Asrar ul Hassan Khan Majrooh Sultanpuri is more known for his film lyrics then his poetry.
However, in his film career, Majrooh achieved great heights. Which other lyricist has the privilege of his first lyric in the industry being for the legendary K.L. Saigal himself. “Jab Dil hi toot gaya” from Shahjahan became the definitive song Saigal is identified by, and it was also the one he wanted played on his last journey….. which unfortunately happend too soon.
However, Majrooh‘s credentials had been firmly established – the lyricist who wrote for leading actors of the Indian film industry from Saigal to Shahrukh Khan, and from Nargis to Madhuri Dixit, and when he died in 2000, his lyrics for an Indi-pop album had people the age of his grandchildren happily singing to it.
However, Majrooh achieved this status at some personal cost. A leading light of the Tariqqi Pasand Tehreek (Progressive Writers Association) , he gave up his political inclinations after the Bombay government, headed by Morarji Desai – who was never known for his sense of humour among other things – put him behind bars for a year as so for reciting an anti-government sher at a mushaira. After that, a chastened Majrooh, whose career as a lyricist was just beginning, firmly stuck to Bollywood and writing about emotions.
His work for the film industry is well known – and here I will concentrate on Majrooh the poet. So follows one of his ghazals and some scattered asha’ar.
Ham ko junoon kya sikhlate ho ham the pareshan tumse zyada
Chak kiye hain hamae azeezon chaar garebaan tumse zyada
Chaak-e-jigar muhataaj-e-rafuu hai aaj to daaman sirf lahu hai
Ek mausam tha ham ko raha hai shauq-e-bahaaran tumse zyada
Jao tum apani baam ki khaatir saari laven shamon ki katar lo
Zakhmon ke mahar-o-maah salaamat jashn-e-chiragan tumse zyada
Ham bhi hamesha qatl huye aur tum ne bhi dekha door se lekin
Ye na samjhe hamko hua hai jaan ka nuksaan tumse zyada
Zanjeer-o-deewaar hi dekhi tumne to ‘Majrooh’ magar ham
Koocha-koocha dekh rahe hai aalam-e-zindaan tumse zyada
And now for some for his shers: I apologise for beginning the selection with a maqta from his ghazals …. no, its fine, I have changed the order.
Main akela hi chala tha janib manzil magar
Log saath aate gaye aur karvan banta gaya
Sawaal unka jawaab uka sukoot unka khitab unka
Ham anjuman mein sar na kham karte to kya karte
Majrooh! Likh rahe hain woh ahl-e-wafa ka naam
Ham bhi khade hue hai gunaahgaar ki tarah
Shab-e-intezar ki kashmakash na pooch kaise sahar hui
Kabhi ek chiraag jala diya kabhi ek chiraag bujha diya
Main hazaar shakl badal chuka chaman-e-jahaan mein sun ae saba
Ke jo phool hai tere haath mein ye mera hi lakht-e-jigar na ho
Taqdeer ka shikwa bemaani jeena hi tujhe manzoor nahi
Aap apna muqaddar ban na sake itna to koi majboor nahi
‘Majrooh’! Qafile ki mere dastaan ye hai
Rahbar ne mil ke loot liya rahbaron ke saath
Tum bhi chori ko yaqeen hai na kahoge achcha
Ab hamen dekh ke aankhen na churana hargiz
Jis taraf bhi chal padhe hain aabla payan-e-shauq
Khar se gul aur gul se gulistan banta gaya
Alag baithe hai phir bhi aankh saaqi ki padhi ham par
Agar hain tishnagi kaamil to paimane bhi aayenge
Shama bhi ujaala bhi main hi apni mahfil ka
Main hi apni manzil ka raahbar bhi raahi bhi
Shab-e-intezar ki kashmakash na pooch kaise sahar hui
Kabhi ek chiraag jala diya kabhi ek chiraag bujha diya
Zabaan hamari na samjha yahaan koi ‘Majrooh’
Ham ajnabi ki tarah apne hi vatan mein rahe
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