Urdu-i-Mu'allaa (Safii Lakhnavii)

[Naseer]

Dear All,

As promised recently, here is a nazm by Safii Lakhnavii. I hope you
will enjoy and appreciate it.

apne muNh se kah rahii hai saaf Urdu kii zabaaN
maulid-o-maavaa hai meraa kishvar-i-HindustaaN
is ke af'aal-o-ravaabit de rahe haiN Khud nishaaN
kis tarH paidaa hu'ii kyuuNkar baRhii pal kar yahaaN

roz-afzuuN Husn kaa har daur ik sayyaarah hai
hai dabistaaN Lakhnau, Dillii agar gahvaarah hai

muddatoN sarkaar-i-Dihlii meN rahii yih baar-yaab
ab tak Urdu-i-Mu'allaa hai vahii shaahii Khitaab
daur-daurah Lakhnau meN bhii thaa qabl az inqilaab
kar liyaa thaa nuktah-sanjoN ne isii ko intiKhaab

har adaa shiiriiM mazaaq-i-paarsaa-o-rind meN
is kaa tuutii boltaa thaa sabzah-zaar-i-Hind meN

tajribe kii aaNkh se dekhaa jo is ko honhaar
Company ne kar liyaa ise shariik-i-kaar-o-baar
daftaroN meN maHkamoN meN baRh gayaa 'izz-o-vaqaar
jam gayaa chalte hu'e sikkoN pih naqsh-i-i'tibaar

jab Queen Victoria kii yih sahelii ho ga'ii
har zabaaN dunyaa meN is kii phir to chelii ho ga'ii

Farsi Hindii kii aamezish se hai is kaa vujuud
yaadgaar-i-ittiHaad-i-ahl-i-Islam-o-Hunuud
dhuup-chhaaN ke rang kii hai vuh qabaa-i-hast-o-buud
kaargaah-i-Hind se mansuub jis ke taar-o-puud

sift-o-saNgiiN yaa libaas-i-'aariyyat baariik hai
jaamah-zebii se qadd-i-mauzuuN par is ke Thiik hai

thii mah-i-nau raftah-raftah maah-i-kaamil ban ga'ii
shaa'iraanah maHfiloN meN sham'-i-maHfil ban ga'ii
Husn-i-fitrat kii adaa-fahmii ke qaabil ban ga'ii
jab zabaaN kii tez nishtar ne rag-i-dil ban ga'ii

kyaa qiyaamat hai kih dil par kuchh asar lete nahiiN
ho rahaa hai Khuun is kaa tum Khabar lete nahiiN

kheNch do uTh kar qavaa'id se Hisaar-i-'aafiyyat
mil ke sab taiyyaar kar do jaami'-o-maani' luGhat
dekhte ho aa'e din jo ho rahii hai is kii gat
ik 'imaarat hai havaa par ho mu'allaq jis kii chhat

is taraH 'ilmii sutuunoN par ise qaa'im karo
zalzalah kaisaa hii aa'e magar junbish nah ho

har zabaaN kaa lafz khap jaa'e yih vus'at is meN hai
har luGhat ke jazb kar lene kii quvvat is meN hai
Brij Bhasha meN hai jo lazzat vuh lazzat is meN hai
saaf qand-i-Farsi kii bhii Halaavat is meN hai

raas juz shiir-o-shakkar ko'ii nahiiN is kii Khorish
do zabaaneN chuus kar paa'ii hai is ne parvarish

Safii Lakhnavii

.....................................................................................

Naseer

[Rajiv Chakravarti]

Naseer sahab, aadaab: Thanks for the nazm, it is lovely.

One minor correction is needed.

a)

Post by Naseer
Company ne kar liyaa ise shariik-i-kaar-o-baar

should be:
Company ne kar liyaa is ko shariik-i-kaar-o-baar

b) the shiiriiM is probably just a small typo -- but the above is
necessary for metre.

c)

Post by Naseer
Brij Bhasha meN hai jo lazzat vuh lazzat is meN hai

Could you kindly check the source here on this line again, please?
This is jarringly off-metre.

--
Aside:
a) I don't really know how the urdu vaalas pronounce "Queen" in
vernacular. For metre, I read it here as "Quvin", not knowing better.
And it sounded odd to me.

b) The word "sift" in "sift-o-sangeen" is also pronounced "suft" in
Farsi, as you are probably aware of.

P سفت sift, suft, adj. Thick, close, coarse (as cloth); hard, stiff;
firm, strong (syn. dabīz).

