Urdu Poetry and Poetics

Episode 10.

Reflection: Jo Teri Bazm Se Nikla

Poet: Mirza Ghalib

by Faraz Ali

bū-e gul nālah-e dil dūd-e chirāġh-e maḥfil

jo tirī bazm se niklā so pareshāñ niklā

‎بوئے گل نالۂ دل دودِ چراغِ محفل

‎جو تری بزم سے نکلا سو پریشاں نکلا

A few important points to note in the shi’r to explore at your own leisure.

1. The usage of poetic device ‘Husn-i ta’alil’. See definition below.

2. Three evocative examples engaging sight, smell, and sound. These are some observations we all witness and experience.

3. Melodic quality. Read the shi’r out loud to explore yourself.

4. The effect of meaning creation ‘Ma’ani Afirini’ generated with the possible implications of pareshani

——

Husn-e Taʿlīl (elegance in assigning a cause) — 'taʿlīl means 'to establish a reason' or 'to express a reason. ḥusn-e taʿlīl is to give a fine and superior example of that action. If a reason is expressed for something such that even if it’s not real, it has in it some poetic richness and subtlety, and it has some affinity with reality and nature as well, then that is called ḥusn-e taʿlīl.

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com

Episode 09.

Recitation: Ram, a nazm by Muhammad Iqbal

Poet: Muhammad Iqbal

Recitation by Faraz Ali

Labrez hai sharāb-e-haqīqat se jām-e-hind
sab falsafī haiñ ḳhitta-e-maġhrib ke rām-e-hind

ye hindiyoñ kī fikr-e-falak-ras kā hai asar
rif’at meñ āsmāñ se bhī ūñchā hai bām-e-hind

is des meiñ hue haiñ hazāroñ malak-sarisht

mashhūr jinke dam se hai duniyā meiñ nām-e-hind

hai rām ke vajūd pe hindostāñ ko nāz
ahle-nazar samajhte haiñ is ko imām-e-hind

ejaaz is charāġh-e-hidāyat kā hai yahī
raushan-tar-az-sahar hai zamāne meiñ shām-e-hind

talvār kā dhanī thā shujāat meiñ fard thā
pākīzgī meiñ josh-e-mohabbat meiñ fard thā

#urdu

TRANSLATION:

The attempt below is for assistance only and does not intend to capture the poetic excellence.

The cup of Hind overflows with the wine of truth.

Philosophers of the Western world are its devotees.

The mysticism of her philosophers

makes Hind’s star soar above all constellations.

Thousands of angels have descended

to proclaim Hind’s name before the world.

And proud of his existence

the discerning eye sees in Ram, a prophet.

The glow from this lamp of wisdom

makes Hind’s evening more radiant

than the world’s daybreak.

Valorous, brave, a master swordsman!

In purity, in love, Ram, was unmatched

#urdu

Rām, the poem's subject, refers to the Lord Ramā, a Hindu deity and the protagonist of the Ramayana epic. He is a symbol of the triumph of truth over falsehood.

Please read up about him yourself and save us the struggle of misrepresentation. 

For Iqbal, Hindustan is a land of sages, seers, scholars and intellectuals; he appreciates the Hindustani mind's search for eternality, knowledge and wisdom.

but

Rām is also a Persian word which means subdued, tamed, submissive — one who is submissive or obedient. And is often used in idiomatic constructions. 

i.e here are a few examples:

1. rām-karnā: to win over, tame, make loyal

2. rām-honā or ho-jānā: To be subdued

3. Nafs ko rām kernā - 

Lord Ramā and his story are often referenced in idiomatic expressions like:

* rām rām kerna: salute, greet, recite a holy name, seeking protection, to repent

* rām-kahānī sunana: telling a really long story 

Celebrating the syncretic tradition, Iqbāl not only uses Lord Rām as the subject of the poem, he also employs the Persian usage in the second line of the first shi'r.  

‘sab falsafī haiñ ḳhitta-e-maġhrib ke rām-e-hind’

What do you think the expression 'Rām-i Hind' implies here? 

-

Now look at the expression in the fourth shi'r praising Rām as Imām-i Hind. 

hai rām ke vajūd pe hindostāñ ko nāz

 ahle-nazar samajhte haiñ is ko imām-e-hind

Urdu poetry is replete with references to Lord Ram and the episodes from The Ramayana. There are over 300 Ramayanas written in Urdu, many in Urdu verse known as manzum Ramayanas.

Episode 08.

Reflection: Challenges or Reading Iqbal

Poet: Muhammad Iqbal

by Faraz Ali

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

Episode 07.

Excerpt: Dagh Dehlvi’s Story in ‘Kai Chand They Sar-i Asman’ by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi

Poet: Dagh Dehlvi

by Faraz Ali

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com

Episode 06.

Story: Haider Ali Aatish in Lucknow

Poet: Haider Ali Aatish

by Faraz Ali

Bāt meiñ farq na āney dījiye

Jān jaati hai tau jāne dijiye

Ān meiñ farq na āney dijiye

Jān jati hai tau jāne dijiye

بات میں فرق نہ آنے دیجۓ

جان جاتی ہے تو جانے دیجۓ

آن میں فرق نہ آنے دیجۓ

جان جاتی ہے تو جانے دیجۓ

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com

Episode 05.

