Sher-E-Day

Gunah

2008-02-19T16:24:00.002+05:30

Hi Friends,

Todays Exams are over and I am going home for next eleven days. So see you on 3rd March.

Sher today is,

वो कौन है जिन्हें तौबा की मिल गई फुरसत
हमें गुनाह भी करने को ज़िंदगी कम है
-आनंद नारायण मुल्ला

Glossary
तौबा = Atonement, पश्चाताप

Enjoy
Abid

Tanhaai

2008-02-17T19:05:00.002+05:30

Hi Friends,

Topic today is Tanhaai, found a few good ones. Mulahiza farmaiye

एक महफिल में कई महफिलें होती हैं शरीक
जिस को भी पास से देखोगे वह तन्हा होगा
-बशीर बद्र

दिल समझता था की खल्वत में वह तन्हा होंगे
मैंने परदा जो उठाया तो क़यामत निकली
-अज़ीज़ लखनवी

Glossary
Khalwat = when alone

Enjoy
Abid

Mulaaqaat

2008-02-16T20:03:00.002+05:30

Hi All,

Today the topic is mulaqaat.

The shers are:

मैंने माना की मुझे उन से मुहब्बत न रही
हमनशीं फिर भी मुलाक़ात से जी डरता है
-हसन नईम

हूरों से ना होगी ये मदारात किसी की
जन्नत में याद आएगी मुलाक़ात किसी की
- बेखुद देहलवी

Glossary:
Madaaraat : Favors, आवभगत

Enjoy
Abid

Hina

2008-02-15T19:43:00.004+05:30

Hi All,

Hina means Mehandi. This is the topic for today's sher. Found some good ones for you.

चंद मासूम से पत्तों का लहू है "फाकिर"
जिस को महबूब के हाथों की हिना कहते है
-सुदर्शन फाकिर

न मेरे ज़ख्म खिले हैं न तेरा रंग-ऐ-हिना
मौसम आए ही नही अबके गुलाबों वाले
-अहमद फ़राज़

Glossary
चंद = Few

Enjoy
Abid

Zulf

2008-02-14T19:50:00.002+05:30

Hi,

Just a few shers on Zulf, one of the favorite topics of all poets. This has been used in numerous shers and subject to all kinds of experiments.

The shers are,

Chedti hai kabhi lab ko kabhi rukhsaron ko
Tum ne zulfon ko bahut sar pe chada rakha hai

-Khwamkhah Hyderabadi (Funny name... huh??)

Wo lajaye mere sawal par ki utha sake na jhuka ke sar
Udi zulf chehre pe is tarah ki shabon ke raaz machal gaye

-Majrooh Sultanpuri

Glossary:
Rukhsaron = cheeks
Khwamkhah = Futile, Zabardasti, Bekaar mein
Shabon = nights

Observe the use beautiful use of Muhavra "sar pe chadana" in the sher. In the second sher the beauty lies in how zulf playing on face is betraying the mysteries of nights.

Enjoy
Abid

Banda - Khuda

2008-02-13T20:36:00.003+05:30

Hi All,

Today a philosophical sher from Meer Taqi Meer...
The sher is

Saraapaa aarzu hone ne banda kar diya hum ko
Vagarna hum Khuda the, gar dil-e-bemudda_aa hote
-Meer

Glossary:
Saraapa = from head to toe
Vagrana = Otherwise
Bemudda_a = Without any issue/yearning/desire

The crux is, I am a man since I have desires. If not then I would have been God. So in this couplet he is telling us why we are man and different from God, but interesting thing is, it is not clear whether he is deriding god or praising him and one can take the sher both ways and that I think is the real beauty of sher

Enjoy
Abid

Nasir

2008-02-12T12:56:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Today's sher are from a very great poet from Pakistan, Nasir Kazmi.
He has developed a unique style of ghazal. His ghazals are of very short meter (length of line) and kaafiya is not strictly followed. Result of this is very aloof and abrupt sort of poetry which suits his themes. Judge it for yourself...

The shers are

aaj to be-sabab udaas hai ji
ishq hota to koi baat bhi thi

aaj to vo bhi kuchh Khamosh sa tha
maine bhi us se koi baat na ki

tu jo itna udas hai 'Nasir'
tujhe kya ho gaya bata to sahi

-Nazir Kazmi.

