After meeting Sunita last week, I was thrown back to my MBA days this weekend. I remember, when everybody would be out and about during the weekend, I would be in my dorm room with low lights listening to Ghulam Ali. My next door neighbor – Tej Mohan Singh Chhabra – often used to drop by and help me translate the songs. Tej, if you are listening, you might remember this song that we once listened to together…

“Humko kiske gham ne maara
Yeh kahaani phir sahi
Kisne toda dil hamara
Yeh kahaani phir sahi
Dil ke lootney ka sabab
Poochho na sabke saamne
Naam aayega tumhara
Yeh kahaani phir sahi”

As he explained that evening, this means…

“Do not ask me whose sorrow killed me
Let’s talk about it later some time
Who tore apart my heart…
Let’s talk about it later some time
The name behind who plundered my heart
Please do not ask in front of everybody
For your name might just come up
Let’s talk about it later some time”

“Mere rashk-e-qamar tu ne pehli nazar,
Jab nazar se milaayee maza aa gaya
Bara si gir gaii kaam hi kar gaii,
Aag aisi lagaaii maza aa gaya”

Trying to translate this is not going to be easy. The first big challenge is explaining the import of a simple phrase as “maza aa gaya”. Literally it might be said it means “(I) became overjoyed”. But it really conveys a lot more. Elements of “ecstasy” is carried thru in that phrase. And elements of “unparalleled” nature of joy is conveyed thru that phrase.

The second challenge is to translate the construct of Urdu phrases. They are constructed almost the opposite of English phrases, sequentially speaking. “Rashk e qamar” is best understood as “envy of moon”. Basically, he is describing her as somebody whose beauty is the subject of envy by the moon.

Let’s see if this does any justice…

“Oh! You – who is the envy of the moon, your first glance
When it met my own eyes, it flung me into a world of ecstasy

(And in that look) Lightning struck and completely charred me
You lit such a fire that I burnt in a fire of that ecstasy.”

“Mere ashk bhi hai is mein
Ye sharaab ubal na jaaye
Mera jam chhoonewaale
Tera haath jal na jaaye

Meri zindagi ke maalik
Mere dil pe haath rakhna
Tere aane ki khushi mein
Mera dam nikal na jaaye”

Roughly translated…

Referring to the goblet of wine…

“My tears are flowing in this goblet too
Hope the wine does not spill over
You – who is trying to touch my goblet
Be careful that your fingers don’t get singed.

Oh! You – who truly own my life
Place your hand on my heart
(So that) In my ecstasy that you have finally come
I do not run out of breath (and die) !!

“Aaj ki baat phir nahi hogi 
Yeh mulaqat phir nahi hogi
Aise badal to phir bi aayenge
Aisi barsaat phir nahi hogi”

Roughly translated…

“We will not talk about today again
Our meeting will not happen again
We will have overcast skies like this again
But we will never have the rains like this again”

Today is a Nusrat evening. Great words from Ghalib…

“Haathon ki lakeeron pe
Mat ja, ae Ghalib
Naseeb unke bhi hotey hain
Jinke haath nahin hotey”

Some references here – the lines on your palm is considered to state your future and fate, according to some… Here, Ghalib tells himself to pay no attention to it…

“Do not go by the lines of the palm
On your hand, hey Ghalib
‘Coz, luck is bestowed even upon those
Who do not have any hands”

“Banke tasweer-e-ghum reh gaye hain
Khoye khoye se hum reh gaye hain
Bnaat li sabne aapas mein khushiyaan
Mere hisse mein ghum reh gaye hain”

Translated…

I stayed there like a picture of sorrow
I stayed there – completely lost (in your thoughts)
Everybody shared in their part of the happiness
On my fate, I was left with nothing but sadness

“Mein Ne Manaa Janaab Peeta Hoon
Ba Khuda Behisaab Peeta Hoon
Log Logon Ka Khoon Peete Hain
Mein To Phir Be Sharab Peeta Hoon
Zindagi Ka Azaab Peeta Hoon
Banke Khana Kharab Peeta Hoon
Roz-e-Mehshar Hisaab Ho Na Sake
Is Liye Behisaab Peeta Hoon”

Monday thru Friday travel. 3 cities. 10 hours of flight. 10 hours of drive. Lots of meetings!!!

Now to relax…

“Gharyaal Deyo Nikalni, Mera Piya Ghar Aaya
Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya
Piya Ghar Aaya, Sanu Allah Milaya
Hun Hoya Fazl Kamaalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya”