Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 12:12:57 +0800
From: Ramesh Hariharan (rameshh@tp.ac.sg)
Subject: Andleeb Shaadaani! dair lagi aaney meiN....

Hi ghazalers

Its been a while since I looked into the digest. Have just come back
from India. I can see that Lalit and gang have maintained the ghazal
tempo. Let's keep it that way! Here's my 1st for 1997. It's by Andleeb
Shaadaani!

1. dair lagi aaney meiN tum ko, shukr hai phir bhi aaye to
aas ne dil kaa saath na choda, waisey hum ghabraay to

[You took your time in coming(here), but at least you came
My hopes did not abandon my heart, but I did get a bit afraid]

2. shafaq, dhanak, mahtaab, ghataaiN, taaraiN, naghmay, bijlee, phool
uss daaman meiN kya kya kuch haiN, wo daaman haath meiN aaye to

[The twilight, the rainbow, the moon, the clouds, the stars, the songs, the lightning, the flower
That lap/skirt has so many wonders in it, if only I can get it in my hands]

ugh! loses all the beauty in the translations!

3. chaahat ke badley meiN hum ne baich dee apni marzee tak
koiee miley to dil kaa gaahak, koi hameN apnaay to

[For the sake of my wishes/desires, I even sold off my ideals/principles/ideas
If only I can get a buyer of hearts, someone who can make me his/her own]

4. suni sunaaee baat naheeN ye apney ooper beetee haiN
phool nikaltay haiN, sho'loN se, chaahat aag lagaay to

[This is not a hearsay, but actually something that I have gone thru
Flowers come out of the flames, if desires light up the fire]

5. naadaanee aur mujbooree meiN yaaro kuch to faraq karo
ik bay-bus insaan karay kya toot ke dil aa jaay to

[Know the difference between innocence and desperation, my friends
What can a helpless man do, when his heart gets broken]

Very rusty, my translations! I suppose that's what happens when you go
off for a while!

Dictionary : aas - ummeed; shafaq - shaam ke waqt aasmaan kee surkhee,
twilight; dhanak - qos-e-qazah (rainbow); mahtaab- moon

Ramesh Hariharan