For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

Recitation

بار بار گزرے ہیں ۔ جے کرشن چودھری حبیبؔ

ہمیں پہ رنج و الم گو ہزار گزرے ہیں

جہاں سے گزرے ہیں ہم نغمہ بار گزرے ہیں

حریمِ ناز سے ہم ہوشیار گزرے ہیں

مگر وہ دل سے تو بے اختیار گزرے ہیں

زباں زباں پہ ہیں مہر و وفا کے افسانے

جہاں جہاں سے ترے جاں نثار گزرے ہیں

نظر نظر نے ہے چوما دلوں نے چاہا ہے

جو رہ گزر سے تری دل فگار گزرے ہیں

خیال و فکر کی وہ رفعتوں کو چھو کے گئے

تری نظر سے جو یہ خاکسار گزرے ہیں

مہک مہک سی گئی بوئے پیرہن سے فضا

کہ آج ادھر سے وہ جانِ بہار گزرے ہیں

یہ خونِ دل ہے جو آنکھوں کی راہ بہہ نکلا

کہا یہ کس نے کہ ہم اشک بار گزرے ہیں

رلائے کیوں نہ ہمیں اب قفس میں یاد اُن کی

وہ رات دن جو سرِ شاخسار گزرے ہیں

حبیبؔ میری نگاہوں سے ہو وہ لاکھ نہاں

وہ میرے دل سے مگر بار بار گزرے ہیں

बार बार गुज़रे हैं – जय क्रिष्ण चौधरी हबीब

१

हमीं पे रंज-ओ-अलम गो हज़ार गुज़रे हैं

जहाँ से गुज़रे हैं हम नग़्मा-बार गुज़रे हैं

२

हरीम-ए नाज़ से हम होशियार गुज़रे हैं

मगर वो दिल से तो बे-एख़्तियार गुज़रे हैं

३

ज़बाँ ज़बाँ पे है मेहर-ओ-वफ़ा के अफ़्साने

जहाँ जहाँ से तेरे जाँ-निसार गुज़रे हैं

४

नज़र नज़र ने है चूमा दिलों ने चाहा है

जो रहगुज़र से तेरी दिल-फ़िगार गुज़रे हैं

५

ख़याल-ओ-फ़िक्र की वो रफ़अ’तों को छू के गए

तेरी नज़र से जो ये ख़ाकसार गुज़रे हैं

६

महक महक सी गई बू-ए पैरहन से फ़ज़ा

के आज इधर से वो जान-ए बहार गुज़रे हैं

७

ये ख़ून-ए दिल है जो आँखों की राह बह निकला

कहा ये किस ने के हम अश्क-बार गुज़रे हैं

८

रुलाए क्यूं न हमें अब क़फ़स में याद उन की

वो रात दिन जो सर-ए शाख़-सार गुज़रे हैं

९

हबीब मेरी निगाहों से हो वो लाख नेहाँ

वो मेरे दिल से मगर बार बार गुज़रे हैं

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jaikishan chaudhry habiib (1904-xxxx), born in Dera ismail KhaaN, in pakistan. Lived in jabalpur. He was a scholar of sanskrit, English, faarsi and urdu, and was an active participant in the independence struggle, most notably with Khaan abdul Ghaffaar KhaaN. MA from aligaRh and later LLB, law practice 1929. He migrated to India after partition in 1947. IAS – Collector and later Education Secretary. Early retirement in 1960, but recalled later to serve three more years in jabalpur and retired there. In 1969 he served on Ghalib shataabdhi naagarik samiti which organized four ‘tarahi’ mushaa’era over that year and published a book. He composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. This Ghazal is remarkably similar in sentiments to faiz ahmed faiz’s use of the beloved as symbol of social justice and/or the anti-colonial struggle. The protagonists in this Ghazal can be read to be freedom fighters, those struggling for social justice and/or poets.
1
hamiiN pe raNj-o-alam¹ go² hazaar guzre haiN
jahaaN³ se guzre haiN ham naGhma-baar⁴ guzre haiN    1.sorrows and tragedies 2.even though 3.wherever 4.raining songs, singing joyfully
Even though many tragedies and sorrows have been visited upon us, wherever we have passed, we have spread the joy of songs/poetry. The ‘we’ here could be poets/revolutionaries/lovers.
2
hariim¹-e naaz² se ham hoshiyaar³ guzre haiN
magar⁴ vo dil se to be-eKhtiyaar⁵ guzre haiN    1.sanctuary, chambers 2.coquetry 3.aware, careful, cautious, in control of senses 4.but 5.without any will/intention/control.
The subject (shown in the second misra) in this she’r ‘vo’ can be the beloved, the homeland or social justice. The poet/revolutionary/lover has passed through the chambers of the beloved very carefully/cautiously. Even so she entered his heart without his intention i.e., he pull is so powerful that he go attracted even though he did not intend to, and was very cautious. This could be the pull of the love of the homeland or love of justice.
3
zabaaN zabaaN pe hai mehr¹-o-vafa² ke afsaane³
jahaaN jahaaN se tere jaaN-nisaar⁴ guzre haiN 1.kindness 2.fidelity 3.stories 4.those willing to die for, lovers
Wherever your lovers have passed, on every tongue have been stories of love and fidelity i.e., lovers of the homeland are famous for their steadfast resolve.
4
nazar nazar¹ ne hai chooma² diloN ne chaaha hai
jo rahguzar³ se teri dil-figaar⁴ guzre haiN 1.every eye 2.kissed 3.path 4.broken hearted
Whenever broken-hearted lovers have passed along your path, every eye has kissed them, every heart has loved. The poet had worked closely with Khaan abdul Ghaffaar KhaaN and the Khudaaii Khidmatgaar. I wonder if this is a reflection of his experience with that.
5
Khayaal-o-fikr¹ ki vo raf’atoN² ko chhoo ke gaye
teri nazar³ se jo ye Khaaksaar⁴ guzre haiN 1.thought and reason 2.heights 3.sight 4.dust-dwellers i.e., the poet and comrades
Those of us who had a vision of you (social justice) touched the heights of thought and reason.
6
mahak mahak¹ si gayi buu-e pairahan² se faza³
keh aaj idhar se vo jaan-e-bahaar⁴ guzre haiN 1.fragrant 2.clothes 3.air, atmosphere 4.soul/life of spring
The movement for social justice is characterized as ‘jaan-e-bahaar’. Because she has passed through here today, the air is redolent with the fragrance of her clothes.
7
ye Khoon-e dil hai jo aaNkhoN ki raah¹ bah nikla
kaha ye kis ne keh ham ashk-baar² guzre haiN     1.path, way 2.raining/flowing tears
The poet and his comrades have such intense passion that they cry tears of blood. Thus, it is our heart’s blood that flows down by way of the eyes. Who says that we cry ordinary tears.
8
rulaa’e kyuN na hameN ab qafas¹ meN yaad un ki
vo raat din jo sar²-e shaaKh-saar³ guzre haiN 1.cage 2.top 3.green branch
It is conventional to consider the poet to be a free bird who sings in the garden. But now it has been caught and caged. He used to spend his days and nights on green branches bearing flowers. Why should memories of those nights not cause him to cry in the cage.
9