Classic Poetry Series

Daagh Dehlvi
- poems -
Publication Date:
2012
Publisher:
PoemHunter.Com - The World's Poetry Archive
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Daagh Dehlvi (1831-1905)
Nawab Mirza Khan (1831 - 1905), commonly known as Daagh Dehlvi was an
outstanding Mughal poet famous for his Urdu ghazals and belonged to the
Delhi school of Urdu poetry. He wrote poems and ghazals under the takhallus
(Urdu word for nom de plume) 'Daagh Dehlvi' (the meanings of 'Daagh', an
Urdu noun, include stain, grief and taint while 'Dehlvi' means belonging to or
from Delhi).
Life
He lost his father at the age of six and was brought up by his stepfather,
Mirza Muhammad Fakhroo, who was heir to Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last
Mughal Emperor. On Fakhroo's death in 1865, Daagh left Delhi for Rampur
where he went into government service and lived comfortably for 24 years.
There followed a period of wandering and discomfort which ended when he
was invited to Hyderabad in 1891. There he won his fame as an Urdu poet
and lived a life of luxury. Hyderabad was a cradle to many poets of that
period following the decline of Mughals in Delhi. He died in 1905 at the age
of 74 in Hyderabad, India.
Poetry
Daagh had started reciting poetry at the age of ten. His forte was the ghazal.
His poetry does not wallow in despair. The tone of his poems is rather
exuberant. He was a self-acknowledged romantic but contrary to the
impression one gets from his poetry, he eschewed wine. Usage of common
words and phrases and thus simplicity was distinctive of his style. His work
comprises four volumes consisting of 16,000 couplets.
Daagh mostly wrote ghazals which are sets of two-line couplets. Some of his
couplets are highly quotable. For example,
"Tu hai harjai to apnaa bhi yehi taur sahi Tu nahin aur sahi, aur nahin, aur
sahi"
Having remained under patronage of highly established poet like Zauq,
Daagh had numerous disciples including the poet of the East Allama Iqbal,
Jigar Moradabadi, Seemab Akbarabadi and Ahsen Marehravi, though a widely
quoted anecdote relates that when asked to designate his successor as the
leading Urdu poet of his age, he replied Bekhudain [the two Bekhuds],
referring to Bekhud Badayuni and Bekhud Dehlvi.
His ghazals have been sung by noted ghazal singers including Ghulam Ali,
Malika Pukhraj, Mehdi Hassan, and Abida Parveen.
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His ghazals have been sung by noted ghazal singers including Ghulam Ali,
Malika Pukhraj, Mehdi Hassan, and Abida Parveen.
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Ghazal 1 (English Tranlation)
You've an objection to come [to me] and don't invite me either
You don't disclose the reason for severing relations either
What have you said? Say again, "I don't want to listen to you"
If [you] don't want to listen, I don't intend to say anything to such persons either
What a veil it is that [she's] settled close to the screen
[She] neither hides clearly nor does she come in the open
If the relation has been severed then why continue oppressions?
Those who don't relate to don't torment either
O Daagh! If you're fed up with life then why are you alive
Life isn't dear to you and you don't quit living either
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 10
pukarti hai khamoshi meri fugan ki tarah
nigahen kahtai hain sab raz-e-dil zuban ki tarah
jala k dag-e-muhabbat ne dil ko khak kiya
bahar ai mere bag main khizan ki tarah
talash-e-yar main chori na sar-zamin koi
hamare panv main chakar hain asman ki tarah
ada-e-matlab-e-dil hamase sikh jaye koi
unhen suna hi diya hal dastan ki tarah
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 11
ranj ki jab guftagu hone lagi
ap se tum tum se tu hone lagi
chahiye paigamabar dono taraf
lutf kya jab du-ba-du hone lagi
meri rusawai ki naubat a gai
unki shohrat qu-ba-qu hone lagi
bay niyazi badh gai hai is qadar
arzu ki arzu hone lagi
ab to mil kar dekhiye kya rang ho
phir hamari justaju hone lagi
'Dag' itraye hue phirate hain aaj
shayad unki abaru hone lagi
Daagh Dehlvi
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ghazal 12
rasm-e-ulfat sikha gaya koi
dil ki duniya pe cha gaya koi
ta qayamat kisi tarah na bujhe
ag aisi laga gaya koi
dil ki duniya ujar si kyun hai
kya yahan se chala gaya koi
vaqt-e-rukhsat gale laga kar 'Dag'
hansate hansate rula gaya koi
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 13
tumhare khat main naya ik salam kis ka tha
