہ مِنّت کشِ جواب ہے کیوں
۲
بھنور کی آنکھ میں آنسو نہ اِنفعال کا رنگ
یہاں گرفتِ تلاطم میں سطحِ آب ہے کیوں
۳
کوئی تو در کسی سِم سِم کے بس میں تھا ورنہ
جو باریاب نہیں تھا وہ کامیاب ہے کیوں
۴
بھلے برے کی سند دینے والوں سے پوچھو
نصابِ زیست کا ہر لفظ اِک کتاب ہے کیوں
۵
قدم قدم کی پرکھ وہ بھی ذرّے ذرّے پر
یہ احتساب اگر ہے تو بے حساب ہے کیوں
۶
اُبھر کے پھر اُسی پانی میں ڈوبنے کے لیے
پرائے لمس کا مرہون ہر حباب ہے کیوں
۷
اسی وثوق سے سینچوں گا اب میں کِشتِ اُمید
مری نظر ہی پہ موقوف ہر سراب ہے کیوں
۸
ضرور دل کو کسی دل سے راہ سوجھی ہے
ہر ایک رگ میری کھینچتی ہوئی تناب ہے کیوں
۹
بدن کی چھوٹ پہ لو دے رہا ہے روپ جہاں
نظر کے لمس پہ برہم تیرا حجاب ہے کیوں
۱۰
وہی ضمیرِ تعصب تہِ خمیرِ وفا
سمندروں پہ جو برسے ہے وہ صحاب ہے کیوں
۱۱
جو دوڑ دھوپ کو حاصل نہیں حقیقت ہے
ملے جو نیند میں اکثر وہ راہیؔ خواب ہے کیوں
ख़्वाब है क्यूं – राम प्रकाश राही
१
तवक़्क़ु’आत के चेहरौं पे आब-ओ-ताब है क्यूं
सवाल बन के ये मिन्नत-कश-ए जवाब है क्यूं
२
भंवर की आंख में आंसू न इनफ़े’आल का रंग
यहाँ गिरफ़्त-ए तलातुम में सतह-ए आब है क्यूं
३
कोई तो दर किसी सिम-सिम के बस में था वर्ना
जो बारयाब नहीं था वो कामयाब है क्यूं
४
भले-बुरे की सनद देने वालौं से पूछो
नसाब-ए ज़ीस्त का हर लफ़्ज़ एक किताब है क्यूं
५
क़दम-क़दम की परख वो भी ज़र्रे-ज़र्रे पर
ये एहतेसाब अगर है तो बेहिसाब है क्यूं
६
उभर के फिर उसी पानी में डूबने के लिए
पराए लम्स का मरहून हर हबाब है क्यूं
७
इसी वसूक़ से सींचूंगा अब मैं किश्त-ए उमीद
मेरी नज़र ही पे मौक़ूफ़ हर सराब है क्यूं
८
ज़रूर दिल को किसी दिल से राह सूझी है
हर एक रग मेरी खिंचती हुई तनाब है क्यूं
९
बदन की छूट पे लौ दे रहा है रूप जहाँ
नज़र के लम्स पे बरहम तेरा हिजाब है क्यूं
१०
वही ज़मीर-ए त’अस्सुब तह-ए ख़मीर-ए वफ़ा
समुंदरों पे जो बरसे है वो सहाब है क्यूं
११
जो दौढ-धूप को हासिल नहीं हक़ीक़त है
मिले जो नींद में अक्सर वो राही ख़्वाब है क्यूं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raam prakash raahi (1924-2003), dehli. There are two collections of his own and several others that he compiled and translated. Only one has a vague introduction, more vague than informative. It is not clear whether he was born in what is now pakistan, but he did post-graduate work in urdu, faarsi and English from lahore and later worked for the government of India.
1
tavaqqo’aat1 ki chehroN2 pe aab-o-taab3 hai kyuN
savaal4 ban ke ye minnat-kash5-e javaab6 hai kyuN 1.expectations 2.faces 3.radiance, shine 4.question 5.obliged to, dependent upon 6.answer
Why is there such radiance on faces full of expectations? Why have these faces, becoming an embodiment of question/plea, become so dependent on an answer? The poet reflects on the tension between expectations and their fulfillment. The glow on faces suggests hope, but the dependency on answers highlights the vulnerability of these hopes. Who is expecting what from whom? This is intriguely left undefined. It could be (a) the throng lovers expecting the beloved to acknowledge their love (b) it could be the deprived masses, expecting their leaders for fulfil promises or (c) it could be believers/devotees expecting god to answer their prayers.
