Ey Eshgh Humay Barbaad Na Kar...From Vineeta Sastry

Nayyara Noora


Akhtar Sheerani
singer: Nayyara Noor

Ae Ishq hamein barbad na kar, barbad kar

Aye Ishq Na Chairr Aa Aa Ke HaMein,
HuM Bhule Huwon Ko Yaad Na Kar,
Pehle Hi Bahut Nashaad Hai HuM,
Tu Aur HaMein Nashaad Na Kar,
QisMat Ka SitaM Hi KaM Nahi Kuch,
Ye Taaza SitaM Ijaad Na Kar,
Aye Ishq HaMein Barbaad Na Kar,
3
Raaton Ko Uth Uth Rote Hain,
Ro Ro Kar Duwayein Karte Hain,
Aankhon Mein Tasavvur Dil Mein Khalish,
Sar Dhunate Hai Aahein Bharte Hai,
Aye Ishq Ye Kaisa Rog Laga,
Jeete Hain Na ZaaliM Marte Hain,
Aye Ishq HaMein Barbaad Na Kar,
4
Aankhon Ko Ye Kya Aazaar Hua,
Har Jazb-E-Nihaan Par Ro Dena,
Aahang-E-Tarab Pe Jhuk Jaana,
Aawaz-E-Fugaan Par Ro Dena,
Parbat Ki Sada Par Ro Dena,
Mutrib Ke Bayan Par Ro Dena,
Ehsaas Ko GaM Buniyaad Na Kar,
Aye Ishq HaMein Barbaad Na Kar,
4
Wo Raaz Hai Ye GaM Aah Jise,
Paa Jaye Koi To Khair Nahi,
Aankhonse Jab Aansu Behte Hai,
Aa Jaye Koi To Khair Nahi,
ZaaliM Hai Ye Duniya Dilko
Yahan Bhaa Jaye Koi Khair Nahi,
Hai ZulM Magar Fariyaad Na Kar,
Aye Ishq HaMein Barbaad Na Kar,
5
Duniya Ka TaMasha Dekh Liya,
GaMgeen Si Hai Betaab Si Hai,
UMMid Yahan Ek WahaM Si Hai,
Taskeen Yahan Ek Khwaab Si Hai,
Duniya Mein Khushi Ka NaaM Nahi,
Duniya Mein Khushi Nayaab Si Hai,
Duniya Mein Khushi Ko Yaad Na Kar,
Aye Ishq HaMein Barbaad Na Kar...



from: www.anindianmuslim.com
Akhtar Shirani: Poet of Romance
Great Urdu poet Akhtar Shirani passed away this month nearly 60 years ago but his unrequited love affair, letters purportedly written by him and the mystery of 'Salma', still evoke tremendous interest among readers.

Shirani was the most popular poet of his generation. His famous romantic Nazms include 'Aye Ishq kahiiN le chal', 'Jahaan Rehana rahti thi' and Salma. Along with Majaz, he is also referred to as Keats of Urdu poetry.

tum afsaana-e-Qais kyaa puuchhte ho
idhar aao, ham tumko lailaa banaa deN
(Akhtar Shirani)

He is referred to as 'Shahzada-e-Ruman' (Prince of Romance) and Shaaer-e-Husn-o-Javaani (Poet of youth and beauty). After failing to get his lady love, Akhtar had drowned himself into liquor and died at an early age (43).

He was the son of the renowned scholar Mahmood Sheerani who taught at Oriental College but unlike his father, Akhtar lived a bohemian life. Even sixty years after his death, publishers in India and Pakistan continue to cash in on his 'colourful life'.

A periodical in India claims that in the special issue it would name the woman who was referred to as Salma. Another publication in Pakistan prints some 'hitherto hidden' letters of correspondence for the first time and a weekly boosts its sales with a special report claiming that he didn't die but had committed suicide.

The truth is that contrary to popular perception, Akhtar's life was not at all as colourful. One of his couplets:

baad az gham-e-judaai-e-Salmaa mere liye
yaad-e-zubuur-o-maatam-e-shaivan hai aajkal

The man who used to gift away a note of Rs 50 to a pan walla because of the latter's tehzib of giving paan, spent the latter part of his youth and the last years in utter distress. He may have initially turned to liquor to forget Salma.

But his son's (Javed Mahmood alias Zuboor) sudden demise, the suicide of close friend Mirza Shuja Khan Shaivan, the incident of his son-in-law Naziruddin Shirani getting drowned in the Yanas river and that his daughter became widow at a young age, broke him. His strained relations with his father also added to Akhtar's frustration.

