sawari unT ki hai

savārī uuñT kī hai

aur maiñ shahr-e-shikasta kī

kisī sunsāñ galī meñ sar jhukā.e

haath meñ bad-rañg chamḌe kī mahāreñ thaam kar

us ghar kī jānib jā rahā huuñ

jis kī chaukhaT par

hazāroñ saal se

ik ġham-zada aurat

mire va.ade kī rassī

resha-e-dil se bunī

mazbūt rassī se bañdhī hai

āñ.suoñ se tar nigāhoñ meñ

kisī kohna sitāre kī chamak le kar

mire ḳhākistarī malbūs kī

maḳhsūs ḳhushbū sūñghne ko

aur bhūre naT kī

dukh se labālab bilbilāhaT

sunñe ko tayyār baiThī hai!

vahī sīlan-zada ūtāq kā gosha

jahāñ maiñ ek shab us ko

larazte sansanāte zahr vaale

chobī tīroñ kī ghanī bārish meñ

be-bas aur akelā chhoḌ aayā thā

mujhe sab yaad hai qissa

baras kar abr bilkul tham chukā thā

aur ḳhalā meñ chāñd

yuuñ lagtā thā jaise

taḳht par nau-umr shahzāda ho koī

yuuñ havā chehre ko mas kar ke guzartī thī

ki jaise reshmīñ kapḌā ho koī

apne ThanDe aur giile ḳhol ke andar

galī soī huī thī

dam-ba-ḳhud saare makāñ

aaise nazar aate the

jaise narm aur bārīk kāġhaz ke bane hoñ

mom ke tarshe hue hoñ

ik baḌī tasvīr meñ

jaise azal se īstāda hoñ!

vahī sīlan-zada ūtāq kā gosha

jahāñ mahtāb kī burrāq kirneñ

us ke lāñmbe aur khule bāloñ meñ aḌse

tāza-tar injīr ke patte raushan kar rahī thiiñ

us kī gahrī gandumīñ kuhnī kā bosa yaad hai mujh ko

nahīñ bhūlā abhī tak

saarā qissa yaad hai mujh ko

usī shab

maiñ ne jab ik lamha-e-pur-soz meñ

talvār us ke paañv meñ rakh dī thī

aur phir ye kahā thaa:

''merā va.ada hai

ye merā jism aur is jism kī hākim

ye merī bātinī tāqat

qayāmat aur

qayāmat se bhī aage

sarhad-e-imkāñ se lā-imkāñ talak

terī vafā kā saath degī

vaqt suntā hai

gavāhī ke liye

ākāsh par ye chāñd

qadmoñ meñ paḌī ye teġh

aur bāloñ meñ ye injīr kā pattā hī kaafī hai!''

ḳhudāvandā vo kaisā marhala thaa!

ab ye kaisā marhala hai!

ek sunsānī kā aalam hai

galī chup hai

kisī zī-rūh kī aahaT nahīñ aatī

ye kaisī sā.at-e-manhūs hai

jis meñ abhī tak

koī nanhā sā parinda yā patiñgā

yā koī mauhūm chyūñTī hī nahīñ guzrī

kisī bhī mard o zan kī

maiñ ne sūrat hī nahīñ dekhī

savārī uuñT kī hai

aur maiñ shahr-e-shikasta kī

kisī sunsāñ galī meñ sar jhukā.e

haath meñ bad-rañg chamḌe kī mahāreñ thaam kar

us ghar kī jānib jā rahā huuñ

yā kisī mahshar

ḳhamoshī ke kisī mahshar kī jānib jā rahā huuñ

hichkiyoñ aur siskiyoñ ke ba.ad kā mahshar

koī manzar

koī manzar ki jis meñ ik galī hai

ek bhūrā uuñT hai

aur ek buzdil shaḳhs kī Dhīlī rifāqat hai

safar nā-muḳhtatam

jaise abad tak kī koī lambī masāfat hai!

savārī uuñT kī

yā kaaTh ke a.asāb kī hai

āzmā.ish ik anokhe ḳhvāb kī hai

putliyāñ sākit haiñ

saaya uuñT kā hiltā nahīñ

ā.īña-e-āsār meñ

saarī shabīheñ gum huī haiñ

us ke hone kā nishāñ miltā nahīñ

kab se galī meñ huuñ

kahāñ hai vo mirī pyārī

mirī sīlan-zada ūtāq vaalī

vo surīlī ghanTiyoñ vaalī

zamīnoñ pāniyoñ aur anfus o āfāq vaalī

kis qadar ā.ankhoñ ne koshish kī

magar ronā nahīñ aatā

sabab kyā hai

galī kā āḳhirī konā nahīñ aatā

galī ko hukm ho ab ḳhatm ho jaa.e

maiñ bhūre aur būḌhe uuñT par baiThe hue

piirī ke din gintā huuñ

shāyad is galī meñ rahne vaalā

koī us ke ahd kā zambūr hī guzre

maiñ us kī bārgah meñ

dast-basta ma.azarat kī bhiik māñgūñ

sar nadāmat se jhukā.uñ

aur us zambūr ke sadqe

kisī din apne būḌhe jism ko

aur uuñT ko le kar

galī kī āḳhirī had paar kar jā.ūñ!!