2
bhaNvar1 ki aaNkh meN aaNsu na infe’aal2 ka raNg3
yahaaN girift4-e talaatum5 meN sat’h6-e aab7 hai kyuN 1.whirlpool 2.regret 3.colour, image, style 4.grip 5.storm, choppy waves 6.surface 7.water
Neither tears nor shades of regret in the whirlpool’s eye; why is the water’s surface caught in such turbulence? The poet paints a picture of turmoil, symbolized by a whirlpool without remorse or sadness. The chaotic surface represents life’s restlessness, reflecting the daily struggle of the masses. The ‘bhaNvar’ could symbolize the politically powerful or the orthodoxy.
3
koi to dar1 kisi sim-sim2 ke bas3 meN thaa varna4
jo baaryaab5 nahiiN thaa vo kaamyaab6 hai kyuN 1.door 2.sesame 3.control 4.otherwise 5.admitted/accepted in a court or in company 6.successful
There surely was some door that was controlled by a secret charm, ‘open sesame’ (ali baba and the forty thieves), otherwise, how did the one who did not have access to authority, succeed? This may reflect the mysteries of fate, which opens doors for someone; or equally about access to power that opens doors surreptitiously.
4
bhale’ bure’ ki sanad1 dene’ vaaloN se poocho
nisaab2-e ziist3 ka har lafz4 ek kitaab5 hai kyuN 1.certificate 2.curriculum 3.life 4.word 5.book
Ask those who certify good and bad; why is every word of life’s curriculum like a book?
Here ‘kitaab’ probably sarcastically implies ‘received book of wisdom’. The poet critiques societal/orthodox judgments, comparing life’s lessons to an overwhelming syllabus. It questions the validity of moral judgments imposed by those who are all too willing to label someone as good or bad based on ‘received knowledge’.
5
qadam-qadam1 ki parakh2 vo bhi zarre-zarre3 par
ye ehtesaab4 agar hai to behisaab4 hai kyuN 1.every step 2.evaluation, judgement 3.every paticle/speck/grain 4.accountability 5.immeasurable, unlimited
Every step is judged, every particle scrutinized; if this is called accountability, why is it so expansive/unlimited? The poet critiques excessive scrutiny and accountability in life. It reflects the frustration of being constantly evaluated without clear standards, making the process seem endless and oppressive. Following the previous she’r this is a reflection on the judgements that society/orthodoxy pronounces.
6
ubhar1 ke phir usi paani meN Doobne’2 ke liye
paraaye3 lams4 ka marhoon5 har habaab6 hai kyuN 1.emerging, rising 2.drown, sink 3.other, foreign 4.touch 5.indebted, mortgaged 6.bubble
Rising only to sink again into the same water; why is every bubble indebted to the other’s touch? It is possible that bubbles here symbolize fleeting aspirations shaped by external forces of turbulene of life. They are doomed to dissolve back into the chaos they emerged from. Here ‘paraaya lams’ is the touch of another’s hand which creates false expectations which why the bubble/hopes burst.
7
isi vasuuq1 se siiNchuNga2 ab maiN kisht3-e umiid4
meri nazar5 hi pe mauqoof6 har saraab7 hai kyuN 1.certainty, confidence 2.irrigate, water, nature 3.agricultural field 4.hope 5.sight, gaze 6.dependent 7.mirage
With the same confidence, I will now nurture the field of hope; why does every mirage depend solely on my vision? Mirage represents unfulfilled dreams and false promises. The poet represents every human who has been shown a mirage – a set of false promises, by the powerful and/or by the orthodoxy. It is the false promise that gives him (the misplaced) confidence to nurture his field of hope.
8
zaruur1 dil ko kisi dil se raah2 soojhi3 hai
har ek rag4 meri khiiNchti5 hui tanaab6 hai kyuN 1.surely 2.path, connection 3.found, seen 4.vein, fibre of the body 5.pulled tight 6.tight rope/string
Surely, my heart has found a path/connection to another; why then would every fibre in my body pull at me like a taut rope? This could be about a romantic/love relationship but it might also be about hopes planted in his heart by ‘someone’ – the powerful or the orthodox.