Shorish Kashmiri wrote that it was better not to see Akhtar. In his poetry he looks like a Greek God and in real life he is merely an 'echo of apology'. If you come across him in real life and someone tells you that he is the great Akhtar Sheerani, you will feel cheated, said Shaukat Thanvi. Thanvi vouches for the fact that Shirani was never seen in 'Aalam-e-Hosh' (he was always intoxicated).

Akhtar was in Tonk (Rajasthan) at the time of partition and was seriously ill. Rumours spread that he was killed along with his entire family while crossing the border. Jang published an article titled "Where is Akhtar Shirani?". Another paper published a letter of Dr Ahmar.

But as news reached Shirani, he said:

laao to qatl-naama meraa maiN bhii dekhuuN
kis kis kii mohar hai sar-e-mahzar lagii huii

Akhtar passed away in September in 1948. He was brought to hospital in an unconscious state. The photographs of Akhtar on his hospital bed were published in papers. Mukhtar Tonki writes in Aiwan-e-Urdu that stories were fabricated even after his death. It was said that his body was found on the street and taken to mortuary with nobody identifying it, that he committed suicide et al.

In 2004, weekly magazine 'Lahore' published letters to 'unravel' the truth about his mystery love and death. And later Takhliq also printed similar story. Munshi Abdul Baseer wrote the Nazm in which each stanza's letters alternately added up to 1948 and the corresponding Hijri year.

aye ishq kahiiN le chal is paap kii bastii
nafrat-gah-e-aalam se laanat-gah-e-hastii se
nafs parastoN se, is nafs parastii se
duur aur kahiiN le chal
aye ishq kahiin le chal....

The Nazm 'Jahaan Rehana rahtii thii..' is quite long as well. It starts with the following lines:

voh is vaadii kii shahzaadii thii aur shaahaana rahtii thii
kaNval ka phuul thii, sansaar se be-gaana rahtii thii
nazar se duur, misl-e-nikhat-e-mastaana rahtii thii
yahii vaadii hai voh hamdam jahaaN Rehaana rahtii thii...

And the Nazm 'Salma'

bahaar-e-husn ka tuu Ghuncha-e-shaadaab hai Salma
tujhe fitrat ne apne dast-e-rangiiN se saNvaaraa hai
bihisht-e-rang-o-buu ka tuu saraapa ek nazaaraa hai
terii suurat saraasar paikar-e-maahtaab hai Salma
jism ek hujuum-e-resham-o-kamKhwaab hai Salma
shabistaan-e-javaanii ka tuu ek zinda sitaaraa hai tuu
is duniaa meN bahar-e-husn-o-fitrat ka kinaaraa hai tuu
is sansaar meN ek aasmaanii Khwaab hai Salma...

Daud Khan, who became famous as Akhtar Shirani, was born in 1905 in Tonk (Rajasthan) and just two years after his father's death, the poet of romance also passed away in Lahore on September 9, 1948.

aye vaae Akhtar huaa ham se judaa ab
lagaa haaye teer-e-qazaa kaa nishaana


13 September, 2007 08:43
Anonymous said...
During the time of HH Nawab Hafiz Mohammed Sa'dat Ali Khan Bahadur Jung of Tonk State,British India, Late Janab Allah Bakshe Akhter Shirani sahab attended Mushayara. He came late, so he put his right hand on the frame(Chaukhat) of Sheeshal Mahal, Nazar Bagh Palace, and stand keep quiet. HH Nawab Sahab called him" Gharib Khane mein tashrif laeeye". Akhter Sahab replied"Mein Amir Khanoh mein nahin jata to Gharib khane mein kya au". Nawab Sahab was so pleased with his reply and started laughing. Told to me by 80 years old Nisar Ahmed Khan Tonki, presently residing in Ahmedabad(Gujarat),India.Artist Mr.Maqbool Fida Hussain used to come to Tonk from Indore, to listen Akhter Sahab's Kalsm in early forties.

My father, Justice Mohammed Rafique, was the Chief Justice Of Tonk High Court, before partition, and Akhter Sahab was very good friend of my father. My father's uncle Khan Bahadur Mohammed Moula Buksh,M.A.(Oxford), F.L.Sc.(USA),was the development officer of Tonk State, later he was the chief conservator of forests in earstwhile Nizam State(Hyderabad Deccan).My eldest sister was the Mayor of Ahmedabad(2003-2005). You can contact me on my address:
Naved Rafique
B-1/1, Modern Flats
Behind N.I.D.
Paldi
Ahmedabad - 380 007.
India.
email:navedrafique@yahoo.co.in
tonkindia@yahoo.co.in