Sher on Delhi
A city is a physical
space and also a metaphor. All cities have had a history and a character of their own. They are the citadels of hope but also instill fear. Poets have used the idea and image of city in different ways. While the earlier poets saw kindness in cities, the new poets, see cruelty in them. Here are a few variations on the image of city.
dillī meñ aaj bhiik bhī miltī nahīñ unheñ
thā kal talak dimāġh jinheñ tāj-o-taḳht kā
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The couplet contrasts past grandeur with present destitution to show how swiftly fortune turns. “Crown and throne” stand for power, prestige, and arrogant self-assurance, while “not even alms” marks utter helplessness. The emotional core is bitter irony: those intoxicated by rule are reduced to begging, yet even begging yields nothing. It warns that worldly authority is fragile and pride invites a harsh fall.
dilli mein aaj bhik bhi milti nahin unhen
tha kal talak dimagh jinhen taj-o-taKHt ka
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The couplet contrasts past grandeur with present destitution to show how swiftly fortune turns. “Crown and throne” stand for power, prestige, and arrogant self-assurance, while “not even alms” marks utter helplessness. The emotional core is bitter irony: those intoxicated by rule are reduced to begging, yet even begging yields nothing. It warns that worldly authority is fragile and pride invites a harsh fall.
dil kī bastī purānī dillī hai
jo bhī guzrā hai us ne luuTā hai
dil ki basti purani dilli hai
jo bhi guzra hai us ne luTa hai
in dinoñ garche dakan meñ hai baḌī qadr-e-suḳhan
kaun jaa.e 'zauq' par dillī kī galiyāñ chhoḌ kar
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The poet acknowledges that the Deccan region (South India) currently offers better patronage and respect for poets than the declining Delhi. However, he rhetorically asks who could possibly bear to leave Delhi, prioritizing his deep emotional connection to the city's culture and streets over financial gain or fame elsewhere.
in dinon garche dakan mein hai baDi qadr-e-suKHan
kaun jae 'zauq' par dilli ki galiyan chhoD kar
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The poet acknowledges that the Deccan region (South India) currently offers better patronage and respect for poets than the declining Delhi. However, he rhetorically asks who could possibly bear to leave Delhi, prioritizing his deep emotional connection to the city's culture and streets over financial gain or fame elsewhere.
amīr-zādoñ se dillī ke mil na tā-maqdūr
ki ham faqīr hue haiñ inhīñ kī daulat se
EXPLANATION #1
In Delhi, it isn’t possible for me to associate with the children of the rich.
Because it is their very wealth that has reduced me to poverty.
Meer Taqi Meer points to a bitter social irony: the rich and their circles are out of reach, not due to lack of worth but because inequality has been produced by them. The speaker’s poverty is presented as a consequence of the powerful’s “wealth,” suggesting exploitation and exclusion. The emotional core is wounded dignity mixed with quiet accusation: those who prosper also create the destitute they avoid.
Shafaq Sopori
amir-zadon se dilli ke mil na ta-maqdur
ki hum faqir hue hain inhin ki daulat se
EXPLANATION #1
In Delhi, it isn’t possible for me to associate with the children of the rich.
Because it is their very wealth that has reduced me to poverty.
Meer Taqi Meer points to a bitter social irony: the rich and their circles are out of reach, not due to lack of worth but because inequality has been produced by them. The speaker’s poverty is presented as a consequence of the powerful’s “wealth,” suggesting exploitation and exclusion. The emotional core is wounded dignity mixed with quiet accusation: those who prosper also create the destitute they avoid.
Shafaq Sopori
chehre pe saare shahr ke gard-e-malāl hai
jo dil kā haal hai vahī dillī kā haal hai
chehre pe sare shahr ke gard-e-malal hai
jo dil ka haal hai wahi dilli ka haal hai
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Tags : Diland 1 more
dillī ke na the kūche aurāq-e-musavvar the
jo shakl nazar aa.ī tasvīr nazar aa.ī
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
Meer Taqi Meer portrays Delhi as so altered and ghostly that it no longer feels like a living city. The lanes seem like drawn, lifeless “illustrated pages,” and every sight turns into a mere image. The metaphor suggests devastation and emotional numbness: reality has been reduced to a static scene. It is grief and nostalgia seeing the world as art because life has drained from it.
dilli ke na the kuche auraq-e-musawwar the
jo shakl nazar aai taswir nazar aai
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
Meer Taqi Meer portrays Delhi as so altered and ghostly that it no longer feels like a living city. The lanes seem like drawn, lifeless “illustrated pages,” and every sight turns into a mere image. The metaphor suggests devastation and emotional numbness: reality has been reduced to a static scene. It is grief and nostalgia seeing the world as art because life has drained from it.
ai vaa.e inqalāb zamāne ke jaur se
dillī 'zafar' ke haath se pal meñ nikal ga.ī
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The couplet mourns a sudden political and personal ruin: the upheaval of the age becomes a force of oppression. “Delhi” stands for sovereignty, home, and identity, and its slipping away “in an instant” captures how quickly power can vanish. The emotional core is grief mixed with helplessness before history’s harsh turn.
ai wae inqalab zamane ke jaur se
dilli 'zafar' ke hath se pal mein nikal gai
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The couplet mourns a sudden political and personal ruin: the upheaval of the age becomes a force of oppression. “Delhi” stands for sovereignty, home, and identity, and its slipping away “in an instant” captures how quickly power can vanish. The emotional core is grief mixed with helplessness before history’s harsh turn.