9
badan1 ki chhooT2 pe lau3 de raha hai roop4 jahaaN5
nazar6 ke lams7 pe barham8 tera hijaab9 hai kyuN 1.body 2.chhooT also means radiance, reflection 3.flame 4.shape, beauty 5.where, when 6.gaze 7.touch 8.annoyed, disturbed 9.veiling, shyness, bashfulness, reticence
The beloved is bashful and prefers reticence, but her beauty sets fire to her reflection and the poet/lover cannot help himself but direct his gaze towards her brilliance. Why then, should her reticence be annoyed by the ‘touch’ of his gaze.
10
vahi zamiir1-e ta’assub2 tah3-e Khamiir4-e vafa5
samundaroN6 pe jo barse’7 hai vo sahaab8 hai kyuN 1.inner self 2.bigotry, prejudice 3.under, beneath 4.essence 5.fidelity, keeping promises 6.seas, ocean 7.rain on 8.cloud
This is the cloud of benevolence, and it is raining on a place that already has a lot of water. It does not rain where it is needed – on dry fields. This shows that beneath the veneer of the essence of fidelity (being true to promises) is the inner self of prejudice.
11
jo dauR-dhoop1 ko haasil2 nahiN haqiiqat3 hai
mile’ jo niind meN aksar4 vo raahi5 Khwaab6 hai kyuN 1.an expression meaning-intense activity, hard work 2.gain, obtain 3.truth, reality 4.often 5.dream
What we gain with tireless effort is never reality; what we often find in sleep, O raahi, why is that a dream? In real life we are faced with unattainable realities based on false hopes and expectations. Why is it that we only dream about them.
raam prakash raahi (1924-2003), dehli. There are two collections of his own and several others that he compiled and translated. Only one has a vague introduction, more vague than informative. It is not clear whether he was born in what is now pakistan, but he did post-graduate work in urdu, faarsi and English from lahore and later worked for the government of India.
1
tavaqqo’aat1 ki chehroN2 pe aab-o-taab3 hai kyuN
savaal4 ban ke ye minnat-kash5-e javaab6 hai kyuN
1.expectations 2.faces 3.radiance, shine 4.question 5.obliged to, dependent upon 6.answer
Why is there such radiance on faces full of expectations? Why have these faces, becoming an embodiment of question/plea, become so dependent on an answer? The poet reflects on the tension between expectations and their fulfillment. The glow on faces suggests hope, but the dependency on answers highlights the vulnerability of these hopes. Who is expecting what from whom? This is intriguely left undefined. It could be (a) the throng lovers expecting the beloved to acknowledge their love (b) it could be the deprived masses, expecting their leaders for fulfil promises or (c) it could be believers/devotees expecting god to answer their prayers.
2
bhaNvar1 ki aaNkh meN aaNsu na infe’aal2 ka raNg3
yahaaN girift4-e talaatum5 meN sat’h6-e aab7 hai kyuN
1.whirlpool 2.regret 3.colour, image, style 4.grip 5.storm, choppy waves 6.surface 7.water
Neither tears nor shades of regret in the whirlpool’s eye; why is the water’s surface caught in such turbulence? The poet paints a picture of turmoil, symbolized by a whirlpool without remorse or sadness. The chaotic surface represents life’s restlessness, reflecting the daily struggle of the masses. The ‘bhaNvar’ could symbolize the politically powerful or the orthodoxy.
3
koi to dar1 kisi sim-sim2 ke bas3 meN thaa varna4
jo baaryaab5 nahiiN thaa vo kaamyaab6 hai kyuN
1.door 2.sesame 3.control 4.otherwise 5.admitted/accepted in a court or in company 6.successful
There surely was some door that was controlled by a secret charm, ‘open sesame’ (ali baba and the forty thieves), otherwise, how did the one who did not have access to authority, succeed? This may reflect the mysteries of fate, which opens doors for someone; or equally about access to power that opens doors surreptitiously.
4
bhale’ bure’ ki sanad1 dene’ vaaloN se poocho
nisaab2-e ziist3 ka har lafz4 ek kitaab5 hai kyuN
1.certificate 2.curriculum 3.life 4.word 5.book
Ask those who certify good and bad; why is every word of life’s curriculum like a book?