Initially, I thought this came from the infinitive "suftanidan"
meaning to "cause to bore" whose present tense 3rd person conjugate
would also be suft. A lookup corrected my error of thought..

Recall Hafez's maqt'a from his famous Ghazal:

غزل گفتی و در سفتی بیا و خوش بخوان حافظ
که بر نظم تو افشاند فلک عقد ثریا را

Ghazal gufti va durr *sufti* biyaa-o-Khosh ba.Khwaan Haafez
kih bar nazm-e-to afshaanad falak 'aqd-e-suraiyyaa raa

---


b) taar-o-pood : what a beautiful construct and how appropriately used
here.
I was delighted to see/learn!

Anyway, thanks again.
Regards,
RC

[Rajiv Chakravarti]

Naseer sahab, aadaab: Thanks for the nazm, it is lovely.

One minor correction is needed.

a)

Post by Naseer
Company ne kar liyaa ise shariik-i-kaar-o-baar

should be:
Company ne kar liyaa is ko shariik-i-kaar-o-baar

b) the shiiriiM is probably just a small typo -- but the above is
necessary for metre.

c)

Post by Naseer
Brij Bhasha meN hai jo lazzat vuh lazzat is meN hai

Could you kindly check the source here on this line again, please?
This is jarringly off-metre.

--
Aside:
a) I don't really know how the urdu vaalas pronounce "Queen" in
vernacular. For metre, I read it here as "Quvin", not knowing better.
And it sounded odd to me.

b) The word "sift" in "sift-o-sangeen" is also pronounced "suft" in
Farsi, as you are probably aware of.

P سفت sift, suft, adj. Thick, close, coarse (as cloth); hard, stiff;
firm, strong (syn. dabīz).

Initially, I thought this came from the infinitive "suftaaniidan"
meaning to "cause to bore" whose present tense 3rd person conjugate
would also be suft. A lookup corrected my error of thought..

Recall Hafez's maqt'a from his famous Ghazal:

غزل گفتی و در سفتی بیا و خوش بخوان حافظ
که بر نظم تو افشاند فلک عقد ثریا را

Ghazal gufti va durr *sufti* biyaa-o-Khosh ba.Khwaan Haafez
kih bar nazm-e-to afshaanad falak 'aqd-e-suraiyyaa raa

---

b) taar-o-pood : what a beautiful construct and how appropriately used
here.
I was delighted to see/learn!

Anyway, thanks again.
Regards,
RC

[Naseer]

Rajiv Sahib, aadaab.

Thank you for the appreciation of the nazm. Even a mere response from
anyone these days is more than "Ghaniimat"!

When I typed "kampanii", I decided to opt for the English spelling so
that readers would not struggle identifying these English
words."Queen" is written as "ko'in"/"kuu'in". Take your pick. As a
matter of interest, how would you pronounce it in *your* vernacular?
If it sounded odd to you, Qu'in Victoria was rather odd anyway! "Due
to her secluded childhood, she displayed a personality marked by
strong prejudices and a willful stubbornness".

And no, I was not trying to invent a new word. It should most
certainly have been "shiiriiN" and not"shiiriiM"!;-). Furthermore,

Brij Bhasha meN hai jo lazzat vuh lazzat is meN hai...is as is! I've
checked my source once again. Perhaps its time to blame the kaatib:-)

As for the "Company" shi'r, it ought in fact have been...

Company ne kar liyaa *apnaa* shariik-i-kaar-o-baar

Post by Rajiv Chakravarti
b) The word "sift" in "sift-o-sangeen" is also pronounced "suft" in
Farsi, as you are probably aware of.
P سفت sift, suft, adj. Thick, close, coarse (as cloth); hard, stiff;
firm, strong (syn. dabīz).
Initially, I thought this came from the infinitive "suftaaniidan"
meaning to "cause to bore" whose present tense 3rd person conjugate
would also be suft. A lookup corrected my error of thought..
غزل گفتی و در سفتی بیا و خوش بخوان حافظ
که بر نظم تو افشاند فلک عقد ثریا را
Ghazal gufti va durr *sufti* biyaa-o-Khosh ba.Khwaan Haafez
kih bar nazm-e-to afshaanad falak 'aqd-e-suraiyyaa raa

I believe the word is "sift" and not "suft", considering that "siftan"
and "siftah"definitions fit the meaning of the shi'r better.