Enjoy
Abid

Maa

2008-02-10T12:47:00.001+05:30

Hi All,

Please welcome the best shaayer of our times. In my opinion this man stands taller than Javed Akhtar and joins the ranks of Gulzar and Bashir Badr. He is Nida Fazli.

Here is a masterpiece by him called Maa.

The ghazal is,

besan ki sondhi roti par khatti chatni jaisi maan ,
yaad aata hai chouka-baasan, chimta phunkani jaisi maan.

baans ki khurri khaat ke oopar har aahat par kaan dhare
aadhi soyi aadhi jaagi thaki dupahari jaisi maan.

chidiyon ke chahakaar men goonje radha-mohan ali-ali
murge ki aavaaj se khulati, ghar ki kundi jaisi maan.

bivi, beti, bahan, padosan thodi-thodi si sab men
din bhar ik rassi ke oopar chalati natani jaisi maan.

baant ke apna chehra, matha, ankhen jane kahan gayi
phate purane ik album men chanchal ladki jaisi maan.
-Nida fazli

Glossary:
Sondhi = Earthy of soil
Chouka - Baasan = kitchen-utensils
Chimta - phuukni = small utensil to pick roti from tawa - a tube of metal to blow in chulha
Khurri = a bed which is woven with rope made of coconut hair
Kundi = chain of door of house
Natni = a female from a caste/tribe in India, whose business is to show such stunts on roadside.

what I like about this piece is the imagination, word selection, which is so apt, that it directly sends you to that era of rural India, from where poet has come. You don't even have to think about words and stop to understand them. They (words) spontaneously go deep down in you and stay there. Read it two three times. You fall in love with this poem.

Enjoy
Abid

Aankhon

2008-02-09T17:03:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Just stumbled on this sher. This is simple, easy.... good or bad... you decide...

the sher is

Paigaam liya hai kabhi paigam diya hai
Ankhon ne mohabbat mein bada kaam kiya hai

-Hafeez Banarasi

Let me know of your thoughts

Abid

Abhi baqi Hai

2008-02-08T23:34:00.000+05:30

Hi,

I read this ghazal just a few hours back.... even name of the poet is new for me.... still shers are good.... giving them here

dard ki had se guzarnaa to abhi baqi hai
Toot kar mera bikharnaa to abhi baqi hai

paas aake mera dukh-dard bataanevale
mujhse katara ke guzarnaa to abhi baaqi hai

-by Rashid Kamil

Glossary
Katara = chhup kar, sneakily

Enjoy
Abid

Tabassum

2008-02-07T20:47:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Today's sher are by a Sufi poet.... there poetry is always on a different plane...
but this sher here is slightly toned down...


nazar me dhal ke ubharte hain dil ke afasane 
ye aur baat hai duniyaa nazar na pahachane 

ye bazm dekhi hai meri nigaah ne ki jahaan 
bagair shamaa bhi jalte rahe hain paravaane
- Tabassum

All words are easy and meaning straightforward....
think more... go inside... especially first sher.. it is beautiful

Enjoy
Abid

Ghalib

2008-02-06T20:16:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Today........... good old ghalib....

The sher is,

Tha zindagi mein bhi maut ka khatka laga hua
Udne se peshtar bhi mera rang zard tha
-Mirza Ghalib

Glossary
Khatka - dar, the feeling you get when you are watching a horror movie
Peshtar - before
Zard - Yellow (color of death)

Enjoy
Abid

Seemab

2008-02-05T19:47:00.000+05:30

Hi,

A couple of shers by seemab akbarabadi.... a good poet... original and simple

ab mujh ko hai qaraar to sab ko qaraar hai
dil kya thaher gaya ki zamana thaher gaya

yaa rab nahi main vaqif-e-rudad-e-zindagi
itanaa hii yaad hai ki jiyaa aur mar gayaa

-Seemab Akbarabadi

Glossary
Vaqif-e-rudad-e-zindagi = aware of story of life

Enjoy
Abid

Jaaiye

2008-02-03T20:10:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Sorry for infrequent update/posting.... but will get progressively bad I am sure...

Sher for today,

I don't know the shaayer for this sher... but my guess is it must be Qateel Shifai...

sher is,

Naaraz hai to jaaiye lekin yeh shart hai
Hum se na boliye to kisi se na boliye.

The beauty of this sher is the honesty with which poet has told possesiveness and jealousy he feels when his lover is talking or interacting with someone else... He is candid about his feeling and it is a beautiful expression of love/passion/possesiveness. I can't think of any better way to tell that.. it is simple, basic and clear as it can be...