Here ‘kitaab’ probably sarcastically implies ‘received book of wisdom’. The poet critiques societal/orthodox judgments, comparing life’s lessons to an overwhelming syllabus. It questions the validity of moral judgments imposed by those who are all too willing to label someone as good or bad based on ‘received knowledge’.
5
qadam-qadam1 ki parakh2 vo bhi zarre-zarre3 par
ye ehtesaab4 agar hai to behisaab4 hai kyuN
1.every step 2.evaluation, judgement 3.every paticle/speck/grain 4.accountability 5.immeasurable, unlimited
Every step is judged, every particle scrutinized; if this is called accountability, why is it so expansive/unlimited? The poet critiques excessive scrutiny and accountability in life. It reflects the frustration of being constantly evaluated without clear standards, making the process seem endless and oppressive. Following the previous she’r this is a reflection on the judgements that society/orthodoxy pronounces.
6
ubhar1 ke phir usi paani meN Doobne’2 ke liye
paraaye3 lams4 ka marhoon5 har habaab6 hai kyuN
1.emerging, rising 2.drown, sink 3.other, foreign 4.touch 5.indebted, mortgaged 6.bubble
Rising only to sink again into the same water; why is every bubble indebted to the other’s touch? It is possible that bubbles here symbolize fleeting aspirations shaped by external forces of turbulene of life. They are doomed to dissolve back into the chaos they emerged from. Here ‘paraaya lams’ is the touch of another’s hand which creates false expectations which why the bubble/hopes burst.
7
isi vasuuq1 se siiNchuNga2 ab maiN kisht3-e umiid4
meri nazar5 hi pe mauqoof6 har saraab7 hai kyuN
1.certainty, confidence 2.irrigate, water, nature 3.agricultural field 4.hope 5.sight, gaze 6.dependent 7.mirage
With the same confidence, I will now nurture the field of hope; why does every mirage depend solely on my vision? Mirage represents unfulfilled dreams and false promises. The poet represents every human who has been shown a mirage – a set of false promises, by the powerful and/or by the orthodoxy. It is the false promise that gives him (the misplaced) confidence to nurture his field of hope.
8
zaruur1 dil ko kisi dil se raah2 soojhi3 hai
har ek rag4 meri khiiNchti5 hui tanaab6 hai kyuN
1.surely 2.path, connection 3.found, seen 4.vein, fibre of the body 5.pulled tight 6.tight rope/string
Surely, my heart has found a path/connection to another; why then would every fibre in my body pull at me like a taut rope? This could be about a romantic/love relationship but it might also be about hopes planted in his heart by ‘someone’ – the powerful or the orthodox.
9
badan1 ki chhooT2 pe lau3 de raha hai roop4 jahaaN5
nazar6 ke lams7 pe barham8 tera hijaab9 hai kyuN
1.body 2.chhooT also means radiance, reflection 3.flame 4.shape, beauty 5.where, when 6.gaze 7.touch 8.annoyed, disturbed 9.veiling, shyness, bashfulness, reticence
The beloved is bashful and prefers reticence, but her beauty sets fire to her reflection and the poet/lover cannot help himself but direct his gaze towards her brilliance. Why then, should her reticence be annoyed by the ‘touch’ of his gaze.
10
vahi zamiir1-e ta’assub2 tah3-e Khamiir4-e vafa5
samundaroN6 pe jo barse’7 hai vo sahaab8 hai kyuN
1.inner self 2.bigotry, prejudice 3.under, beneath 4.essence 5.fidelity, keeping promises 6.seas, ocean 7.rain on 8.cloud
This is the cloud of benevolence, and it is raining on a place that already has a lot of water. It does not rain where it is needed – on dry fields. This shows that beneath the veneer of the essence of fidelity (being true to promises) is the inner self of prejudice.
11
jo dauR-dhoop1 ko haasil2 nahiN haqiiqat3 hai
mile’ jo niind meN aksar4 vo raahi5 Khwaab6 hai kyuN
1.an expression meaning-intense activity, hard work 2.gain, obtain 3.truth, reality 4.often 5.dream
What we gain with tireless effort is never reality; what we often find in sleep, O raahi, why is that a dream? In real life we are faced with unattainable realities based on false hopes and expectations. Why is it that we only dream about them.
The post Khwaab hai kyuN-raam prakash raahi appeared first on UrduShahkar.
