Intimate Favorites

"Gori sove sej par, mukh par daare khes,
Chal Khusrau ghar aapno, saanjh bhai chanhu des"
(One of my most favorite couplets, composed by Amir Khusrau at the time of Nizam-ud-din Auliya's death)

Finally, I'll plagiarise. Yes, I know there is no word like that, but it comes from the root word 'plagiarism'. That much was guessable, I guess. Of about the five blogs I religiously follow, one draws me towards it on a daily basis. It is called An Indian Muslim's Blog: News, Views & Urdu Poetry Website; and in particular, it is the poetry bit which charms me the most. Every night,  I end up reading some really beautiful Urdu couplets from his blog, which invariably make me reflective and happy as my eye lids get heavy, and I drift into a peaceful slumber.

I have stolen some exquisite pieces of shayari from various sources over the years- blogs like the one mentioned above, newspaper columns (especially the ones penned by Khushwant Singh), random books, even public hoardings at times. All of these have been lovingly preserved on the pages of my journal. Today, I feel taking a whiff of their mustiness, smile, and pour the best of them here, on my blog. I reckon I kind of really love my blog. I end up recording the best things here. These poetries are also one of them.

Meherbaan hoke bulaa lo mujhe chaaho jis waqt
Main gayaa waqt nahiiN huuN ki phir aa bhii na sakoon.

(Ghalib)

Is saadgii pe kaun na mar jaaye aye Khudaa
Ladte haiN aur haath mein talwaar bhii nahi

(Ghalib again)

Kab thahregaa dard-e-dil kab raat basar hogi
Sunte the voh aayenge, sunte the sahar hogi

(Faiz Ahmed Faiz)

Jo chaahti duniya hai, voh mujhse nahi hoga
Samjhautaa koi khwaab ke badle nahi hoga
(Shaharyar)

Khamoshi chhupaati hai aib aur hunar dono
Shakhsiyat ka andaaza guftguu se hota hai
(Shams Ramzi)

Achchhi cheezein lagengi aur achchhi
Darmiyaan kuchh kharaab rakh diyaa karo
(Balraj Komal)

Na jaane tumne subah ka qasiida kaise likh liyaa
Yahaan to kal bhii raat thii, yahaan toh ab bhi raat hai
(Iqbal Ash'har)

Main us se door bhi jaaun toh kis tarah jaaun
Voh itr ban kar mere pairahan mein rehta hai
(Waseem Rashid)

Talvaar to kyaa merii nazar tak nahi uthi
Us shakhs ke bachchon ki taraf dekh liya tha

(Munawwar Rana)

Maine mana ki ye shab guzregi, magar kab guzregi
Maine mana ki sahar hogi, magar kab hogi

(Abdullah Kamal)