Enjoy

Abid

Hina

2008-01-15T18:45:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Today a sher by some unknown genius.

Hina ka rang ye hargiz nahi hai sach bata zaalim 
Yeh kis ka phool sa dil tu ne paaon se masal Dala
by Unknown

Enjoy
Abid

Mohsin Naqvi

2008-01-09T20:11:00.000+05:30

Hi

Let me introduce you to another good shayer of modern times. Mohsin Naqvi.

Here is sher from him.... Judge for yourself

Yeh Rakhrakhav muhabbat sikha gayi us ko
Wo roothkar bhi mujhe muskura ke milta hai
By Mohsin Naqvi

Enjoy
Abid

Majrooh

2008-01-07T18:48:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

It is not a very known fact but lyricist majrooh was an excellent poet also (in the true sense of the word).

So today, one of his sher for you.

Mili jab unse nazar bas raha tha ek jahaan
Hati nigah to charo taraf the veerane

by Majrooh Sultanpuri

The sher beautifully brings out the dependence of aashiq's world simply on mashooq's eye contact. Even that mere contact brings upon a torrent of imagination in his heart where he setups his whole world and without her all he sees is space/zero

Love
Abid

After a long time

2008-01-05T19:53:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

First Avenues then exams and finally tiring, endless PPTs.... but I am back..... Zindagi se bhaag kar aaya hoon mein...

The sher today is, to start with simple and easy.... the meter of ghazal is very short

Yeh aalam shauq ka dekha na jaye
Woh buut hai ya khuda dekha na jaye

Yeh kin nazron se tune aaj dekha
Ki tera dekhna dekha na jaye

by Faraz Ahmed

Glossary
Aalam : Situation/Condition
Shauq : Passion, Interest, Love
Buut : Statue (Hard and beautiful at the same time)

Love
Abid

Meer Again

2007-10-31T21:42:00.000+05:30

Dear All,

I already told you about his geatness... to reinforce it more... presenting a few more gems by him
The first sher especially is very good. Read below for my interpretation of the same.

Hai Tah-e-dil buton ko kya maloom
nikle parde se kya, khuda maloom

Yehi jana ki kuch na jana haye
so bhi ek umr mein hua maloom
By Meer

Glossary:
Tah-e-dil : Beneath heart
Umr : Age, long time

This sher as you have realised is highly philosophical and poet is talking about futility and lack knowledge about life and universe in general. In the first sher "parda" word refers to the veil on Kaba (house of god) and he is casting doubt on existence of god, but the beauty is, in the next line he is saying "khuda Maloom" is again he is indicating since no one knows everything. there has to be a god.

Let me know...what do you think of the sher??

Enjoy
Abid

Ghalib Again

2007-10-30T18:29:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Woh apni khoo na badlenge ham apni vazza kyun badle
subuk sar ban ke kya poochhe ke hum se sargiraan kyun ho
by Ghalib

Khoo : Aadat
Vazza : Style
Subuksar: Kamzor, Heen, Inferior
Sargira : Naaraz

Try to understand... All the best

Abid

Introducing Meer

2007-10-28T10:32:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Meer Taqi Meer... probably the only shayer people compare with Ghalib.... these two are the greatest.... still debate over who is better in these two... but no doubt these two are top two.

His shers are pretty tough to decipher with a wide range of vocab, prose, sayings and his own words (you will see a sample below)

The sher I am giving is a easy one...

Shayad Kisu ke Dil ko lagi us gali mein chot
Meri bagal mein shisha-e-dil choor ho gaya
by Meer Taqi Meer

Kisu : Kisi (this is the word I am talking about... he made it up because he liked Kisu and Kabhu better than Kisi and kabhi)

Sher is easy...

Enjoy
Abid

Aaina-E-Dil

2007-10-27T21:07:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Sorry for the gaps in between but Avenues.07 has taken a lot...anyways... woh kissa phir kabhi

The sher today is.... philosophical in nature... nothing more... just think about it..

Tod kar dekh liya aaina-e-dil tune
teri surat ke siva aur bata kya nikla
-by Unknown

this sher has a few noticeable issues... it is not clear whose heart she has broken (her own or lover's) and words "dekh liya" are also special.. it has two meanings. One is of normal seeing and one in muhavara sense... so poet is saying that you are seeing in the mirror after breaking it and other is seeing wheather it breaks.

keep exploring

Abid

Sada Dil

2007-10-23T22:47:00.000+05:30

Hi,

This sher I am giving, today i read it for the first time and was immediately struck by its simplicity and depth.... you can get multiple meanings out of that... so go explore..