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For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/rpr-Khwaab-hai-kyuN-audio.mp3
Recitation
خواب ہے کیوں ۔ رام پرکاش راہیؔ
۱
توقعات کی چہروں پہ آب و تاب ہے کیوں
سوال بن کے یہ مِنّت کشِ جواب ہے کیوں
۲
بھنور کی آنکھ میں آنسو نہ اِنفعال کا رنگ
یہاں گرفتِ تلاطم میں سطحِ آب ہے کیوں
۳
کوئی تو در کسی سِم سِم کے بس میں تھا ورنہ
جو باریاب نہیں تھا وہ کامیاب ہے کیوں
۴
بھلے برے کی سند دینے والوں سے پوچھو
نصابِ زیست کا ہر لفظ اِک کتاب ہے کیوں
۵
قدم قدم کی پرکھ وہ بھی ذرّے ذرّے پر
یہ احتساب اگر ہے تو بے حساب ہے کیوں
۶
اُبھر کے پھر اُسی پانی میں ڈوبنے کے لیے
پرائے لمس کا مرہون ہر حباب ہے کیوں
۷
اسی وثوق سے سینچوں گا اب میں کِشتِ اُمید
مری نظر ہی پہ موقوف ہر سراب ہے کیوں
۸
ضرور دل کو کسی دل سے راہ سوجھی ہے
ہر ایک رگ میری کھینچتی ہوئی تناب ہے کیوں
۹
بدن کی چھوٹ پہ لو دے رہا ہے روپ جہاں
نظر کے لمس پہ برہم تیرا حجاب ہے کیوں
۱۰
وہی ضمیرِ تعصب تہِ خمیرِ وفا
سمندروں پہ جو برسے ہے وہ صحاب ہے کیوں
۱۱
جو دوڑ دھوپ کو حاصل نہیں حقیقت ہے
ملے جو نیند میں اکثر وہ راہیؔ خواب ہے کیوں
ख़्वाब है क्यूं – राम प्रकाश राही
१
तवक़्क़ु’आत के चेहरौं पे आब-ओ-ताब है क्यूं
सवाल बन के ये मिन्नत-कश-ए जवाब है क्यूं
२
भंवर की आंख में आंसू न इनफ़े’आल का रंग
यहाँ गिरफ़्त-ए तलातुम में सतह-ए आब है क्यूं
३
कोई तो दर किसी सिम-सिम के बस में था वर्ना
जो बारयाब नहीं था वो कामयाब है क्यूं
४
भले-बुरे की सनद देने वालौं से पूछो
नसाब-ए ज़ीस्त का हर लफ़्ज़ एक किताब है क्यूं
५
क़दम-क़दम की परख वो भी ज़र्रे-ज़र्रे पर
ये एहतेसाब अगर है तो बेहिसाब है क्यूं
६
उभर के फिर उसी पानी में डूबने के लिए
पराए लम्स का मरहून हर हबाब है क्यूं
७
इसी वसूक़ से सींचूंगा अब मैं किश्त-ए उमीद
मेरी नज़र ही पे मौक़ूफ़ हर सराब है क्यूं
८
ज़रूर दिल को किसी दिल से राह सूझी है
हर एक रग मेरी खिंचती हुई तनाब है क्यूं
९
बदन की छूट पे लौ दे रहा है रूप जहाँ
नज़र के लम्स पे बरहम तेरा हिजाब है क्यूं
१०
वही ज़मीर-ए त’अस्सुब तह-ए ख़मीर-ए वफ़ा
समुंदरों पे जो बरसे है वो सहाब है क्यूं
११
जो दौढ-धूप को हासिल नहीं हक़ीक़त है
मिले जो नींद में अक्सर वो राही ख़्वाब है क्यूं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raam prakash raahi (1924-2003), dehli. There are two collections of his own and several others that he compiled and translated. Only one has a vague introduction, more vague than informative. It is not clear whether he was born in what is now pakistan, but he did post-graduate work in urdu, faarsi and English from lahore and later worked for the government of India.
1
tavaqqo’aat1 ki chehroN2 pe aab-o-taab3 hai kyuN
savaal4 ban ke ye minnat-kash5-e javaab6 hai kyuN 1.expectations 2.faces 3.radiance, shine 4.question 5.obliged to, dependent upon 6.answer
Why is there such radiance on faces full of expectations? Why have these faces, becoming an embodiment of question/plea, become so dependent on an answer? The poet reflects on the tension between expectations and their fulfillment. The glow on faces suggests hope, but the dependency on answers highlights the vulnerability of these hopes. Who is expecting what from whom? This is intriguely left undefined. It could be (a) the throng lovers expecting the beloved to acknowledge their love (b) it could be the deprived masses, expecting their leaders for fulfil promises or (c) it could be believers/devotees expecting god to answer their prayers.