سفتن siftan, To make thick, firm, strong (unsupported by examples)

sifta, Thick, coarse, hard, firm, strong; a stiff kind of cloth;

سفت sift, Coarse, thick, rude; the shoulder;--suft, Hard, stiff (linen
cloth); firm, strong; the shoulder; the upper part of a man; the eye
of a needle; bore, perforation.

Farhang-i-'Aasifiyyah gives the meaning of "sift" as "gaaRhaa, dabiiz,
moTaa". There is another word before "gaaRhaa" but I can't make it
out.

Naseer

[Rajiv Chakravarti]

Post by Naseer
words."Queen" is written as "ko'in"/"kuu'in". Take your pick. As a
matter of interest, how would you pronounce it in *your* vernacular?

That's the whole thing .. the vernacular would not use "Queen",
(mahaa) raani aur sometimes the hard n (raa.N.i, महा राणी) would be
used here, so the point of how to pronounce "Queen" would not arise.

Post by Naseer
As for the "Company" shi'r, it ought in fact have been...
Company ne kar liyaa *apnaa* shariik-i-kaar-o-baar

Thanks, perfectly acceptable, I said "is ko" based on the "ise" in the
original post.

Post by Naseer
I believe the word is "sift" and not "suft", considering that "siftan"
and "siftah"definitions fit the meaning of the shi'r better.
سفتن siftan, To make thick, firm, strong (unsupported by examples)
sifta, Thick, coarse, hard, firm, strong; a stiff kind of cloth;
سفت sift, Coarse, thick, rude; the shoulder;--suft, Hard, stiff (linen
cloth); firm, strong; the shoulder; the upper part of a man; the eye
of a needle; bore, perforation.
Farhang-i-'Aasifiyyah gives the meaning of "sift" as "gaaRhaa, dabiiz,
moTaa". There is another word before "gaaRhaa" but I can't make it
out.

Thanks. Platts listed both sift and "suft" as you saw from my first
response. I am willing to live with "sift" here, so my little mind
does not get confused. :)

I have no objections to the phonetic scheme proposed by Afzal sahab
for foreign words as shown.

Regards,
RC

Post by Naseer
Naseer

[Afzal A. Khan]

Post by Naseer
Dear All,
As promised recently, here is a nazm by Safii Lakhnavii. I hope you
will enjoy and appreciate it.
apne muNh se kah rahii hai saaf Urdu kii zabaaN
maulid-o-maavaa hai meraa kishvar-i-HindustaaN
is ke af'aal-o-ravaabit de rahe haiN Khud nishaaN
kis tarH paidaa hu'ii kyuuNkar baRhii pal kar yahaaN
roz-afzuuN Husn kaa har daur ik sayyaarah hai
hai dabistaaN Lakhnau, Dillii agar gahvaarah hai
muddatoN sarkaar-i-Dihlii meN rahii yih baar-yaab
ab tak Urdu-i-Mu'allaa hai vahii shaahii Khitaab
daur-daurah Lakhnau meN bhii thaa qabl az inqilaab
kar liyaa thaa nuktah-sanjoN ne isii ko intiKhaab
har adaa shiiriiM mazaaq-i-paarsaa-o-rind meN
is kaa tuutii boltaa thaa sabzah-zaar-i-Hind meN
tajribe kii aaNkh se dekhaa jo is ko honhaar
Company ne kar liyaa ise shariik-i-kaar-o-baar
daftaroN meN maHkamoN meN baRh gayaa 'izz-o-vaqaar
jam gayaa chalte hu'e sikkoN pih naqsh-i-i'tibaar
jab Queen Victoria kii yih sahelii ho ga'ii
har zabaaN dunyaa meN is kii phir to chelii ho ga'ii
Farsi Hindii kii aamezish se hai is kaa vujuud
yaadgaar-i-ittiHaad-i-ahl-i-Islam-o-Hunuud
dhuup-chhaaN ke rang kii hai vuh qabaa-i-hast-o-buud
kaargaah-i-Hind se mansuub jis ke taar-o-puud
sift-o-saNgiiN yaa libaas-i-'aariyyat baariik hai
jaamah-zebii se qadd-i-mauzuuN par is ke Thiik hai
thii mah-i-nau raftah-raftah maah-i-kaamil ban ga'ii
shaa'iraanah maHfiloN meN sham'-i-maHfil ban ga'ii
Husn-i-fitrat kii adaa-fahmii ke qaabil ban ga'ii
jab zabaaN kii tez nishtar ne rag-i-dil ban ga'ii
kyaa qiyaamat hai kih dil par kuchh asar lete nahiiN
ho rahaa hai Khuun is kaa tum Khabar lete nahiiN
kheNch do uTh kar qavaa'id se Hisaar-i-'aafiyyat
mil ke sab taiyyaar kar do jaami'-o-maani' luGhat
dekhte ho aa'e din jo ho rahii hai is kii gat
ik 'imaarat hai havaa par ho mu'allaq jis kii chhat
is taraH 'ilmii sutuunoN par ise qaa'im karo
zalzalah kaisaa hii aa'e magar junbish nah ho
har zabaaN kaa lafz khap jaa'e yih vus'at is meN hai
har luGhat ke jazb kar lene kii quvvat is meN hai
Brij Bhasha meN hai jo lazzat vuh lazzat is meN hai
saaf qand-i-Farsi kii bhii Halaavat is meN hai
raas juz shiir-o-shakkar ko'ii nahiiN is kii Khorish
do zabaaneN chuus kar paa'ii hai is ne parvarish
Safii Lakhnavii
.....................................................................................
Naseer

