tumako dekhaa to ye Khayaal aayaa

tumako dekhaa to ye Khayaal aayaa
zindagii dhuup tum ghanaa saayaa 

aaj phir dil ne ek tamannaa kii
aaj phir dil ko hamane samajhaayaa 

tum chale jaaoge to soche.nge
hamane kyaa khoyaa, hamane kyaa paayaa 

ham jise gunagunaa nahii.n sakate
vaqt ne aisaa giit kyuu.N gaayaa

-Javed Akhtar

ham to bachapan me.n bhii akele the

ham to bachapan me.n bhii akele the
sirf dil kii galii me.n khele the

ek taraf morche the palako.n ke
ek taraf aa.Nsuuo.n ke rele the

thii.n sajii hasarate.n duukaano.n par
zindagii ke ajiib mele the

aaj zehan-o-dil bhuuko.n marate hai.n
un dino.n faake bhii ham ne jhele the

Khud-kashii kyaa Gamo.n kaa hal banatii
maut ke apane bhii sau jhamele the

-Javed Akhtar

main aur merii aavaragii

phirate hai.n kab se dar_ba_dar ab is nagar ab us nagar

ek duusare ke ham_safar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii
naa aashanaa har rah_guzar naa mehar_baa.N hai ek nazar
jaaye.n to ab jaaye.n kidhar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

ham bhii kabhii aabaad the aise kahaa.N bar_baad the
bifikr the aazaad the masaruur the dil_shaad the
vo chaal aisi chal gayaa ham bujh gaye dil jal gayaa
nikale jalaa ke apanaa ghar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

vo maah-e-vash vo maah-e-ruuh vo maah-e-kaamil huu_ba_huu
thii.n jis kii baate.n kuu_ba_kuu us se ajab thii guftaguu
phir yuu.N huaa vo kho ga_ii aur mujh ko zid sii ho ga_ii
laaye.nge us ko Dhuu.ND kar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

ye dil hii thaa jo sah gayaa vo baat aisii kah gayaa
kahane ko phir kyaa rah gayaa ashko.n kaa dariyaa bah gayaa
jab kah kar vo dil_bar gayaa tee liye mai.n mar gayaa
rote hai.n us ko raat bhar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

ab Gam uThaaye.n kis liye ye dil jalaaye.n kis liye
aa.Nsuu bahaaye.n kis liye yuu.N jaa.N gavaaye.n kis liye
peshaa na ho jis kaa sitam Dhuu.Nde.nge ab aisaa sanam
ho.nge kahii.n to kaar_gar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

aasaar hai.n sab khoT ke imkaan hai.n sab choT ke
ghar band hai.n sab koT ke ab Khatm hai sab ToTake. 
qismat kaa sab ye khel hai andher hii andher hai
aise hue hai.n be_asar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

jab ham_dam-o-ham_raaz thaa tab aur hii andaaz thaa
ab soz hai tab saaz thaa ab sharm hai tab naaz thaa
ab mujh se ho to ho bhii kyaa hai saath vo to vo bhii kyaa
ek behunar ek besabar mai.n aur merii aavaaragii

-Javed Akhtar

dard ke phuul bhii khilate hai.n bikhar jaate hai.n

dard ke phuul bhii khilate hai.n bikhar jaate hai.n
zaKhm kaise bhii ho.n kuchh roz me.n bhar jaate hai.n

us dariiche me.n bhii ab ko_ii nahii.n aur ham bhii
sar jhukaa_e hu_e chup-chaap guzar jaate hai.n

raastaa roke kha.Dii hai yahii ulajhan kab se
ko_ii puuchhe to kahe.n kyaa ki kidhar jaate hai.n

narm aavaaz bhalii baate.n mohazzab lahaje
pahalii baarish me.n hii ye rang utar jaate hai.n

-Javed Akhtar

dard apanaataa hai paraa_e kaun

dard apanaataa hai paraa_e kaun
kaun sunataa hai aur sunaa_e kaun

kaun doharaa_e vo puraanii baat
Gam abhii soyaa hai jagaa_e kaun

vo jo apane hai.n kyaa vo apane hai.n
kaun dukh jhele aazamaa_e kaun

ab sukuu.N hai to bhuulane me.n hai
lekin us shaKhs ko bhulaa_e kaun

aaj phir dil hai kuchh udaas udaas
dekhiye aaj yaad aa_e kaun

-Javed Akhtar

Difference between Rubai, Ghazal, Nazm, Qawwali and Shayari

Introduction

I cannot explain these poetical forms without, talking about a bit of the history of the Indian Subcontinent. The Ghazals, Rubais, and Nazm had their origins in Persian (erstwhile Iran-Iraq). With the invasion of the Indian Sub-continent by the Mughal Emperors, the poetical forms from Persia, reached Indian shores. By 1700s several poets of Indian Birth had started writing in rubais, and Ghazals. Indian Ghazals were heavily influenced by an Islamic religious offshoot called “Sufism”. Sufism unlike their Arabic counterparts gave emphasis on singing and dancing. For them God was an experience, not a set of rules to be followed.

Over a period of a century, Indian and Pakistani Ghazals, attained a distinct characteristics.

RUBAI (plural Rubaiyat)

After the 11 century, The Persians refined their Rubais and developed it separately from their counterparts found in the Indian sub-continent. The Persian Rubais were quatrains. The most popular of them in the western world is the “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam”.

It’s hard for me to understand a Rubai, since it uses lots of Persian words. 

NAZM

The poems written in the Indian-subcontinent were of two basic genres: Nazm and Ghazal.