2
bhaNvar1 ki aaNkh meN aaNsu na infe’aal2 ka raNg3
yahaaN girift4-e talaatum5 meN sat’h6-e aab7 hai kyuN 1.whirlpool 2.regret 3.colour, image, style 4.grip 5.storm, choppy waves 6.surface 7.water
Neither tears nor shades of regret in the whirlpool’s eye; why is the water’s surface caught in such turbulence? The poet paints a picture of turmoil, symbolized by a whirlpool without remorse or sadness. The chaotic surface represents life’s restlessness, reflecting the daily struggle of the masses. The ‘bhaNvar’ could symbolize the politically powerful or the orthodoxy.
3
koi to dar1 kisi sim-sim2 ke bas3 meN thaa varna4
jo baaryaab5 nahiiN thaa vo kaamyaab6 hai kyuN 1.door 2.sesame 3.control 4.otherwise 5.admitted/accepted in a court or in company 6.successful
There surely was some door that was controlled by a secret charm, ‘open sesame’ (ali baba and the forty thieves), otherwise, how did the one who did not have access to authority, succeed? This may reflect the mysteries of fate, which opens doors for someone; or equally about access to power that opens doors surreptitiously.
4
bhale’ bure’ ki sanad1 dene’ vaaloN se poocho
nisaab2-e ziist3 ka har lafz4 ek kitaab5 hai kyuN 1.certificate 2.curriculum 3.life 4.word 5.book
Ask those who certify good and bad; why is every word of life’s curriculum like a book?
Here ‘kitaab’ probably sarcastically implies ‘received book of wisdom’. The poet critiques societal/orthodox judgments, comparing life’s lessons to an overwhelming syllabus. It questions the validity of moral judgments imposed by those who are all too willing to label someone as good or bad based on ‘received knowledge’.
5
qadam-qadam1 ki parakh2 vo bhi zarre-zarre3 par
ye ehtesaab4 agar hai to behisaab4 hai kyuN 1.every step 2.evaluation, judgement 3.every paticle/speck/grain 4.accountability 5.immeasurable, unlimited
Every step is judged, every particle scrutinized; if this is called accountability, why is it so expansive/unlimited? The poet critiques excessive scrutiny and accountability in life. It reflects the frustration of being constantly evaluated without clear standards, making the process seem endless and oppressive. Following the previous she’r this is a reflection on the judgements that society/orthodoxy pronounces.
6
ubhar1 ke phir usi paani meN Doobne’2 ke liye
paraaye3 lams4 ka marhoon5 har habaab6 hai kyuN 1.emerging, rising 2.drown, sink 3.other, foreign 4.touch 5.indebted, mortgaged 6.bubble
Rising only to sink again into the same water; why is every bubble indebted to the other’s touch? It is possible that bubbles here symbolize fleeting aspirations shaped by external forces of turbulene of life. They are doomed to dissolve back into the chaos they emerged from. Here ‘paraaya lams’ is the touch of another’s hand which creates false expectations which why the bubble/hopes burst.
7
isi vasuuq1 se siiNchuNga2 ab maiN kisht3-e umiid4
meri nazar5 hi pe mauqoof6 har saraab7 hai kyuN 1.certainty, confidence 2.irrigate, water, nature 3.agricultural field 4.hope 5.sight, gaze 6.dependent 7.mirage
With the same confidence, I will now nurture the field of hope; why does every mirage depend solely on my vision? Mirage represents unfulfilled dreams and false promises. The poet represents every human who has been shown a mirage – a set of false promises, by the powerful and/or by the orthodoxy. It is the false promise that gives him (the misplaced) confidence to nurture his field of hope.
8
zaruur1 dil ko kisi dil se raah2 soojhi3 hai
har ek rag4 meri khiiNchti5 hui tanaab6 hai kyuN 1.surely 2.path, connection 3.found, seen 4.vein, fibre of the body 5.pulled tight 6.tight rope/string
Surely, my heart has found a path/connection to another; why then would every fibre in my body pull at me like a taut rope? This could be about a romantic/love relationship but it might also be about hopes planted in his heart by ‘someone’ – the powerful or the orthodox.