na tha raqib to akhir vo nam kis ka tha
vo qatl kar ke har kisi se puchte hain
ye kam kis ne kiya hai ye kam kis ka tha
vafa karenge nibhayenge bat manenge
tumhen bhi yad hai kuch ye kalam kis ka tha
raha na dil main vo be-dard aur dard raha
muqim kaun hua hai maqam kis ka tha
na puch-pach thi kisi ki na av-bhagat
tumhari bazm main kal ehtamam kis ka tha
hamare khat ke to purze kiye parha bhi nahin
sun jo tum ne ba-dil vo payam kis ka tha
inhin sifat se hota hai admi mashhur
jo lutf ap hi karte to nam kis ka tha
guzar gaya vo zamana kahen to kis se kahen
khayal mere dil ko subah-o-sham kis ka tha
har ek se kahte hain kya 'Dag' bevafa nikla
ye puche in se koi vo gulam kis ka tha
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 14
uzr ane main bhi hai aur bulate bhi nahin
bais-e-tark-e-mulaqat batate bhi nahin
khub parda hai ke chilman se lage baithe hain
saf chupate bhi nahin samane ate bhi nahin
ho chuka qata ta'lluq to jafayen kyon hon
jinko matlab nahin rahta wo satate bhi nahin
zist se tang ho ae Dag to jite kyon ho
jan pyari bhi nahin jan se jate bhi nahin
Daagh Dehlvi
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ghazal 15
un k ek jan-nisar ham bhi hain
hain jahan sau-hazar ham bhi hain
tum bhi bechain ham bhi hain bechain
tum bhi ho beqarar ham bhi hain
ai falaq kah to kya irada hai
aish k khvastagar ham bhi hain
shahar khali kiye dukan kaisi
ek hi vada-khvar ham bhi hain
sharm samajhe tere tagaful ko
vah! kya hoshiyar ham bhi hain
tum agar apni khu k ho mashuq
apne matlab k yar ham bhi hain
jis ne chaha phansa liya hamko
dil-baron k shikar ham bhi hain
kaun sa dil hai jis main dag nahin
ishq ki yadgar ham bhi hain
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 16
ye jo hai hukm mere pas na aye koi
is liye ruth rahe hain k manaye koi
tak main hai nigah-e-shauq khuda khair kare
samane se mere bachta hua jaye koi
hal aflaq-o-zamin ka jo bataya bhi to kya
bat vo hai jo tere dil ki bataye koi
apne 'Dag' ko munh bhi na lagaya afsos
us ko rakhta tha kaleje se lagaye koi
ho chuka aish ka jalsa to mujhe khat bheja
ap ki tarah se mehaman bulaye koi
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 2
arazu hai vafa kare koi
ji na chahe to kya kare koi
gar marz ho dava kare koi
marne vale ka kya kare koi
koste hain jale hue kya kya
apne haq main dua kare koi
un se sab apni apni kahte hain
mera matalab ada kare koi
tum sarapa ho surat-e-tasvir
tum se phir bat kya kare koi
jis main lakhon baras ki huren hon
aisi jannat ko kya kare koi
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 2 (With English Translation)
How can these envious people know about kind attitude?
Their pride of beauty does not allow them to be humble.
O shaikh (saint) you have never bowed your head on your beloved's doorstep, what
you may know about how to perform your prayers?
Although your face is glowing bright like a candle but even then you cannot understand
the delight of being burned in love.
Those who have started their love journey, they don't care about the ups and downs
(dilemma) of the path of love.
Ask from a drinker if you want to know the taste of wine. Sanctimonious people don't
have any idea about the delight of the taste of wine.
O Prophet Khyzer what good is this endless life of yours as your are not martyred (Who
have achieved eternity)
The one who is not aware of herself, what possibly she may know about my heart's
secret (Love) .
What great tragedies Dagh has suffered in his life, how a privileged person like you
may know about that?
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 3
Ajab apna hal hota jo visal-e-yar hota
kabhi jan sadqe hoti kabhi dil nisar hota
na maza hai dushmani main na hai lutf dosti main
koi gair gair hota koi yar yar hota
ye maza tha dillagi ka k barabar ag lagti
na tumhen qarar hota na hamain qarar hota
tere wade par sitamagar abhi aur sabr karte
agar apni zindagi ka hamain aitabar hota
English Translation
That would be a strange feeling, if my beloved had come to see me,
At one moment I would rendered my heart and at another my soul for her.
There is no charm in enmity, no pleasure in friendship,
Someone had to be an enemy like enemy; someone had to be a friend like friend.
It would be quite amazing in love if both were having in the same fire (passion) of love,
Nor you were at ease not I was at ease.
O my merciless beloved, I would wait a little longer on your words of promise,
If I had a guarantee of my life any more.
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 4
dil gaya tum ne liya ham kya karen
janevali chiz ka gam kya karen
pure honge apne arman kis tarah
shauq behad waqt hai kam kya karen
baksh den pyar ki gustakhiyan
dil hi qabu main nahin, ham kya karen
tund khu hai kab sune vo dil ki bat
aur bhi baraham ko baraham kya karen
ek sagar par hai apni zindagi
rafta rafta is se bhi kam kya karen
kar chuke sab apni-apni hikmaten
dam nikalta hai ai mere hamadam kya karen
dil ne sikha sheva-e-beganagi
aise namuharim ko muharim kya karen
mamala hai aj husn-o-ishq ka
dekhiye vo kya karen ham kya karen
kah rahe hain ahal-e-sifarish mujhse 'Dag'
teri qismat hai buri ham kya karen
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 5
gazab kiya, tere vade pe aitabar kiya
tamam rat qayamat ka intezar kiya
hansa hansa k shab-e-vasl ashk-bar kiya
tasalliyan mujhe de-de k beqarar kiya
ham aise mahv-e-nazara na the jo hosh ata
magar tumhare tagaful ne hoshiyar kiya
fasana-e-shab-e-gam un ko ek kahani thi
kuch aitabar kiya aur kuch na-aitabar kiya
ye kisne jalva hamare sar-e-mazar kiya
k dil se shor utha, hae! beqarar kiya
tarap phir ai dil-e-nadan, k gair kahte hain
akhir kuch na bani, sabr ikhtiyar kiya
bhula bhula k jataya hai unko raz-e-nihan
chipa chipa k mohabbat ko ashkar kiya
tumhen to vada-e-didar ham se karna tha
ye kya kiya k jahan ko ummidavar kiya
ye dil ko tab kahan hai k ho malandesh
unhone vada kiya ham ne aitabar kiya
na puch dil ki haqiqat magar ye kahte hain
vo beqarar rahe jisne beqarar kiya
Daagh Dehlvi
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Ghazal 6
khatir se ya lihaz se main man to gaya
jhuthi qasam se ap ka iman to gaya
dil le k muft kahte hain kuch kam ka nahin
ulti shikayaten rahi ehsan to gaya
ab shay-e-raz-e-ishq go zillaten hui
lekin use jata to diya, jan to gaya
dekha hai butkade main jo ai shekh kuch na kuch
iman ki to ye hai k iman to gaya
Darta hun dekh kar dil-e-be-arazu ko main
sun-san ghar ye kyun na ho mehman to gaya
go namabar se khush na hua par hazar shukr
mujh ko vo mere nam se pahchan to gaya
hosh-o-havas-o-tab-o-tavan 'Dag' ja chuk
ab ham bhi jane vale hain saman to gaya
Daagh Dehlvi
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ghazal 7
lutf vo ishq main paye hain ki ji janta hai
ranj bhi itne uthaye hain k ji janta hai
jo zamane k sitam hain vo zamana jane
tune dil itne dukhaye hain k ji janta hai
tum nahin jante ab tak ye tumhare andaz
vo mere dil main samaye hain ki ji janta hai
inhin qadmon ne tumhare inhin qadmon ki qasam
khak main itne milaye hain k ji janta hai
dosti main teri darparda hamare dushman
is qadar apne paraye hain k ji janta hai
Daagh Dehlvi
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ghazal 8
na jao hal-e-dil-e-zar dekhte jao
k ji na chahe to na char dekhte jao
bahar-e-umr main bag-e-jahan k sair karo
khila hua hai ye gulzar dekhte jao
utho ankh na sharmao ye to mahfil hai
gazab se janib-e-agayar dekhte jao
hua hai kya abhi hangama abhi kuch hoga
fugan main hashr k asar dekhte jao
tumhari ankh mere dil se besabab-bevajah
hui hai larane ko tayyar dekhte jao
na jao band kye ankh raharavan-e-adam
idhar-udhar bhi khabaradar dekhte jao
koi na koi har ik sher main hai bat zarur
janab-e-'Dag' k ashar dekhte jao
Daagh Dehlvi
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ghazal 9
phire rah se vo yahan ate ate
ajal meri rahi tu kahan ate ate
mujhe yad karne se ye mudda tha
nikal jaye dam hichakiyan ate ate
naa jaana ke dunya se jaata hai koi
bari dair ki meharbaan aate aate
mere aashiyaan ke to thay chaar tinkay
chaman urr gaya aandhiyaan aate aate
kaleja mere munh ko ayega ik din
yun hi lab pe ah-o-fugan ate ate
natija na nikla thak sab payami
vahan jate jate yahan ate ate
nahin khel ai 'Dag' yaron se kah do
k ati hai urdu zuban ate ate
Daagh Dehlvi