The sher is:

Jo bhi baazaar mein dam bhar ko thahar jata hai
Sada dil us ko kharidaar samajh lete hai
by Shad Lucknowi

Sada Dil: Simple hearted.

Abid

Daur-E-Jaam

2007-10-21T21:09:00.000+05:30

Hi,
A slightly tricky sher with a few tough words thrown in, but a good one.... understand and enjoy

the sher is

Sad sala daur-e-charkh tha saagar ka ek daur
Nikle jo maikda se to duniya badal gayi
by Gustakh Rampuri

Glossary
Sad : Hundered
Sala : Years, Saal
Daur-e-charkh: round of skies (Heavenly bodies in this context), basically 100 years of round of heavenly bodies, ek yug, a long period, an eternity

rest is easy, I guess

Enjoy
Abid

Zindagi

2007-10-20T20:52:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Today sitting in soporific SCM lecture... I remembered an old sher by Jigar. Jigar use to sell goggles at moradabad railway station in UP before making it big in the world of Poetry. In his time there was no mushaira considered complete without him, owner for rich baritone, he had a gift of delivering shers.

The sher is:

Na garaz kisi se na vaasta mujhe kaam apne hi kaam se
teri zikr se teri fikr se teri yaad se tere naam se.
by Jigar Moradabadi

Garaz : no favors required from anybody
Vaasta : relation

Enjoy
Abid

Aur Zyada

2007-10-19T21:12:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Sorry for missing out yesterday's Sher.... will compensate with a big Ghazal today.

Today a sher by Majaz. This poet is always close to my heart, not only because of delicate poetry but because of the way he lived and the way he died. He is also called Keats of Indian Poetry, though I am against such comparisons but giving it here to give you guys a perspective only.

The ghazal sums up the whole wreck of his life and the way he took it in his stride...

Barbaad tamanna pe ataab aur zyada
Haa meri mohabbat ka javaab aur zyada

Roye na abhi ahal-e-nazar haal pe mere
hona hai abhi mujh ko Kharaab aur zyada

Aavara-o-majanu hi pe maukoof nahi kuchh
Milne hain abhi mujh ko Khitaab aur zyada

Uthenge abhi aur bhi toofan mere dil se
dekhunga abhi ishq ke Khvaab aur zyada

Tapakega lahu aur mere dida-e-tar se
dhadakega dil-e-Khana Kharab aur zyada

ai mutrib-e-bebak koi aur bhi nagma
ai saqi-e-fayyaz sharab aur zyada
by Majaz Lucknowi

Glossary
Ataab : Anger
Ahal-e-Nazar : People with eyes, well wishers
Maukoof : Dependent, (here it means, my fame does't stop at these two words)
Khitaab : Titles
Dida-e-tar : Wet eyes
Mutrib-e-bebaak : the unabated singer
Nagma : song
Saqi-e-fayyaz : the magnanimous, kind hearted bar girl

Let me know of your thoughts on this

Enjoy

Abid

Parda

2007-10-17T11:15:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Earlier I decided to post shers based on some theme, but later on I decided that I can't post shers that way... i post whatever comes to my mind at that time. this theme based poetry binds me.

So the posts will be random. However you can suggest if you want some particular theme, I will try to put some shers on suggested topics...

The sher today is again very twisted sher, it has sayings and a beautiful contrast. The poet was famous for such twisted ideas and any wonder in his times he was a champion chess player. Momin Khan Momin.

Tere Parde Ne Ki Yeh Pardadari
Tere Chhupte Hi Kuch Chhupa Na Raha
by Momin.

Ponder over this. The second line is a beauty.

Enjoy
Abid

Fasana

2007-10-15T14:17:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

A very beautiful but slightly naughty sher.... One friend of mine likes it very much, so giving it here for him.

Yeh Udi Udi si rangat yeh khule khule se gesu
Teri Subah keh rahi hai teri raat ka fasana
by Ehsaan Danish

Gesu: Hair

Enjoy

Abid

Kabhi Kabhi

2007-10-15T13:47:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

This sher is One of my favorite, very simple but powerful. Simple thought but delve deep and you will find how true the sher is. Also look into the way poet puts his thought across.

the sher is:

Ae Dost hum ne tarq-e-muhabbat ke bavajood
Mehsoos ki hai teri zarurat kabhi kabhi
By Nasir Kazmi

Tarq-e-muhabbat : Breakup
Bavajood : inspite of

pay special attention to word Zarurat... this word carries all the weight for this sher..