9
badan1 ki chhooT2 pe lau3 de raha hai roop4 jahaaN5
nazar6 ke lams7 pe barham8 tera hijaab9 hai kyuN 1.body 2.chhooT also means radiance, reflection 3.flame 4.shape, beauty 5.where, when 6.gaze 7.touch 8.annoyed, disturbed 9.veiling, shyness, bashfulness, reticence
The beloved is bashful and prefers reticence, but her beauty sets fire to her reflection and the poet/lover cannot help himself but direct his gaze towards her brilliance. Why then, should her reticence be annoyed by the ‘touch’ of his gaze.
10
vahi zamiir1-e ta’assub2 tah3-e Khamiir4-e vafa5
samundaroN6 pe jo barse’7 hai vo sahaab8 hai kyuN 1.inner self 2.bigotry, prejudice 3.under, beneath 4.essence 5.fidelity, keeping promises 6.seas, ocean 7.rain on 8.cloud
This is the cloud of benevolence, and it is raining on a place that already has a lot of water. It does not rain where it is needed – on dry fields. This shows that beneath the veneer of the essence of fidelity (being true to promises) is the inner self of prejudice.
11
jo dauR-dhoop1 ko haasil2 nahiN haqiiqat3 hai
mile’ jo niind meN aksar4 vo raahi5 Khwaab6 hai kyuN 1.an expression meaning-intense activity, hard work 2.gain, obtain 3.truth, reality 4.often 5.dream
What we gain with tireless effort is never reality; what we often find in sleep, O raahi, why is that a dream? In real life we are faced with unattainable realities based on false hopes and expectations. Why is it that we only dream about them.
raam prakash raahi (1924-2003), dehli. There are two collections of his own and several others that he compiled and translated. Only one has a vague introduction, more vague than informative. It is not clear whether he was born in what is now pakistan, but he did post-graduate work in urdu, faarsi and English from lahore and later worked for the government of India.
1
tavaqqo’aat1 ki chehroN2 pe aab-o-taab3 hai kyuN
savaal4 ban ke ye minnat-kash5-e javaab6 hai kyuN
1.expectations 2.faces 3.radiance, shine 4.question 5.obliged to, dependent upon 6.answer
Why is there such radiance on faces full of expectations? Why have these faces, becoming an embodiment of question/plea, become so dependent on an answer? The poet reflects on the tension between expectations and their fulfillment. The glow on faces suggests hope, but the dependency on answers highlights the vulnerability of these hopes. Who is expecting what from whom? This is intriguely left undefined. It could be (a) the throng lovers expecting the beloved to acknowledge their love (b) it could be the deprived masses, expecting their leaders for fulfil promises or (c) it could be believers/devotees expecting god to answer their prayers.
2
bhaNvar1 ki aaNkh meN aaNsu na infe’aal2 ka raNg3
yahaaN girift4-e talaatum5 meN sat’h6-e aab7 hai kyuN
1.whirlpool 2.regret 3.colour, image, style 4.grip 5.storm, choppy waves 6.surface 7.water
Neither tears nor shades of regret in the whirlpool’s eye; why is the water’s surface caught in such turbulence? The poet paints a picture of turmoil, symbolized by a whirlpool without remorse or sadness. The chaotic surface represents life’s restlessness, reflecting the daily struggle of the masses. The ‘bhaNvar’ could symbolize the politically powerful or the orthodoxy.
3
koi to dar1 kisi sim-sim2 ke bas3 meN thaa varna4
jo baaryaab5 nahiiN thaa vo kaamyaab6 hai kyuN
1.door 2.sesame 3.control 4.otherwise 5.admitted/accepted in a court or in company 6.successful
There surely was some door that was controlled by a secret charm, ‘open sesame’ (ali baba and the forty thieves), otherwise, how did the one who did not have access to authority, succeed? This may reflect the mysteries of fate, which opens doors for someone; or equally about access to power that opens doors surreptitiously.
4
bhale’ bure’ ki sanad1 dene’ vaaloN se poocho
nisaab2-e ziist3 ka har lafz4 ek kitaab5 hai kyuN
1.certificate 2.curriculum 3.life 4.word 5.book
Ask those who certify good and bad; why is every word of life’s curriculum like a book?
