Mehfil-e-Shayari!

Have I ever told you guys about my fascination with Urdu poetry and ghazals! There is something about the Urdu words that resonate with my inner self, somewhere deep it stirs my soul. And I don't know why. Nobody even in my extended family is interested in poetry or ghazals etc but I guess those six years at medical school, drinking BP (our favorite and affordable whiskey brand of those days!) with the my friends, listening to Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Abida Parveen and ilk in that 'mood' lighting (We used to wrap a faint cloth around the zero watt bulb to set the mood for drinks :p) I developed a penchant for words. Words, esp Urdu words, so dense & so deep that they literally pierce through your heart and you begin to feel the emotions expressed in them as that part of you which was hitherto undiscovered but are strangely familiar. So here is a little collection of lines that I have always liked. Will update it as and when I remember more.

Raat yun dil mein teri, khoyi hui yaad aayi
Jaise viraane mein chupke se bahaar aa jaye
Jaise sahraon mein haule se chale baad-ae-naseem
Jaise bimaar ko be-wajaah quraar aa jaaye - Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Humko maloom hai jannat ki haqiqat lekin,dil ke khush rakhne ko galib, ye khayal bhi accha hai!

कभी किसी को मुकम्मल जहाँ नहीं मिलता कहीं ज़मीन तो कहीं आसमान नहीं मिलता तेरे जहाँ में ऐसा नहीं कि प्यार न हो जहाँ उम्मीद हो इसकी, वहाँ नहीं मिलता...

सूखे पत्तों की तरह बिखरे हुए थे हम तो,तुमने समेटा भी तो सिर्फ जलाने के लिए...

Itna na fakr kar unchi udaan par, Kis ki rai sada patang aasmaan par..

Tujh Se Bichad Kar Faqat Itna Huwa,Tera Gaya Kuch Nahin,Mera Raha Kuch Nahin

Aur bhi gham hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaan, Raahatein aur bhi hain, ek raahat-e-vasl ke sivaa..

Har baar mukddar ko dosh dena achhi baat nhi thi Faraz, Kabhi kabhi hum bhi hadd se zyada maang liya karte the..

Mohabbat men nahi hai fark jeene aur marne ka,  Usi ko dekh kar jeete hain, jis kaafir pe dam nikle...

तारीख    की   नज़र  में  ऐसे   भी   मंज़र   आयेजब   लम्हों   ने   खता   की  और  सदियों   ने    सजा   पायी .

Sair kar duniya ki ghafil, zindagani phir kahan zindagani gar phir mili toh, ye jawani phir kahan...

Hazaaron Aib dekhte hain doosron mein pehle, Apne andar hon farishtey hum jaise..

Mehboob vo ki sar se qadam tak Khuluus ho, aashiq vahi ki husn se kuchh badgumaa bhi ho![badgumaa = suspicious][Khuluus = love/sweetness]

Roj muskuraatein hue kehti hai zindagi mujhko, Ek shaqs ki khatir mujhe barbaad naa kar !!

"Khuda kare zindagi mein yeh makaam aaye, tujhe bhoolne ki dua karoon,Aur dua mein tera naam aaye"

बुझ जाते हैं दिए कभी तेल की कमी से भी ,,हर बार कुसूर हवा के झोकों का नहीं होता... ऐ यार , तेल की कमी होने ना देना बस तुम..!करने दो हवाओं को ज़ोर-ए-आजमाइश,, मुझे अपनी लौ पे भरोसा है…!

And one of my latest favourites -  Tum mere paas hote ho goya, Jab koi doosra nahin hota.. :-) Added on 18 May 2014 - Phir Koi Aaya Dil-e-Zaar by Faiz Ahmed Faiz Phir koi aaya dil-e-zar nahi koi nahi
raharau hoga kaheen aur chala jayega
dhal chuki raat bikharne laga taron ka gubar
ladakhadane lage aewanon mein khwabida chirag
so gai rasta tak tak ke har ek rahaguzar
ajanabi khak ne dhundala diye qadmon ke surag
gul karo shamen bada do mai-o-mina-o-ayag
apne bekhwab kiwadon ko muqaffal kar lo
ab yahan koi nahin, koi nahi aayega!