कभी यूँ भी आ मेरी आँख में

Rendered and composed by two "Ustaads" from Jaipur, it's one of my favorite ghazals. Hussain brothers, early in their careers, used to perform on Jaipur Doordarshan and IIRC, this ghazal was aired pretty often during between programmes and at other times. Their inimitable style of singing and amazing synchronization was awe-inspiring. This is still one of their most popular ghazal, even after they have released over half-a-dozen albums and become known to a much broader audience.

Basheer Badr, among current Indian Urdu poets, has a high place for both quality and popularity of his verses. There are a couple of very good ones in this long-metered ghazal as well.

कभी यूँ भी आ मेरी आँख में कि मेरी नज़र को ख़बर न हो
मुझे एक रात नवाज़ दे, मगर उसके बाद सहर न हो

वो बड़ा रहीम-ओ-करीम है, मुझे ये सिफ़त भी अता करे
तुझे भूलने की दुआ करूँ तो मेरी दुआ में असर न हो

* सिफ़त: योग्यता

मेरे बाजुओं में थकी-थकी, अभी मह्व-ए-ख़्वाब है चाँदनी
न उठे सितारों की पालकी, अभी आहटों का गुज़र न हो

कभी दिन की धूप में झूम के, कभी शब के फूल को चूम के
यूँ ही साथ-साथ चलें सदा कभी ख़त्म अपना सफ़र न हो

In ISB format:

% ITRANS Song #
%
\startsong
\stitle{kabhii yuu.N bhii aa merii aa.Nkh me.n}%
\film{Rifaaqat (Non-film)}%
\year{}%
\starring{}%
\singer{Ahmed Hussain, Mohammed Hussain}%
\music{Ahmed Hussain-Mohammed Hussain}%
\lyrics{Basheer Badr}%
%
% Audio on: HMV
% Contributor: Vinay P Jain
% Transliterator: Vinay P Jain
% Date: 11 Jun 2004
% Series: Andaaz-e-Bayaan Aur
% Comments:
% generated using giitaayan
%
\printtitle
#indian
%
kabhii yuu.N bhii aa merii aa.Nkh me.n ki merii nazar ko Kabar na ho
mujhe ek raat nawaaz de, magar usake baad sahar na ho

wo ba.Daa rahiim\-o\-kariim hai, mujhe ye sifat bhii ataa kare
tujhe bhuulane kii duaa karuu.N to merii duaa me.n asar na ho

% sifat: yogyataa, good quality

mere baaZuo.n me.n thakii\-thakii, abhii mahv\-e\-Kwaab hai
chaa.Ndanii
na uThe sitaaro.n kii paalakii, abhii aahaTo.n kaa guzar na ho

kabhii din kii dhuup me.n jhuum ke, kabhii shab ke phuul ko chuum ke
yuu.N hii saath\-saath chale.n sadaa kabhii Katm apanaa safar na ho
%
#endindian
\endsong


उस की हसरत है जिसे दिल से मिटा भी न सकूँ

I'll start with an old favorite that is interestingly conceived and superbly composed. It is essentially a merger of two different ghazals that have the same "zameen" (meter and rhyme). The ghazals performed as such are known as 'ham-zameen' ghazals. It is not a new concept but I have seen it applied rather rarely.

Jagjit Singh here combines she'rs by Ghalib and Amir Minai and wraps them with an outstanding composition and mesmerizing rendering. It is also one of the few ghazals, apart from some in the TV series "Mirza Ghalib", where I find Chitra Singh not just bearable but absolutely enchanting. An all-time favourite whichever way I approach it.

१.
उस की हसरत है जिसे दिल से मिटा भी न सकूँ
ढूँढने उस को चला हूँ जिसे पा भी न सकूँ

२.
मेहरबाँ हो के बुला लो मुझे चाहो जिस वक़्त
मैं गया वक़्त नहीं हूँ कि फिर आ भी न सकूँ

३.
डाल कर ख़ाक मेरे ख़ून पे क़ातिल ने कहा
कुछ ये मेंहदी नहीं मेरी कि मिटा भी न सकूँ

४.
ज़ौफ़ में ताना-ए-अग़यार का शिकवा क्या है
बात कुछ सर तो नहीं है कि उठा भी न सकूँ

% zauf = kamajorii; aGayaar = dushman

५.
ज़ब्त कमबख़्त ने और आ के गला घोँटा है
कि उसे हाल सुनाऊँ तो सुना भी न सकूँ

६.
ज़हर मिलता ही नहीं मुझको सितमगर वर्ना
क्या क़सम है तेरे मिलने की कि खा भी न सकूँ

७.
उस के पहलू में जो ले जा के सुला दूँ दिल को
नींद ऐसी उसे आये के जगा भी न सकूँ

In ISB format:

% ITRANS Song #
%
\startsong
\stitle{us kii hasarat hai jise dil se miTaa bhii na sakuu.N}%
\film{Rare Gems (Non-Film)}%
\year{196?}%
\starring{}%
\singer{Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh}%
\music{Jagjit Singh}%
\lyrics{Ghalib, Amir Minai}%
%
% Audio on: HMV
% Contributor: Vinay P Jain
% Transliterator: Vinay P Jain
% Date: 7 Jun 2004
% Series: Andaaz-e-Bayaan Aur
% Comments: The song was first released on EPs in late 60s/early 70s.
Later, in late 80s, HMV released a collection of some ghazals of
Jagjit-Chitra from that era pakcaged as 'Rare Gems'. She'rs # 2, 4, 6
are by Ghalib and the rest by Amir Minai.
% generated using giitaayan
%
\printtitle
#indian
%
1.
us kii hasarat hai jise dil se miTaa bhii na sakuu.N
Dhuu.NDhane us ko chalaa huu.N jise paa bhii na sakuu.N

2.
meharabaa.N ho ke bulaa lo mujhe chaaho jis waqt
mai.n gayaa waqt nahii.n huu.N ki phir aa bhii na sakuu.N

3.
Daal kar Kaak mere Kuun pe qaatil ne kahaa
kuchh ye me.nhadii nahii.n merii ki miTaa bhii na sakuu.N

4.
zauf me.n taanaa\-e\-aGayaar kaa shikavaa kyaa hai
baat kuchh sar to nahii.n hai ki uThaa bhii na sakuu.N

% zauf = kamajorii; aGayaar = dushman

5.
zabt kamabaKt ne aur aa ke galaa gho.nTaa hai
ki use haal sunaauu.N to sunaa bhii na sakuu.N

6.
zahar milataa hii nahii.n mujhako sitamagar varnaa
kyaa qasam hai tere milane kii ki khaa bhii na sakuu.N

7.
us ke pahaluu me.n jo le jaa ke sulaa duu.N dil ko
nii.nd aisii use aaye ke jagaa bhii na sakuu.N

%
#endindian
\endsong