Irtiza Nishat's ghazal: Sabse dilchasp yahi gham hai meri basti ka...

Irtiza Nishat is one of the foremost Urdu poets in India. He belongs to the generation of poets that came up in the seventies [70s], when Mumbai had become the centre of new trends in Urdu literature.

The success of Irtiza Nishat lies in the fact that his poetry has the ability to stun you. It is beautiful and yet, harsh, at times. Read the ghazal, particularly, the third couplet, which is oft-quoted.

ज़िंदगी डूबती नब्ज़ों की सदा लगती है
कोई रद की हुई मख़्सूस दुआ लगती है

जैसे हर शख़्स कोई जुर्म किये  बैठा हो
घर में घुसते ही अजब घर की फ़िज़ा लगती है

सबसे दिलचस्प यही ग़म है मेरी बस्ती का 
मौत, पसमांदा* इलाक़े में दवा लगती है 

आइये आज इसी सोच को पुख्ता कर लें
बेहिसी हद से गुज़रती है तो क्या लगती है

खूब क़ुरआन का अंदाज़ चुराया है निशात
बात इस ढब से कही है ख़ुदा लगती है**

इर्तिज़ा निशात 

Now read the same ghazal in Roman English script

zindagii Duubti nabzo.n kii sadaa lagti hai
koii rad kii huii maKhsus duaa lagti hai

jaise har shaKhs koii jurm kiye baiThaa ho
ghar meN ghuste hii ajab ghar kii fizaa lagtii hai

sabse dilchasp yahii Gham hai merii bastii ka
maut, pasmaanda ilaaqe meN davaa lagti hai

aaiye aaj isi soch ko puKhta kar leN
be-hisee had se guzartii hai to kya lagtii hai

khuub Quraan ka andaaz churaaya hai Nishaat
baat is Dhab kii kahii hai ki Khuda lagti hai

Irtiza Nishat

Mini-dictionary

*pasmanda=backward, poor
*makhsoos=particular **be-hisi=apathy, indifference
**The term 'baat Khuda lagti hai' is an Urdu idiom about words which your heart finds true