Here ‘kitaab’ probably sarcastically implies ‘received book of wisdom’. The poet critiques societal/orthodox judgments, comparing life’s lessons to an overwhelming syllabus. It questions the validity of moral judgments imposed by those who are all too willing to label someone as good or bad based on ‘received knowledge’.
5
qadam-qadam1 ki parakh2 vo bhi zarre-zarre3 par
ye ehtesaab4 agar hai to behisaab4 hai kyuN
1.every step 2.evaluation, judgement 3.every paticle/speck/grain 4.accountability 5.immeasurable, unlimited
Every step is judged, every particle scrutinized; if this is called accountability, why is it so expansive/unlimited? The poet critiques excessive scrutiny and accountability in life. It reflects the frustration of being constantly evaluated without clear standards, making the process seem endless and oppressive. Following the previous she’r this is a reflection on the judgements that society/orthodoxy pronounces.
6
ubhar1 ke phir usi paani meN Doobne’2 ke liye
paraaye3 lams4 ka marhoon5 har habaab6 hai kyuN
1.emerging, rising 2.drown, sink 3.other, foreign 4.touch 5.indebted, mortgaged 6.bubble
Rising only to sink again into the same water; why is every bubble indebted to the other’s touch? It is possible that bubbles here symbolize fleeting aspirations shaped by external forces of turbulene of life. They are doomed to dissolve back into the chaos they emerged from. Here ‘paraaya lams’ is the touch of another’s hand which creates false expectations which why the bubble/hopes burst.
7
isi vasuuq1 se siiNchuNga2 ab maiN kisht3-e umiid4
meri nazar5 hi pe mauqoof6 har saraab7 hai kyuN
1.certainty, confidence 2.irrigate, water, nature 3.agricultural field 4.hope 5.sight, gaze 6.dependent 7.mirage
With the same confidence, I will now nurture the field of hope; why does every mirage depend solely on my vision? Mirage represents unfulfilled dreams and false promises. The poet represents every human who has been shown a mirage – a set of false promises, by the powerful and/or by the orthodoxy. It is the false promise that gives him (the misplaced) confidence to nurture his field of hope.
8
zaruur1 dil ko kisi dil se raah2 soojhi3 hai
har ek rag4 meri khiiNchti5 hui tanaab6 hai kyuN
1.surely 2.path, connection 3.found, seen 4.vein, fibre of the body 5.pulled tight 6.tight rope/string
Surely, my heart has found a path/connection to another; why then would every fibre in my body pull at me like a taut rope? This could be about a romantic/love relationship but it might also be about hopes planted in his heart by ‘someone’ – the powerful or the orthodox.
9
badan1 ki chhooT2 pe lau3 de raha hai roop4 jahaaN5
nazar6 ke lams7 pe barham8 tera hijaab9 hai kyuN
1.body 2.chhooT also means radiance, reflection 3.flame 4.shape, beauty 5.where, when 6.gaze 7.touch 8.annoyed, disturbed 9.veiling, shyness, bashfulness, reticence
The beloved is bashful and prefers reticence, but her beauty sets fire to her reflection and the poet/lover cannot help himself but direct his gaze towards her brilliance. Why then, should her reticence be annoyed by the ‘touch’ of his gaze.
10
vahi zamiir1-e ta’assub2 tah3-e Khamiir4-e vafa5
samundaroN6 pe jo barse’7 hai vo sahaab8 hai kyuN
1.inner self 2.bigotry, prejudice 3.under, beneath 4.essence 5.fidelity, keeping promises 6.seas, ocean 7.rain on 8.cloud
This is the cloud of benevolence, and it is raining on a place that already has a lot of water. It does not rain where it is needed – on dry fields. This shows that beneath the veneer of the essence of fidelity (being true to promises) is the inner self of prejudice.
11
jo dauR-dhoop1 ko haasil2 nahiN haqiiqat3 hai
mile’ jo niind meN aksar4 vo raahi5 Khwaab6 hai kyuN
1.an expression meaning-intense activity, hard work 2.gain, obtain 3.truth, reality 4.often 5.dream
What we gain with tireless effort is never reality; what we often find in sleep, O raahi, why is that a dream? In real life we are faced with unattainable realities based on false hopes and expectations. Why is it that we only dream about them.
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