Date: Thu, 15 Aug 96 12:07:00 PDT
From: Ramesh Hariharan (rameshh@tp.ac.sg)
Subject: Majrooh Sultanpoori

Hi
I wish to present a ghazal by Majrooh Sultanpoori, the hindi film lyricist
of so many beautiful songs. This ghazal was featured in the movie
Dastak(*ing Sanjeev Kumar, Rehana Sultan), sung by Lata, and the MD was
Madan Mohan. Only 3 shers were featured in that song, marked here with an *
sign. I present to you the full ghazal. Enjoy!

1.* hum haiN mataa'-e-koochah-o-baazaar kee terah
uThtee hai har nigaah Khareedaar kee terah

[I am like a saleable commodity in the streets and baazaars
everybody looks at me as if they were the buyer]

2. iss koo-e-tiSHnagee meiN bohat hai ke aik jaam
haath aa gaya hai dolat-e-baidaar kee terah

[In this sea of thirst(I am so thirsty), if I can get one drink
it would be like I have got the treasures of the world]

3.* wo to haiN kaheeN aur magar dil ke aas paas
phirtee hai koi SHae nigah-e-yaar kee terah

[He/she is somewhere else, yet close to the heart
Something like the eyes of my lover(his/her image) roams around(in my mind)]

4. seedhee hai raah-e-shoq pe yooNhee kabhee kabhee
Kham ho gaee hai gaisoo-e-dildaar kee terah

[The path of love is straight but still sometimes,
it curves like the hair of my lover]

5. ab jaa ke kuch khulaa hunar-e-naakhun-e-junooN
zaKhm-e-jigar hooay lab-o-ruKhsaar kee terah

[Only now has the quality/talent/gift of my fingernails come out
The wounds of the heart have become like the red lips and cheeks (of my lover)]

6.* 'majrooh' likh rahay haiN wo ahl-e-wafa kaa naam
hum bhee khaRay hooay haiN gunah-gaar kee terah

['majrooh' is writing the names of people who were loyal in love (believed in committment)
even I am standing(in the queue/line) there like a criminal]

Dictionary : mataa'-e-koochah-o-baazaar - life in streets and bazaar(here - like the life of a saleable commodity);
koo-e-tiSHnagee - too much thirst; jaam - drink(associated with spirits);
dolat-e-baidaar - here it means too much wealth(like a very poor man getting some treasure);
Shae - thing; raah-e-shoq - paath of love; Kham - curves; gaisoo - hair;
hunar - talent; junooN - passion; ahl - people