Naseer Saheb,

Yeh naz'm yahaaN pesh karne ke liye bahut bahut shukriya.

Ba~wujooh, mere liye is baz'm men aaj kal shaamil hona qadre
mushkil ho raha hai.

Company aur Queen Victoria :

The system I like to follow in such cases is to transliterate
the English word as if one is reading it in Urdu script. So,
it may not be necessary to replicate the original English
spelling. Of course, one can use a suitable symbol and clarify
what the word is actually meant to convey. Accordingly, as per
my scheme of things, I would write the two misre' as under :

Kampani* ne kar liya is ko shareek-e-kaar-o-baar {* Company }

and

Jab Kueen* Victoria ki yeh saheli ho gayee { * Queen }


Feels a little complicated, but I like it better this way.

Also, there are a few English words which Urdu men of letters
used to write in a different style (and may still be doing so,
in rare cases). For instance, Munshi Ratan Nath Dar Sarshaar
(author of "Fasaana-e-Aazaad") would always write "Speech"
meaning 'taqreer' as "Ispaach" i.e. with an "alif" before
"ch".


Afzal

[Vijay]

     Also, there are a few English words which Urdu men of letters
     used to write in a different style (and may still be doing so,
     in rare cases).  For instance, Munshi Ratan Nath Dar Sarshaar
     (author of "Fasaana-e-Aazaad") would always write "Speech"
     meaning 'taqreer' as "Ispaach" i.e. with an "alif" before
     "ch".
     Afzal

Another example; Naresh Kumar Shaad:

mehr-e-taabaN se raushani le kar
chaaNd baa aab-o-taab chaRhta hai
jaise 'istej' pa koii sha'air
duusre kaa kalaam paRhta hai

Vijay

[Afzal A. Khan]

Post by Vijay

Post by Afzal A. Khan
Also, there are a few English words which Urdu men of letters
used to write in a different style (and may still be doing so,
in rare cases). For instance, Munshi Ratan Nath Dar Sarshaar
(author of "Fasaana-e-Aazaad") would always write "Speech"
meaning 'taqreer' as "Ispaach" i.e. with an "alif" before
"ch".
Afzal

mehr-e-taabaN se raushani le kar
chaaNd baa aab-o-taab chaRhta hai
jaise 'istej' pa koii sha'air
duusre kaa kalaam paRhta hai
Vijay

I do not know whether this would be an appropriate
example. Surely, Janaab Shaad would not be writing
"isTej" with a simple 't' (i.e. "te"). If he wrote
the word with a 'T' (i.e. "Te"), then it would be
identical to the original English word. The initial
"i" is not exactly a differentiation. Indians do
pronounce most such English words with a clearly
enunciated 'i' at the beginning. One exception are
the people from the Punjab, who do in fact pronounce
such words without the initial 'i'. But, to my ears,
the initial 's' seems to be followed by an enunciated
'a', i.e. the "zabar" sound. For instance, their way
of pronouncing "school" would be "sakool". Or "stage"
may be pronounced as "saTej".