sawari unT ki hai

aur main shahr-e-shikasta ki

kisi sunsan gali mein sar jhukae

hath mein bad-rang chamDe ki mahaaren tham kar

us ghar ki jaanib ja raha hun

jis ki chaukhaT par

hazaron sal se

ek gham-zada aurat

mere wade ki rassi

resha-e-dil se buni

mazbut rassi se bandhi hai

aansuon se tar nigahon mein

kisi kohna sitare ki chamak le kar

mere KHakistari malbus ki

maKHsus KHushbu sunghne ko

aur bhure naT ki

dukh se labaalab bilbilahaT

sunne ko tayyar baiThi hai!

wahi silan-zada utaq ka gosha

jahan main ek shab us ko

larazte sansanate zahr wale

chobi tiron ki ghani barish mein

be-bas aur akela chhoD aaya tha

mujhe sab yaad hai qissa

baras kar abr bilkul tham chuka tha

aur KHala mein chand

yun lagta tha jaise

taKHt par nau-umr shahzada ho koi

yun hawa chehre ko mas kar ke guzarti thi

ki jaise reshmin kapDa ho koi

apne ThanDe aur gile KHol ke andar

gali soi hui thi

dam-ba-KHud sare makan

aaise nazar aate the

jaise narm aur barik kaghaz ke bane hon

mom ke tarshe hue hon

ek baDi taswir mein

jaise azal se istada hon!

wahi silan-zada utaq ka gosha

jahan mahtab ki burraq kirnen

us ke lanmbe aur khule baalon mein aDse

taza-tar injir ke patte raushan kar rahi thin

us ki gahri gandumin kuhni ka bosa yaad hai mujh ko

nahin bhula abhi tak

sara qissa yaad hai mujh ko

usi shab

main ne jab ek lamha-e-pur-soz mein

talwar us ke panw mein rakh di thi

aur phir ye kaha tha:

mera wada hai

ye mera jism aur is jism ki hakim

ye meri baatini taqat

qayamat aur

qayamat se bhi aage

sarhad-e-imkan se la-imkan talak

teri wafa ka sath degi

waqt sunta hai

gawahi ke liye

aakash par ye chand

qadmon mein paDi ye tegh

aur baalon mein ye injir ka patta hi kafi hai!

KHudawanda wo kaisa marhala tha!

ab ye kaisa marhala hai!

ek sunsani ka aalam hai

gali chup hai

kisi zi-ruh ki aahaT nahin aati

ye kaisi saat-e-manhus hai

jis mein abhi tak

koi nanha sa parinda ya patinga

ya koi mauhum chyunTi hi nahin guzri

kisi bhi mard o zan ki

main ne surat hi nahin dekhi

sawari unT ki hai

aur main shahr-e-shikasta ki

kisi sunsan gali mein sar jhukae

hath mein bad-rang chamDe ki mahaaren tham kar

us ghar ki jaanib ja raha hun

ya kisi mahshar

KHamoshi ke kisi mahshar ki jaanib ja raha hun

hichkiyon aur siskiyon ke baad ka mahshar

koi manzar

koi manzar ki jis mein ek gali hai

ek bhura unT hai

aur ek buzdil shaKHs ki Dhili rifaqat hai

safar na-muKHtatam

jaise abad tak ki koi lambi masafat hai!

sawari unT ki

ya kaTh ke aasab ki hai

aazmaish ek anokhe KHwab ki hai

putliyan sakit hain

saya unT ka hilta nahin

aaina-e-asar mein

sari shabihen gum hui hain

us ke hone ka nishan milta nahin

kab se gali mein hun

kahan hai wo meri pyari

meri silan-zada utaq wali

wo surili ghanTiyon wali

zaminon paniyon aur anfus o aafaq wali

kis qadar aaankhon ne koshish ki

magar rona nahin aata

sabab kya hai

gali ka aaKHiri kona nahin aata

gali ko hukm ho ab KHatm ho jae

main bhure aur buDhe unT par baiThe hue

piri ke din ginta hun

shayad is gali mein rahne wala

koi us ke ahd ka zambur hi guzre

main us ki bargah mein

dast-basta mazarat ki bhik mangun

sar nadamat se jhukaun

aur us zambur ke sadqe

kisi din apne buDhe jism ko

aur unT ko le kar

gali ki aaKHiri had par kar jaun!!