~Smiles~ Unlimited!!

aaj ke daur me.n ai dost ye ma.nzar kyuu.N hai
zaKhm har sar pe har ik haath me.n patthar kyuu.N hai
Daur: Age, Course, Reign Manzar: Aspect, Outlook, Visage

jab haqiiqat hai ke har zarre me.n tuu rahataa hai
phir zamii.n par kahii.n masjid kahii.n ma.ndir kyuu.N hai
Haqiiqat: Truth, Reality Zarra: Grain, Speck, Minute Particle

apanaa a.njaam to maaluum hai sab ko phir bhii
apanii nazaro.n me.n har insaan sika.ndar kyuu.N hai
Anjaam: Conclusion, Consequence Sikandar: Alexander the Great, Emperor

zindagii jiine ke qaabil hii nahii.n ab "Faakir"
varnaa har aa.Nkh me.n ashko.n kaa sama.ndar kyuu.N hai
Qaabil: Competent, Deserving Ashk: Tears Samandar: Ocean

Aadmi aadmi ko kya degaa
jo bhi dega wohi khuda dega

Mera qaatil hi mera munsib hai
kya mere haq mein faislaa dega

Zindagi ko kareeb se dekho
iska chehra tumhe rulaa dega

Humse pucho dosti ka silaa
dushmanon ka bhi dil hilaa dega

Ishq ka zehar pee liya 'Faakir'
ab maseeha bhi kya dawa dega

Ek shahanshaah ne banvaa ke haseen taj mahal
saari duniyaa ko muhabbat ki nishaani dee hai
iske saaye me sadaa pyaar ke charche honge
khatm jo ho naa sakegi vo kahaani dee hai

taaj vo shammaa hai ulfat ke sanam khaane kii
jiske parvaanon mein muflis bhi hai zardaar bhi hai
sang-e-marmar me samaae hue khvaabon ki qasam
marhale pyaar ke aasaan bhii hain dush-vaar bhii hai.n
dil ko ek josh iraadon ko javaanii dii hai

Sang-e-Marmar - Marble Stone, Marhale – Destinations, Dushvaar - Difficult

taaj ik zindaa tasavvur hai kisii shaayar kaa
iska afsaanaa haqiiqat ke sivaa kuchh bhii nahii
iske aagosh me aakar ye gumaan hotaa hai
zindagi jaise muhabbat ke sivaa kuchh bhii nahii
taaj ne pyaar ki maujon ko ravaanii dii hai

Tasavvur - Fantasy, Aagosh - Embrace, Gumaan - opinion, thought

ye hasin raat ye mahaki huii purnur fazaa
ho ijaazat to ye dil ishq kaa izhaar kare
ishq insaan ko insaan banaa detaa hai
kiskii himmat hai muhabbat se jo inakaar kare
aaj taqdiir ne ye raat suhaanii dii hai

Purnoor: Full of light, enlightened, illustrious, Fazaa - Atmosphere

Yeh sheeshe yeh sapne yeh rishte yeh dhaage
kise kyaa khabar hai kahaan toot jaayen
mohabbat ke dariyaa mein tinake vafaa ke
na jaane ye kis mod par doob jaayen

ajab dil ki basti ajab dil ki vaadii
har ek mod mausam nayi khvaahishon kaa
lagaaye hain hum ne bhi sapnon ke paudhe
magar kya bharosa yahaan baarishon kaa

muraadon ki manzil ke sapnon mein khoye
mohabbat ki raahon pe hum chal pade the
zaraa door chal ke jab aankhen khuli tho
kadi dhoop mein hum akele khade the

jinhen dil se chaaha jinhen dil se pooja
nazar aa rahe hain vahi ajanabi se
ravaayat hai shaayad ye sadiyon puraani
shikaayat nahin hai koi zindagii se

Yeh jo zindagi ki kitaab hai ye kitaab bhi kyaa kitaab hai

kahin ek haseen saa Khvaab hai kahin jaan-levaa azaab hai

[azaab=torment/anguish]

kahin chhaanv hai kahin dhoop hai kahin aur hi koi roop hai

kayi chehare is mein chupe hue ik ajeeb si yeh naqaab hai

kahin kho diyaa kahin paa liyaa kahin ro liyaa kahin gaa liyaa

kahin cheen leti hai har Khushi kahin meharabaan behisaab hai

kahin aasoon ki hai daastaan kahin muskuraahaton ka bayaan

kahin barqaton ki hai baarishen kahin tishnagii behisaab hai
[bayaa.N=tale; barqat=prosperity/good fortune; tishnagii=thirst]

Yeh jo zindagi ki kitaab hai ye kitaab bhi kyaa kitaab hai ...

I LOVE music...no, actually, I am obsessed with good music. If I am not listening to music, I will be humming (every nook in my bathroom is waqif with this talent of mine) and other times I play soundtracks in my head, an oddity of mine (ah haa just when you thought you knew everything about me)…I like anything that has soul stirring lyrical values, words move me.. I can listen to a melodious voice reciting words that pierce your soul till the cows come home..

So, what am I listening to right now? Ghazals by the indisputable Ghazal King, Jagjit Singh.
He is awesome – his amazing voice blows me away every time I listen to him. The range of emotions he flaunts in his ghazals are unmatchable. Listening to his tracks invoke all sorts of emotions in you. Here is one elegant ghazal from the album I have been listening to, Insight –

Garaj baras pyaasi dharti par phir paani de maulaa
chidiyon ko daanaa, bachchon ko gud-dhaanii de maulaa

do aur do ka jod hamesha chaar kahaan hota hai
soch samajh waalon ko thodi naadaani de maulaa

phir roshan kar zehar kaa pyaalaa chamakaa nai saliben
jhoothon ki duniyaa mein sach ko taabaani de maulaa

phir moorat se baahar aakar chaaron aur bikhar jaa
phir mandir ko koi meera deewaani de maulaa

tere hote koi kisi ki jaan kaa dushman kyon ho
jeene waalon ko marne kii aasaanii de maulaa

A soulful rendition - incredible lyrics by Nida Fazli and the velvety voice of the maestro himself... An absolute treat for the ears.

Kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahaan nahin miltaa
Kahin zameen to kahin aasmaan nahin miltaa

Jise bhi dekhiye wo apne aapmai gum hai
Zubaan mili hain magar humzubaan nahin miltaa

Bujhaa saka hain bhala kaun wakt ke shole
Ye aisi aag hain jis mein dhuaan nahin miltaa

Tere jahaan main aisa nahin ke pyaar na ho
Jahaa ummeed ho is ki wahaa nahin miltaa

One of my favourite Ghazal by Nida Fazli, incredible words conveying the saddest truths of life...the song seems to say it all.

So true and so profound about life in general, and probably applies to almost every one in some way or the other..... but I suppose that's life. We need to count our blessings, feel blessed, and live life in the best way we possibly can appreciating everything life brings with it, joy and sorrow..

This is one of those beautiful Ghazals one can listen to on a cool summer evening, sitting on the deck, sipping a hot cuppa, watching the sunset, reflecting on life ....