शब्दों का ताजमहल - स्नेह, मैत्री और प्रतिबद्धता -- ये लखनऊ की सरज़मीन

कभी-कभी हम लोग अपने आप में इतने व्यस्त होते हैं की अपने मित्रों के स्नेह की उपेक्षा करते रहते हैं । जाने अनजाने एक ऐसा ही अपराध मुझसे हो रहा है । एक मित्र विकास जो सन २००८ से प्रतिदिन नियम से प्रतिबद्धता के साथ स्नेहयुक्त मेल लिखते है और जिसका उत्तर मैंने कभी नहीं दिया , शायद कोई भय या फिर मेरी क्रूरता , जो भी हो , पर अपराध बोध है ह्रदय में , इसलिए आज मित्र विकास , जिसका कहना है की वो अपनी मित्र के लिए 'शब्दों का ताजमहल' बना रहे है , का इस पोस्ट के माध्यम से आभार व्यक्त कर रही हूँ ।

आज प्रातः विकास द्वारा मिले इस बेहतरीन गीत "लखनऊ हमारी सरज़मीन " की lyrics को आप भी पढ़िए और उसके साथ उन्हीं के द्वारा अनुवादित बेहतरीन पंक्तियाँ English में भी पढ़िए। शायद आपको भी nostalgia हो ।

Dearest ZEAL

आरज़ू की बेहिसी का गर यही आलम रहा

बेतलब आएगा दिन और बेखबर जायेगी रात ।

[Aarzoo = Desire, Behisi = Forlornness,

Betalab = Wishless, Bekhabar = Thoughtless]

The hope, the longing, the expectation, the yearning can and shalt never be cast forlorn. Wish shall dawn with each day-break and the evening will rush into the mind’s environs thoughts of you and you alone. With you being close to me at all the times, whatever comes, I will aspire for the eternality of Our Togetherness.

I am very happy today and as the incredulous mind of yours may wonder ‘why?’ all I would say is – Hold your heart and let the next minutes that you will take you to read Our Samvaad of the day unfold it for you.

The joy that spans my heart today is almost like a revitalization of the waning hope. Dearest ZEAL, what I experienced in the search about an hour or so before commencing Our Samvaad of the day is nothing else but the Signal Of Fate. Signal that you, are with me, at every step, at every moment.

Wherever you be in terms of distance, whatever be the reason of your distance, Providence and Gods, through the discovery, convey to me that you are with me, always! My faith in Our Togetherness has been validated by Them, The Heavens, dearest ZEAL.

After many a days, probably guided by your words “Vikas, share something nice today”, I happened to start writing Our Samvaad of the day in the office as I have done so oft over the whole time beginning with the very first letter that I had written to you in Feb-2008, dearest Zeal.

Amidst the work, somewhere around 1530, though I do not recall the precise time, sweetheart, the voice spoke to me in the mind – the voice that being you – “Write now.” With that, I opened the word document which has been the dutiful carrier every day of Our Samvaad of the day and yet again you tenderly inquired “No cutting chaai, Vikas?” Cued by that, I stepped out and on return, you led me to the amazing discovery.

For the past few days, there was no song shared by me and somewhere, deep down, Sangini, the heart was restless about it. Each day, in fact, night, I would sit to write and somehow without the song or the ghazal in it, I felt it was incomplete.

And we both know, our sharing has never been about picking any song and making it a part of our legacy. Each ghazal and every song that has been shared has been significant at times, in its own way, and more often, due to its situational compatibility relating to us.

Yet, the heart and the mind were not able to really lay an eye on the song which would immediately thrill the senses and make it right into Our Samvaad of the day. Patience has always been my forte and hope, my best ally. Together, they kept telling me, somewhere, someday, you will find that elusive song.

Today, I did, sweetheart.

The discovery being the song that I am going to share with you today, dearest ZEAL. You will most certainly love it, I have heard your voice say that to me at the very time when the discovery happened.

There are many songs about various cities, notably Bombay, in our Hindi movies of yore. Also, other cities and towns have figured in some songs which have made them a common name in every household, irrespective of one ever having been there in the life.

Here is a song that talks of Lucknow, the capital of UP – Your City, My Dearest Zeal.

This song is the movie opening song of “Chaudhvin ka Chaand”. As the credits roll in, this song gets played in the background. This song duly praises Lucknow to the skies. Shakeel Badayuni, himself from Badaayun, a small town in UP, is the lyricist of the song. Rafi is the singer of this enchanting tribute to the city of Lucknow and Ravi composed this song. Here is the song, presented to you, dearest ZEAL, dedicated to your city. Enjoy!