Nazm is more like a story telling. It has only one subject matter. it is less restrictive than Ghazal can contain philosophical, romance, love and similar themes.

and here I have translated a Nazm in Hindi by Pakistani Poet Zeeshan Sahil

ऐ परिंदों! किसी शाम उड़ते हुए

(Oh Eagle! Flying in the evening

रास्ते में अगर वो नज़र आये तो

If you find her on the path

गीत बारिश का कोई सुनाना उसे

Sing a song of rain to her

ऐ सितारों! यूं ही झिलमिलाते हुए

Oh Stars! When you shine like this

उसका चेहरा दरीचे में आ जाये तो

If you see her face in a window

बादलों को बुला कर दिखाना उसे

Call the clouds and show it to them

ऐ हवा! जब उसे नींद आना लगे

Oh Wind! When she is about to sleep

रात अपने ठिकाने पे जाने लगे

And the night takes her to it place

उसके चेहरे को छू कर जगाना उसे

Wake her up by touching her face

ख्वाब से जब वो बेदार होने लगे

When she moves from dream to wakefulness

फूल बादलों में अपने पिरोने लगे

And flowers will entwine itself with clouds

मेरे बारे में कुछ न बताना उसे

Don't tell her anything about me.)

GHAZAL

In India, Mirza Ghalib and his counterparts first wrote their poems in the Persian language. Later poets started writing in poems in Urdu (a language which is quite similar to Hindi, but it used mostly by Muslims and has a Persio-Arabic script).

Ghazal is a form with rhyming couplets and a refrain. Ghazals are usually about both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. A Ghazal contains 4-5 sher (couplet). Every sher will have the same meter and rhyme scheme, but can have different subject matter. Couplets may or may not have same thought. Ghazal usually have a strict rhyme and rhythm structure. Ghazals are usually much shorter than a Nazm. A sher can stand on its own, i.e., it will have complete meaning even if it is taken out of its context of a Ghazal.

The first sher of a Ghazal is a known as Matla and Makhta is the last sher which contains the pen name of the poet.

The most important Ghazal Writer, I believe is Mirza Ghalib. Here is two of his couplets which I translated into English:

Come yesterday and today itself you say you’re going,

Agreed though not forever, but well, some days more.

Its been long that I have entertained my beloved guest

Highlighting the meeting with gushing wine goblet.

Here are the first two lines of that Ghazal translated into English:

Mahol Bemaza hai tere pyar ke bagair

Kaise Piye Sharaab koi, Yar ke bagair

There is no fun in the ambience without your love

how can I drink wine, without a mate?

Here a video in Hindi, where famous Ghazal Singer Jagjith Singh talks about the difference between Ghazal and Nazm and then sings a Ghazal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zzS6RDqXPI

QAWWALI

A Qawwali is more closer to music than poetry. Here a main musician along with accompanying harmoniums and Dholak (a drum like instrument) sings a song which involves rhythmical hand clapping.The most famous qawwali singer was late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. 

SHAYARI

The word shayari is taken from ‘sher’ which is couplet of a ghazal. Shayari is also a form of rendition of shers. The poems taken for Shayari is usually of romantic nature. It uses puns, humorous, and surprising use of words.

There are a few things that a western audience have to keep in mind when listening to any of these forms of poetry:

1. Most of the Ghazals, Qawwali and Nazms may seem to have an outwards frivolous meaning, but they have deeper meaning. For example: Wine may refer to ecstacy ceated by God’s presence. A lover can be God himself. This inner meaning is more pronounced in Qawwali. A ghazal can be enjoyed without reference to this meaning.
2. Most of these songs are rendered in Mehfils which usually a large home or palace. The audience have a much more active role to play here. They often clap the hands or say “wah Wah” and “Suhanallah” when they a encounter a beautiful usage in a poem.

Difference between Ghazal and Nazam .

Nazam and Gazal both are the form of Urdu poetry but have quite differences. When readers try to develop interest in Urdu poetry, while reading Nazam and Gazal they often get confused between Gazal and Nazam.  Both are very polite and meaningful forms of Urdu poetry. These are some common differences between Nazam and Gazal. 

Characteristics of the Gazal:

•          Short in size
•          Have Rhythm in phrases called matla.
•          Ending point of Gazal used the poet name (pen name).  In Urdu it is called takhalus.
•          Ends at makta.
•          Pattern of all phrases have the same rhythm.
•          Gazal divides into complete phrases or verses which gives complete meanings.
•          By reading individually any verse doesn’t lose its meaning.
•          Commonly verses are not dependent on each other.

Characteristics of Nazam:

•          No size limits.  It can be very long or very short in size. For example Nazam Shikwa written by Urdu poet Allama Iqbal is very long. Another Nazam (poem) of Allam Iqbal is “Ram”. It is very short in size.
•          Matla and makta are not compulsory for Nazam (poem).
•          Verses of Nazam are bound to convey the complete theme.
•          Verses cannot convey complete theme individually. They are interlinked.
•          Nazam covers more areas than Gazal which is a descriptive form of poetry.  

Aaina kyu na doon ke tamasha kahe jise

Aaina kyu na doon ke tamasha kahe jise
Aisa kaha se laau ke tujhasa kahe jise

Hasrat ne la rakha teri bazm-e-khayal me
Guldasta-e-nigaah suveda kahe jise

Phoonka hai kisne goshe mohabbat mein aye khuda
Afasuun-e-intazar tamanna kahe jise

Sar par hajum-e-dard-e-garibi se daliye
Wo ek musht-e-khak ke sahara kahe jise

Hai chashm-e-tar me hasarat-e-diidar se niha
Shauq-e-ina gusekhta dariya kahe jise

Darakar hai shiguftan-e-gul haye aish ko
Sub_h-e-bahar paba-e-miina kahe jise

"ghalib" bura na man jo vaiz bura kahe
Aisa bhii koii hai ke sab achchha kahe jiseme

-Ghalib