Aaj Bazaar mein ----Faiz Ahmed 'Faiz'

About the Poet: Faiz Ahmed 'Faiz' (1912-1984) was born in Sialkot, West Punjab. A journalist for much of his life, he was also a communist and a firm believer in the freedom of speech. His bitter critiques of Pakistan did not go down well with the ruling establishment there and he was imprisoned many times, a theme that he freely alludes to in his verse. He was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the USSR in 1962. He spent quite a significant portion of his life in the Middle East and was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army during World War II. Today he is widely regarded as the finest Urdu poet of the 20th century.

An excellent ghazal by Faiz Ahmed Faiz written on his arrest and other excesses committed during the Zia regime. On another level, it also deals with the rise of Fundamentalism in Pakistan.

Chashm e nam, jaan e shoreeda kaafi nahin
(The tearful eye and the noisy spirit are not enough)

Tohmat e Ishq e posheeda kaafi nahin
(The accusation of hidden love is not enough)

Aaj Bazaar mein pa bajaulan chalo
(Today let's walk to the bazaar in chains)

Dast Afshan chalo, mast o raqshan chalo
(Let's go with hands waving and mood drunk with joy)

Khaaq bar sar chalo, khoon ba daaman chalo
(Let's go with dust on our heads and blood on our sleeves)

Raah takta hai sab shahre jaana chalo
(The city of our beloved awaits us)

Haakim e shahr bhi, majma e aam bhi
(They wait for us: The ruler and the ruled)

Subh e nashaad bhi; roz e nakaam bhi
(The unhappy morning, the purposeless day)

Teere ilzaam bhi, sang e dushnaam bhi
(The arrow of accusation and the stones of infamy)

Unka damsaaz apne siwa kaun hai?
(Who is their mate save us?)

Shahr e jaana me ab ba safaa kaun hai?
(Who is the one still left with an open heart in my beloved's city?)

Dast e qaatil ke shayaan raha kaun hai?
(Who else is left who deserves the executioner?)

Rakht e dil baandh lo, dil figaaron chalo
(Summon your hearts and let's go O heartbroken ones)

Phir hamin qatl ho aayen, yaaron chalo!
(Let's get killed once more, mates. Let's go!)

To listen to this nazm in Faiz's own voice and an excellent rendition of the same by the famous singer, Nayyara, do check out the following video: