Kahkashan is the soundtrack of a TV series by the same name. It aired on Doordarshan in the early Nineties. I dont remember watching it, however the Ghazals by Jagjit Singh are really sublime and immediately grow on you.
The poetry of Hasrat Mohai, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Jigar Moradabadi, Majaz Lakhnavi & others are a window to the beauty & depth of classic Urdu Ghazals.
I rate this as Jagjit’s second best effort (the Best being Mirza Ghalib – which i will post soon).
So here’s a selection of Ghazal’s & Nazm’s from Kahkashan.
Hamdam Yahi Hai
hamdam yahii hai rahguzar-e-yaar-e-khushkhiraam
guzre haiN laakh baar isii kahkashaaN se ham
hamdam : companion
rahguzar-e-yaar-e-khushkhiraam : pathway of the joyous and graceful gait of the beloved
kahkashaaN : galaxy
Poet: Majaz Lucknawi
Roshan Jamaal-e-Yaar Se Hai
roshan jamaal-e-yaar se hai anjuman tamaam
dahkaa hu’aa hai aatish-e-gul se chaman tamaam
jamaal-e-yaar : beauty of the beloved
anjuman : assembly
aatish-e-gul : fire of the flower
Allaah re Jism-e-yaar kii Khuubii ke Khud-ba-Khud
rangiiniyoN meN Duub gayaa pairahan tamaam
Jism-e-yaar : body of the beloved
Khud-ba-Khud : by oneself
rangiin : colorful
pairahan : robe, attire
dekho to Chashm-e-yaar kii jaaduu-nigaahiyaaN
behosh ek nazar meN huii anjuman tamaam
jaaduu-nigaahiyaaN : bewitching glances
Poet: Hasrat Mohani
Singer: Jagjit Singh
The poetry of Hasrat is known for its pure depiction of beauty. But it is absolutely incredible to know that he wrote most of these Ghazals while serving a one year rigorous imprisonment sentence. He along with his political Guru – Bal Gangadhar Tilak were the two freedom fighters persecuted by the British. Hasrat had to do backbreaking labor during the entire day and this is the period when he wrote his greatest Love poems. He has also penned “Chupke Chupke Raat Din” – the signature Ghazal of Ghulam Ali.
Ab Toh Uth Sakta Nahin
ab to uTh saktaa nahiiN aankhoN se baar-e-intizaar
kis tarah kaaTe ko’ii lail-o-nahaar-e-intizaar
baar-e-intizaar : burden of waiting
lail-o-nahaar-e-intizaar : the night and days of waiting
unkii ulfat kaa yaqiiN ho unke aane kii ummiid
hoN ye dono suuraten tab hai bahaar-e-intizaar
ulfat : love
suuraten : conditions
bahaar-e-intizaar : the spring of waiting
merii aaheN naa-rasaa, merii duaaeN naa-qubuul
yaa ilaahii kyaa karuuN maiN sharmsaar-e-intizaar
aaheN : sighs
naa-rasaa : unreachable
naa-qubuul : unacceptable
sharmsaar-e-intizaar : ashamed of waiting
unke Khat kii aarzuu hai, unkii aamad kaa Khayaal
kis qadar pailaa hu’aa hai kaarobaar-e-intizaar
aarzuu : desire
aamad : arrival
kaarobaar-e-intizaar : business of waiting
Poet: Hasrat Mohani
Singer: Chitra Singh
The highlight of this Ghazal is the fantastic use of “Karobaar-e-Intezaar”. Ya the business of Waiting is a long & diversified one.
Aye Gham-e-Dil Kya Karoon
shah’r kii raat aur maiN naashaad-o-naakaaraa phiruuN
jag-magaatii jaagtii saRakoN pe aavaaraa phiruuN
Ghair kii bastii hai kab tak dar badar maraa phiruuN
naashaad-o-naakaaraa : sad and without any specific task
Ghair : stranger
ai Gham-e-dil kyaa karuuN ai vahshat-e-dil kyaa karuuN
Gham-e-dil : suffering of heart
vahshat-e-dil : madness of heart
ye rupehalii chhaaNv ye aakaash par taaroN kaa jaal
jaise suufii kaa tasavvur jaise aashiq kaa Khayaal
aah lekin kaun jaane kaun samajhe jii kaa haal
rupahelii : colorful
tasavvur : imagination
ai Gham-e-dil kyaa karuuN ai vahshat-e-dil kyaa karuuN
raat haNs haNs kar ye kahtii hai ke maiKhaane meN chal
phir kisii shahnaaz-e-laalaaruKh ke kaashaane meN chal
ye nahiiN mumkin to phir ai dost viiraane meN chal
shahnaaz-e-laalaaruKh : glorious and tupil faced
kaashaanaa : abode
ai Gham-e-dil kyaa karuuN ai vahshat-e-dil kyaa karuuN
raaste meN ruk ke dam le luuN merii aadat nahiiN
lauT kar vaapas chalaa jaauuN merii fitrat nahiiN
aur ko’ii ham-navaa mil jaaye ye qismat nahiiN
fitrat : nature, character
ham-navaa : companion
jii meN aataa hai ye murdaa chaaNd-taare noch luuN
is kinaare noch luuN aur us kinaare noch luuN
ek do kaa zikr kyaa saare ke saare noch luuN
ai Gham-e-dil kyaa karuuN ai vahshat-e-dil kyaa karuuN
Poet: Majaz Lakhnavi
Singer: Jagjit Singh
Little known fact about Majaz is that he was the Maternal Uncle of Javed Akhtar. This nazm is eased into a beautiful composition by Jagjit.