Afzal

[Vijay]

Post by Vijay

      Also, there are a few English words which Urdu men of letters
      used to write in a different style (and may still be doing so,
      in rare cases).  For instance, Munshi Ratan Nath Dar Sarshaar
      (author of "Fasaana-e-Aazaad") would always write "Speech"
      meaning 'taqreer' as "Ispaach" i.e. with an "alif" before
      "ch".
      Afzal

mehr-e-taabaN se raushani le kar
chaaNd baa aab-o-taab chaRhta hai
jaise 'istej' pa koii sha'air
duusre kaa kalaam paRhta hai
Vijay

      I do not know whether this would be an appropriate
      example.  Surely, Janaab Shaad would not be writing
      the word with a 'T' (i.e. "Te"), then it would be
      identical to the original English word.  The initial
      "i" is not exactly a differentiation.  Indians do
      pronounce most such English words with a clearly
      enunciated 'i' at the beginning.  One exception are
      the people from the Punjab, who do in fact pronounce
      such words without the initial 'i'.  But, to my ears,
      the initial 's' seems to be followed by an enunciated
      'a', i.e. the "zabar" sound.  For instance, their way
      of pronouncing "school" would be "sakool".  Or "stage"
      may be pronounced as "saTej".
      Afzal

Yes, I meant to write 'isTej'. I don't think 'isTej' is identical to
'stage'; it has different metric weight for one. I feel the 'isTej'
pronunciation bears the same affectation as 'ispeech' 'istation'
'iskuul' etc.

Vijay

[Afzal A. Khan]

Post by Vijay

Post by Afzal A. Khan

Post by Vijay

Post by Afzal A. Khan
Also, there are a few English words which Urdu men of letters
used to write in a different style (and may still be doing so,
in rare cases). For instance, Munshi Ratan Nath Dar Sarshaar
(author of "Fasaana-e-Aazaad") would always write "Speech"
meaning 'taqreer' as "Ispaach" i.e. with an "alif" before
"ch".
Afzal

mehr-e-taabaN se raushani le kar
chaaNd baa aab-o-taab chaRhta hai
jaise 'istej' pa koii sha'air
duusre kaa kalaam paRhta hai
Vijay

I do not know whether this would be an appropriate
example. Surely, Janaab Shaad would not be writing
the word with a 'T' (i.e. "Te"), then it would be
identical to the original English word. The initial
"i" is not exactly a differentiation. Indians do
pronounce most such English words with a clearly
enunciated 'i' at the beginning. One exception are
the people from the Punjab, who do in fact pronounce
such words without the initial 'i'. But, to my ears,
the initial 's' seems to be followed by an enunciated
'a', i.e. the "zabar" sound. For instance, their way
of pronouncing "school" would be "sakool". Or "stage"
may be pronounced as "saTej".
Afzal

Yes, I meant to write 'isTej'. I don't think 'isTej' is identical to
'stage'; it has different metric weight for one. I feel the 'isTej'
pronunciation bears the same affectation as 'ispeech' 'istation'
'iskuul' etc.
Vijay

The example I had quoted had nothing to do with the initial
'i' that is added by Indians to such English words. In that
example, the "ee" had been replaced with "aa", i.e. 'ispaach'.



Afzal

[Vijay]

Post by Vijay

Post by Vijay

       Also, there are a few English words which Urdu men of letters
       used to write in a different style (and may still be doing so,
       in rare cases).  For instance, Munshi Ratan Nath Dar Sarshaar
       (author of "Fasaana-e-Aazaad") would always write "Speech"
       meaning 'taqreer' as "Ispaach" i.e. with an "alif" before
       "ch".
       Afzal

mehr-e-taabaN se raushani le kar
chaaNd baa aab-o-taab chaRhta hai
jaise 'istej' pa koii sha'air
duusre kaa kalaam paRhta hai
Vijay

       I do not know whether this would be an appropriate
       example.  Surely, Janaab Shaad would not be writing
       the word with a 'T' (i.e. "Te"), then it would be
       identical to the original English word.  The initial
       "i" is not exactly a differentiation.  Indians do
       pronounce most such English words with a clearly
       enunciated 'i' at the beginning.  One exception are
       the people from the Punjab, who do in fact pronounce
       such words without the initial 'i'.  But, to my ears,
       the initial 's' seems to be followed by an enunciated
       'a', i.e. the "zabar" sound.  For instance, their way
       of pronouncing "school" would be "sakool".  Or "stage"
       may be pronounced as "saTej".
       Afzal

Yes, I meant to write 'isTej'. I don't think 'isTej' is identical to
'stage'; it has different metric weight for one. I feel the 'isTej'
pronunciation bears the same affectation as 'ispeech' 'istation'
'iskuul' etc.
Vijay

        The example I had quoted had nothing to do with the initial
        'i' that is added by Indians to such English words.  In that
        example, the "ee" had been replaced with "aa", i.e. 'ispaach'.
        Afzal

Ah! My bad. Apolgies for wasting band width:-)

Vijay