Enjoy
Abid

Tab aur Ab

2007-10-14T20:54:00.000+05:30

Hi All

Nahi ek baar bhi ab sun ne ki taakat dil mein
pahle sau baar tera naam liya kar te the
by Saalik Dehlvi

Abid

Carrying on

2007-10-12T19:40:00.000+05:30

Hi,

Carrying on the same theme of conversation,

A sher which is very apt and fits in beautifully with the situation. This will be understood best by someone newly in love and doesn't know what to talk about....

the sher is,

Woh ek baat jo maujoo-e-guftagoo ban ti
Mile jo aap to kambakht yaad hi na rahi
by Raza Naqvi

Maujoo-e-guftagu: Topic of conversation

Enjoy
Abid

Guft Gu

2007-10-11T13:23:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Enough of this Arrival Theme... now today starting new topic Guft Gu, which means Converstation.
Guft gu comes from word Gufta: which means Sentence or Statement

The sher is very imaginative and shows the heights a poet
can go to... the sher is

Gul-o-guncha asal mein hai teri guftgu ki shaklein
kabhi khul ke baat kah di kabhi kar diya ishara
by Salaam Sandelvi

Gul-o-guncha: Flower and Blossom
Shaklein : Faces or Facets

Pour in your comments

Abid

Arrival

2007-10-08T10:41:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

This sher is again on the same theme as previous posts i.e. Arrival

A classic Meer Sher:

Wo aaye bazm mein itna to meer ne dekha
phir uske baad charagon mein roshni na rahi
-Meer Taqi Meer

Bazm: Mehfil
Charag: Lamps

Enjoy
Abid

Aana

2007-10-07T10:47:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

With the same theme... another easy sher...

Allah ri bekhudi ki tere paas baith kar
Tera hi intezar kiya hai kabhi kabhi
-Naresh Kumar Shad

slightly philosophical but good

Abid

Aa Bhi Ja

2007-10-05T10:27:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Sher-e-day is now searchable from Google Search also..... :)

With the same theme of His/Her Coming....

This is a very good sher... very simple but captures the emotions aptly.. it is one of those shers.. which are very small and simple and say a lot in few words

the sher is:
Yeh kah kah ke hum dil ko bahla rahe hai
Woh ab chal chuke hai woh ab aa rahe hai
-by don't remember

Enjoy
Abid

His/Her Coming

2007-10-02T10:03:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Cotinuing the theme "Arrival of Mashooq"

Thi vasl mein bhi fikr judai ki saamne
Woh aaye to bhi neend na aayi tamaam raat

Vasl : Milan, rendevouz

Comment please

Abid

Unka Aana

2007-10-01T12:17:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

Continuing the theme "effect on Lover when Mashooq arives"

Bahr-e-ayaadat aaye hai lekin kaza ke saath
Dam hi nikal gaya mera aawaz-e-pa ke saath
by Meer dard

Bahr-e-ayadat : to find out about my health (mijaz pursi)
Kaza : Death
Aawaz-e-paa : Pad chap, sound of feet

Abid

Ghalib

2007-09-30T13:37:00.000+05:30

Hi All,

This sher is an all time hit. An oft quoted sher by Ghalib..

The sher is,

Unke dekhe se jo aa jati hai munh par raunak
Woh samajhte hai ki beemar ka haal achchha hai.

It is easy enough... no glossary.

Abid

Sher-E-Day....First

2007-09-29T23:31:00.001+05:30

Hi All,

I am starting this blog, I don't know how much this is will be appreciated but lets see.

So, the customary first post has to be a sher by Ghalib, the greatest of them all.

The sher is:

Main aur un ki bazm se yun tashnakaam aaoon
gar maine ki thi tauba saaqi ko kya hua tha
- Ghalib

Bazm - Mehfil, Party
Tashnakaam - Thirsty
Saaqi - Bar Girl/The giver (God)

Here ghalib is telling "you know I can't remain thirsty (liquor) and if my vow is broken, it is not my fault but saaqi's who showed me the liquor".

Leave you comment

Enjoy

Abid