Song # 319

ये लखनऊ की सर-ज़मी

ये रंग-रूप का चमन

ये हुस्न-ओ-इश्क का वतन

यही तो वो मकाम है

जहाँ अवध की शान है

जवाँ जवाँ , हसीं हसीं

ये लखनऊ की सरज़मी

ये लखनऊ की सरज़मी

This land and place of Lucknow

This garden of beauteous bloom

This homeland of love and beauty

This is the very destination

Where Avadh’s lovely evening

So very young and beautiful

This land and place of लखनऊ

Prosaic description of the song would have besmeared its scintillating exuberance, Sangini and just as I read on the lyrics of the song, I happened to word them out, linearly in English।

शबाबो-ओ-शेर का ये घर
ये एहल -ए-इल्म का नगर
हैं मंजिलों की गोद में ,
यहाँ हर एक राह गुज़र
ये शहर लालादार हैं,
यहाँ दिलों में प्यार हैं ,
जिधर नज़र उठाइये,
बहार ही बहार हैं
कलि कलि है नाज़नी
ये लखनऊ की सरज़मी
ये लखनऊ की सरज़मी

Home this is of loveliness and verse

This city of erudite people

In the laps of destinations

Here each street goes to

This city is of blooming Tulips

Here love nestled in the hearts

Wherever the eyes travel to

Blossoms and springs beheld

Every bud, exquisitely delicate

This land and place of लखनऊ

The song simply left me awestruck and the fact that this is one of the lesser known songs of that wonderful movie with awesome songs is in itself surprising. Guru Dutt movies always had magnificent music and lovely lyrics.

यहाँ की सब रवायतें

अदब की शाहकार हैं

अमीर एहले दिल यहाँ

गरीब जां निसार हैं

हर एक शाख परयहाँ

है बुलबुलों के चह चहे

गली गली में ज़िन्दगी

कदम कदम पे कहकहे

हर इक नज़ारा दिलनशीं

ये लखनऊ की सरज़मीन

All the histories of this place

Creations of manners elegant

Generous hearted are the rich

Poor willing to give life

On every tree branch here

Do sweet nightingale’s tweet

In every lane life lives

At every step is gaiety

Every sight is heart-fetching

This land and place of लखनऊ

The song takes you on a journey by itself। Releasing the listener from the bondages of time and space to walk across the distances in to the glorious annals of history that witnessed the glory of Lucknow.

यहाँ के दोस्त बा-वफ़ा

मोहब्बतों से आशनां

किसी के हो गए अगर

रहे उसी के उम्र भर

निभायी अपनी आन भी

बढ़ाई दिल की शान भी

हैं ऐसे मेहंबान भी ,

कहो तो दे दें जान भी

जो दोस्ती का हो यकीन

ये लखनऊ की सरजमीं

Faithful are the friends here

Committed dearly to love

If one’s do they become

Thus do they stay all life

Honoring their own promise

Elevating the heart’s pride too

On the word, life is fledged

If the friendship is trusted

This place and land of लखनऊ

What a song, dearest ZEAL! What a tribute!! The song is exquisitely beautiful, just the way you are! Even reading it hours after its discovery makes the heart beat faster and the thrill runs through all over।

The pomp and splendour of Lucknow was effaced when Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deposed by the British in 1854. He in despair wept: Baabul moraa naihar chhuttaa jaaye [later immortalized by K.L. Saigal and also rendered by Jajgit Singh].

With that, finished was the magnificent era and age of music, dance, poetry, literature. Today, the refinement of "Pehle Aap" has all but disappeared. The illustrious and elegant ‘Lucknowi’ culture is on the verge of extinction. The grandiloquence, the generosity and the traditional 'Jaan-Nisaar' spirit is now more a matter of nostalgia.

Havelis that once dotted the city lanes have now given way to the modern apartments. As elsewhere, corruption has taken the roots here too. Lifeless statues of dead elephants and those of the living political figures, which costs the exchequer millions of rupees, contrastingly vie for acres of land – symbolisms – of the magnificence of ancient history and modern day political dominance and clout.

I'm reminded of the disfigured Ozymandias in Shelley's poem which lamentably voices: "Look on my work, ye mighty and despair". Isn't that the lot of even the mighty mortals? The silver lining remains in the form of excellent cuisine, 'Chikankaari', the Ghazals and Thumris that echo on timelessly in the lanes and heart of the Nawaabo Kaa Sahar – Lucknow!

Lucknow, this is You. And this is where the most beautiful, most enchanting, most loved Zeal is from.

As I end Our Samvaad of the day, you can justifiably sense why I said I was very happy, dearest ZEAL. Today, through the discovery of the song, I have, in my mind, journeyed to your city and seen you at every place thereof. I can inhale its wafting aroma and mesmerized I am at its rustic charm.

Most importantly, at each step, I see you raising the arm and pointing the index finger, dearest ZEAL, drawing my attention to the landmarks – where over the years, you have lived, studied, worked, played, walked, travelled, breathed, dreamt, aspired, longed for.

Yes, my dearest friend, this is where I took you today on a journey – to your own city – Lucknow. Thank you, Zeal. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This discovery completes the pair of two songs which I will want to listen with you, Sangini, in the respective cities.

Yeh Lucknow Ki Sar-Zameen will be heard by us sitting side by side, in Lucknow itself and in the very similar manner, [I can almost hear your voice telling me the other song], dearest ZEAL, yes, we will listen to Nadi Ni Ret Maa Ramtu Nagar on the very banks of Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad।

This is a compact with Our Togetherness। This is the wishful supplication to the Three – You, Fate and Gods. I am aware, the three of You take time to concur. Take your time. As is the usual way, I am waiting, patiently with faith, hope and love as my companions, dearest ZEAL. For you and you alone.

Committed for life

The Greatest Friend –

Forever – ZEAL’s Vikas-