dillī kahāñ ga.iiñ tire kūchoñ kī raunaqeñ
galiyoñ se sar jhukā ke guzarne lagā huuñ maiñ
dilli kahan gain tere kuchon ki raunaqen
galiyon se sar jhuka ke guzarne laga hun main
janāb-e-'kaif' ye dillī hai 'mīr' o 'ġhālib' kī
yahāñ kisī kī taraf-dāriyāñ nahīñ chaltīñ
janab-e-'kaif' ye dilli hai 'mir' o 'ghaalib' ki
yahan kisi ki taraf-dariyan nahin chaltin
dillī chhuTī thī pahle ab lucknow bhī chhoḌeñ
do shahar the ye apne donoñ tabāh nikle
dilli chhuTi thi pahle ab lucknow bhi chhoDen
do shahar the ye apne donon tabah nikle
dillī meñ apnā thā jo kuchh asbāb rah gayā
ik dil ko le ke aa.e haiñ us sarzamīñ se ham
dilli mein apna tha jo kuchh asbab rah gaya
ek dil ko le ke aae hain us sarzamin se hum
lailā ghar meñ silā.ī karne lagī
qais dillī meñ kaam karne lagā
laila ghar mein silai karne lagi
qais dilli mein kaam karne laga
ai sabā maiñ bhī thā āshufta-saroñ meñ yaktā
pūchhnā dillī kī galiyoñ se mirā naam kabhī
ai saba main bhi tha aashufta-saron mein yakta
puchhna dilli ki galiyon se mera nam kabhi
tazkira dehli-e-marhūm kā ai dost na chheḌ
na sunā jā.egā ham se ye fasāna hargiz
tazkira dehli-e-marhum ka ai dost na chheD
na suna jaega hum se ye fasana hargiz
marsiye dil ke ka.ī kah ke diye logoñ ko
shahr-e-dillī meñ hai sab paas nishānī us kī
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The speaker says his inner grief became public through the ‘elegies’ he recited, so his pain spread among people. Delhi turns into a witness: the city’s people carry “signs” of that sorrow as shared memories, stories, or traces. The metaphor suggests that personal heartbreak can leave a lasting mark on a whole community. It also hints at fame earned through suffering—grief becoming one’s identity.
marsiye dil ke kai kah ke diye logon ko
shahr-e-dilli mein hai sab pas nishani us ki
Interpretation:
Rekhta AI
The speaker says his inner grief became public through the ‘elegies’ he recited, so his pain spread among people. Delhi turns into a witness: the city’s people carry “signs” of that sorrow as shared memories, stories, or traces. The metaphor suggests that personal heartbreak can leave a lasting mark on a whole community. It also hints at fame earned through suffering—grief becoming one’s identity.
kyuuñ matā-e-dil ke luT jaane kā koī ġham kare
shahr-e-dillī meñ to aise vāqiye hote rahe
kyun mata-e-dil ke luT jaane ka koi gham kare
shahr-e-dilli mein to aise waqiye hote rahe
dil-rubā tujh sā jo dil lene meñ ayyārī kare
phir koī dillī meñ kyā dil kī ḳhabardārī kare
dil-ruba tujh sa jo dil lene mein ayyari kare
phir koi dilli mein kya dil ki KHabardari kare
dillī huī hai vīrāñ suune khañDar paḌe haiñ
vīrān haiñ mohalle sunsān ghar paḌe haiñ
dilli hui hai viran sune khanDar paDe hain
viran hain mohalle sunsan ghar paDe hain
dil mirā jalva-e-āriz ne bahalne na diyā
chandni-chowk se zaḳhmī ko nikalne na diyā
dil mera jalwa-e-ariz ne bahalne na diya
chandni-chowk se zaKHmi ko nikalne na diya
hamīñ haiñ maujib-e-bāb-e-fasāhat hazrat-e-'shā.ir'
zamāna sīkhtā hai ham se ham vo dillī vaale haiñ
hamin hain maujib-e-bab-e-fasahat hazrat-e-'shair'
zamana sikhta hai hum se hum wo dilli wale hain
arz-e-dakan meñ jaan to dillī meñ dil banī
aur shahr-e-lucknow meñ hinā ban ga.ī ġhazal
arz-e-dakan mein jaan to dilli mein dil bani
aur shahr-e-lucknow mein hina ban gai ghazal
dillī pe ronā aatā hai kartā huuñ jab nigāh
maiñ us kuhan ḳharābe kī ta.amīr kī taraf
dilli pe rona aata hai karta hun jab nigah
main us kuhan KHarabe ki tamir ki taraf
kuchh bhī hoñ dillī ke kūche
tujh bin mujh ko ghar kāTegā
kuchh bhi hon dilli ke kuche
tujh bin mujh ko ghar kaTega
ai muzaffar kis liye bhopal yaad aane lagā
kyā samajhte the ki dillī meñ na hogā āsmāñ
ai muzaffar kis liye bhopal yaad aane laga
kya samajhte the ki dilli mein na hoga aasman
dil-lagī ke vāste dehlī meñ hai maTiyā-mahal
kaun jaave ḳhaak uḌāne mulk-e-bīkāner ko
dil-lagi ke waste dehli mein hai maTiya-mahal
kaun jawe KHak uDane mulk-e-bikaner ko
yuuñ bhī dillī meñ log rahte haiñ
jaise dīvān-e-mīr chaak shuda
yun bhi dilli mein log rahte hain
jaise diwan-e-mir chaak shuda
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Tags : Meer Taqi Meerand 1 more