Tujhse Rukhsat Ki
tujhse ruKhsat kii vo shaam-e-ashq-afshaaN haaye haaye
vo udaasii vo fizaa-e-giryaa-saamaaN haaye haaye
yaaN kaf-e-paa chuum lene kii bhiNchii sii aarzuu
vaaN bagal-giirii kaa sharmaayaa saa armaaN haaye haaye
vo mere hoNToN pe kuch kahne kii hasrat vaaye shauq
vo terii aaNkhoN meN kuch sunne kaa armaaN haaye haaye
Singer: Jagjit Singh
Poet: Josh Malihabadi
Ab Mere Paas Tum Aayi Ho
ab mere paas tum aayii ho to kya aayii ho
maine maanaa ke tum ik paikar-e-raana’ii ho
chaman-e-daher meN ruuh-e-chamanara’ii ho
talat-e-mehr ho firdaus kii barnaa’ii ho
bint-e-mehtaab ho garduu se utar aayii ho
mujhse milne meN andeshaa-e-rusvaa’ii hai
maine Khud apne kiye kii ye sazaa paayii hai
ab mere paas tum aayii ho to kya aayii ho
paikar-e-raanaii : paradigm of beauty
chaman-e-dahar : garden of earth
ruuh-e-chamanara’ii : soul of beautified garden
talat-e-mehr : Face of Sun
firdaus : paradise
barnaa’ii : Youth
bint-e-mehtaab : daughter of moon
garduuN : heavens
andeshaa-e-rusvaa’ii : possibility of humiliation
un dino mujhpe qayaamat ka junuuN taarii thaa
sar pe sarshaari-o-ishrat ka junuuN taarii thaa
maahpaaroN se muhabbat ka junuuN taarii thaa
shahr-yaaroN se raqaabat ka junuuN taarii thaa
bistar-e-makhmal-o-sanjaab thii duniyaa merii
ek rangiin-o-hasiiN khvaab thii duniyaa merii
sarshaari-o-ishrat : satisfaction and happiness
maahpaar : moon-faced
shahr-yaaroN : friends of the city
raqaabat : animosity
bistar-e-makhmal-o-sanjaab : bed of velvet and fur
kyaa sunogii merii majhruuh javaanii kii pukaar
merii faryaad-e-jigar doz meraa naalaa-e-zaar
shiddat-e-karb meN duubii hu’ii merii guftaar
main ke Khud apne mazaak-e-tarabgee ka shikaar
vo gudaaz-e-dil-e-marhuum kahan se laauuN
ab meiN vo jazba-e-maasuum kahan se laauuN
ab mere pass tum aayii ho to kya aayii ho
majhruuh : wounded
Jigar-doz : Heart Piercing
naalaa-e-zaar : continuous tears
shiddat-e-karb : intensity of grief
guftar : conversation
Mazaak-e-tarabgee : Cheerfulness of wit
gudaaz-e-dil : softness / gentleness of the heart
Marhoom : Dead
Singer: Jagjit Singh
Poet : Majaz Lucknawi
Once again Majaz writes about lost love. This nazm is laced with Persian origin words and beautiful adjectives. Though i usually don’t like poetry that simply praises beauty, the choice of words here are like pure music. ” ab main woh jazba-e-maasuum kahan se laauun ” is the cry of every heavy heart.
Great work it has some mistakes but complied with effort, no one knows the great poets of subcontinent but since Jagjit started to choose them listners have now awareness about of their own writers he has a command on Urdu, & language is not property of anyone……… he given a new face to Urdu poetry.
Bhavin ” Tujhse Rukhsat ke woh Shaam ” means The evening when I left you.
I believe ther is a mistake on this page Hasrat Mohani is NOT the writer for “Tujhse Rukhsat Ki” this was written by Shabbir Hasan Khan also known as Josh Malihaabadi
Thanks Masood for pointing out the errors.
Also “naa-rasaa : without sight” is not correct, naa-rasaa means “something that is not able to reach”
this ghazal is my favourite; bcoz He is a true legeond i am his biG fan’ iove u jagjit singh sahab from bottom my heart.
agar jagjith singh ke alawa koi aur is ashar ko pesh karta to shahed urdu ka viqaar na samajh mein atii
This is a great site! Apart from a big Ghazal fan, I’m also a huge Jagjit fan. Please keep up the good work.
Anyone has the English translation for ‘Tujhse Rukhsat Ki’? There are few words that I’m not familiar with. Thanks
tujhse ruKhsat (parting ) kii vo shaam-e-ashq-afshaaN (dews of tears)haaye haaye
vo udaasii vo fizaa-e-giryaa-saamaaN (the climate of mourning and sorrow)the haaye haaye
yaaN (here) kaf-e-paa (toes/feet of beloved) chuum lene kii bhiNchii (hidden desire) sii aarzuu
vaaN (there) bagal-giirii (hugging) kaa sharmaayaa saa armaaN haaye haaye
vo mere hoNToN pe kuch kahne kii hasrat vaaye shauq
vo terii aaNkhoN meN kuch sunne kaa armaaN haaye haaye
I have tried my best.. apologies for mistakes
Excellent web-page I just happened to visit.
“Kahkashan” is one of my most most favorite albums of my most favorite singer Sh.Jagjit Singh ji.
From a long time I was looking-out for meaning of some difficult words used in some of the Ghazals , which I finally found here.
Thanks a lot for putting up this page.
Till date I was unable to understand the meaning of some of the difficult words in the gazal AB MERE PAAS. Thanks to you I can understand the essence of the gazal Many thanks. Such efforts are boon for people like us who are in love with urdu language but always need some help to enjoy the poetry fully
Thank for doing this. I had been looking for meaning of several words from this album.
aftab ahmad these r realy awwwsome…no words..speechless
Hey! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from
an established blog. Is it difficult to set up your own blog?
I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Cheers