Dasht-e-Tanhai

So In between my WCM (Western Classical Music) craze I suddenly remembered this song.

By an absolutely phenomenal poet- Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

His command over the language and the sheer feelings he invokes are amazing.

Some of his poems have been sung by some of the best Women Ghazal singers ever.

This one that I have included here was sung by Iqbal Bano. This is just so romantic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXy8D9Qvw04

The Lyrics: 

By Faiz Ahmed Faiz (Translated by Ayesha Kaljuvee- whoever she is!- She did a fabulous job though!)

dasht-e-tanhaai mein, ai jaan-e-jahaan, larzaan hain 

In the desert of my solitude, oh love of my life, quiver
teri avaaz ke saaye, 
the shadows of your voice,
tere honthon ke saraab 
the mirage of your lips

dasht-e-tanhaai mein, 
In the desert of my solitude,
duri ke khas-o-khaak tale
beneath the dust and ashes of distance
khil rahe hain tere pehlu ke saman aur gulaab
bloom the jasmines and roses of your proximity

uht rahi hai kahin qurbat se 
From somewhere very close,
teri saans ki aanch 
rises the warmth of your breath
apani khushbuu mein sulagti hui 
smouldering in its own aroma,
maddham maddham 
slowly, bit by bit.

dur ufaq par chamakati hui 
far away, across the horizon, glistens
qatra qatra
drop by drop
gir rahi hai teri dil daar nazar ki shabnam 
the falling dew of your beguiling glance

is qadar pyaar se hai jaan-e jahaan rakkhaa hai 
With such tenderness, O love of my life,
dil ke rukhsaar pe 
on the cheek of my heart,
is vaqt teri yaad ne haath
has your memory placed its hand right now

yun guman hota hai 
that it looks as if
garche hai abhi subah-e-firaaq
(though it's still the dawn of adieu)
dhal gaya hijr ka din 
the sun of separation has set
aa bhi gaye vasl ki raat 
and the night of union has arrived.

 I am going to put just the english verses together so you can read it as a poem to get the true meaning of it.

In the desert of my solitude, oh love of my life,

Quiver, the shadows of your voice,
the mirage of your lips.

In the desert of my solitude,
beneath the dust and ashes of distance,
bloom the jasmines and roses of your proximity

From somewhere very close,
rises the warmth of your breath,
smoldering in its own aroma,
slowly, bit by bit.

Far away, across the horizon, glistens
drop by drop
the falling dew of your beguiling glance

With such tenderness, O love of my life,
on the cheek of my heart,
has your memory placed its hand right now

that it looks as if
(though it's still the dawn of adieu)
the sun of separation has set
and the night of union has arrived.

Some of the other Ghazals I like from him are

Hum ke thehre ajnabi itni madaraton ke baad (Nayyara Noor)

(We have stayed strangers after so many interactions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB7aZ8RYTD4

It's really funny- when I was a kid-I used to think this was a song written by a prostitute for a loved patron but actually it's actually about the Pakistan Bangladesh Partition!!!!

Tum Mere Pass Raho... Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Nayyara Noor.

 (Stay close to me)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5W-f9PWz_4

Nothing quite like love and depression to get the creative juices and emotions flowing!!!!