Reflection: Temperament of Mirza Ghalib

Poet: Mirza Ghalib

by Faraz Ali

zikr us parī-vash kā aur phir bayāñ apnā

ban gayā raqīb āḳhir thā jo rāz-dāñ apnā

ذکر اس پری وش کا اور پھر بیاں اپنا

بن گیا رقیب آخر تھا جو رازداں اپنا

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com

Episode 04.

Ghazal: Daim Pada Hua

Poet: Mir Taqi Mir

Recitation by Faraz Ali

daa.im paḌā huā tire dar par nahīñ huuñ maiñ

ḳhaak aisī zindagī pe ki patthar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

kyuuñ gardish-e-mudām se ghabrā na jaa.e dil

insān huuñ piyāla o sāġhar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

yā-rab zamāna mujh ko miTātā hai kis liye

lauh-e-jahāñ pe harf-e-mukarrar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

had chāhiye sazā meñ uqūbat ke vāste

āḳhir gunāhgār huuñ kāfar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

kis vāste aziiz nahīñ jānte mujhe

la.al o zamurrad o zar o gauhar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

rakhte ho tum qadam mirī āñkhoñ se kyuuñ dareġh

rutbe meñ mahr-o-māh se kam-tar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

karte ho mujh ko man.a-e-qadam-bos kis liye

kyā āsmān ke bhī barābar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

'ġhālib' vazīfa-ḳhvār ho do shaah ko duā

vo din ga.e ki kahte the naukar nahīñ huuñ maiñ

دائم پڑا ہوا ترے در پر نہیں ہوں میں

خاک ایسی زندگی پہ کہ پتھر نہیں ہوں میں

کیوں گردش مدام سے گھبرا نہ جاے دل

انسان ہوں پیالہ و ساغر نہیں ہوں میں

یارب زمانہ مجھ کو مٹاتا ہے کس لیے

لوح جہاں پہ حرف مکرر نہیں ہوں میں

حد چاہیے سزا میں عقوبت کے واسطے

آخر گناہ گار ہوں کافر نہیں ہوں میں

کس واسطے عزیز نہیں جانتے مجھے

لعل و زمرد و زر و گوہر نہیں ہوں میں

رکھتے ہو تم قدم مری آنکھوں سے کیوں دریغ

رتبے میں مہر و ماہ سے کم تر نہیں ہوں میں

کرتے ہو مجھ کو منع قدم بوس کس لیے

کیا آسمان کے بھی برابر نہیں ہوں میں

غالبؔ وظیفہ خوار ہو دو شاہ کو دعا

وہ دن گئے کہ کہتے تھے نوکر نہیں ہوں میں

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com

Episode 03.

Reflection: Veil of Dust

Poet: Mir Taqi Mir

by Faraz Ali

مت سہل ہمیں جانو پھرتا ہے فلک برسوں

تب خاک کے پردے سے انسان نکلتے ہیں

mat sahl hameñ jaano phirtā hai falak barsoñ

tab ḳhaak ke parde se insān nikalte haiñ

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com

A Ghazal by Mir Taqi Mir

Recitation by Faraz Ali

kartā nahīñ qusūr hamāre halāk meñ

yā-rab ye āsmān bhī mil jaa.e ḳhaak meñ

garmī nahīñ hai ham se vo ai rashk-e-āftāb

ab aa gayā hai farq bahut us tapāk meñ

is Dhang se hilā ki bajā dil nahīñ rahe

us gosh ke guhar se dam aa.e haiñ naak meñ

ab ke junūñ meñ fāsla shāyad na kuchh rahe

dāman ke chaak aur garebāñ ke chaak meñ

kahiye latāfat us tan-e-nāzuk kī 'mīr' kyā

shāyad ye lutf hogā kisū jān-e-pāk meñ

‎کرتا نہیں قصور ہمارے ہلاک میں

‎یا رب یہ آسمان بھی مل جائے خاک میں

‎گرمی نہیں ہے ہم سے وہ اے رشک آفتاب

‎اب آ گیا ہے فرق بہت اس تپاک میں

‎اس ڈھنگ سے ہلا کہ بجا دل نہیں رہے

‎اس گوش کے گہر سے دم آئے ہیں ناک میں

‎اب کے جنوں میں فاصلہ شاید نہ کچھ رہے

‎دامن کے چاک اور گریباں کے چاک میں

‎کہیے لطافت اس تن نازک کی میرؔ کیا

‎شاید یہ لطف ہوگا کسو جان پاک میں

Zer Zabar Paesh is a platform for the study of Urdu poetic tradition by Faraz Ali. It aims to make this tradition accessible to people with a genuine interest in classical and contemporary Urdu verse and its vast apparatus—including approaches to deep reading, poetics, canon and history, criticism and scholarship, etc.

It is an attempt to bring “the tāq-i nisyān” طاقِ نِسْیاں (niche of forgetfulness) into relief and cultivate the faculty of imagination تخيّل(takhayyul).

This episode explains the five aspects of the project.

- Muntakhab vasāʾil

- Zer-i ghawr

- Farogh-i zawq

- ʿUlamāʾ-yi adab

- Lutf-i ishārāt

It is an attempt by Faraz Ali to bring “the tāq-i nisyān” طاقِ نِسْیاں (niche of forgetfulness) into relief and cultivate the faculty of imagination تخيّل(takhayyul).

Faraz Ali is an award-winning experiential designer and performing artist practicing in physical, digital, and poetic realms.

You can engage with the project on instagram.

Instagram.com/zer_zabar_paesh

Or explore the mobile version of the official website to get access to curated content.

www.zerzabarpaesh.com