Aj Ki Raat, Aur Uska Chaand, Insha Kay Sath

Sham samay aik oonchi seehriyon walay ghar kay angan main

Chaand ko utaray daikha hum nay, chaand bhi kaisa? Poora chaand

Insha jee in chahnay wali, daikhnay wali ankhoon nay

Mulkon mulkon, shehron shehron, kaisa kaisa daikha chaand

Har aik chaand ki apni dhuj thi, har aik chaand ka apna roop

Lekin aisa roshan roshan, hansta baatain karta chaand?

Dard ke Tees tu uth'ti thi, par itni bhi, bharpoor kabhi?

Aaj say pehlay kab utra tha dil main itna gehra chaand!

Hum nay tu kismat kay dar say jab paye andhayaray paye

Yeh bhi chaand ka sapna ho ga, kaisa chaand, kahaan ka chaand?

Insha jee dunya walon main bay-saathi, bay-dost rahay

Jaisay taaron kay jhurmat main tanha chaand, akela chaand

In ka daman iss doulat say khaali ka khaali hi raha

Warna tha dunya main kitnay chaandi chaand aur sona chaand

Jug kay charon koat main ghooma, selaani hayraan howa

Iss basti kay iss koochay kay iss angan main aisa chaand?

Ankhoon main bhi, chitwan main bhi, chaand hi chaand jhalaktay hain

Chaand hi teeka, chaand hi jhoomar, chehra chaand aur maatha chaand

Aik yeh chaand nagar ka baasi jis say door raha sunjoag

Warna iss dunya main sab nay chaha chaand aur paya chaand

Anbar nay dharti par phaikee noor ki cheent, udaas udaas

Aaj ki shab tu andhi shab thi, aaj kidhar say nikla chaand?

Insha jee yeh aur nagar hai, iss basti ke reet yehi hai

Sab ki apni apni ankhain, sab ka apna apna chaand

Apnay seenay kay mat'la par jo chamka woh chaand howa

Jis nay man kay andhyaaray mein aan kiya uj'yaara, chaand

Chanchal muskaati muskaati gori ka mukhra, mehtaab

Patt jhar kay paiRoon main at'ka, peela sa ik patta chaand

Dukh ka darya, sukh ka sagar iss kay dam say daikh liye

Hum ko apnay saath he lay kar dooba aur ubhra chaand

Jhuki jhuki palkoon kay neechay numnaaki ka naam na tha!

Yeh kanta jo humain chubha hai, kaash tujhay bhi chubhta chaand

Roshniyoon ki peeli kirchain, poorab pacham phail gaeen

Tu nay kis shay kay dhookay main, pathar pay day tapka chaand?

Hum nay tou dono ko daikha, dono hi bay-dard, kathoar!

Dharti wala, anbar wala, pehla chaand aur dooja chaand!

Chaand kisi ka ho nahi sakta, chaand kisi ka hota hai?

Chaand ki khatir zid nahi kartay, aye meray achay Insha chaand!

Ibn-e-Insha

Aisa Ho?

Dil ishq main bey-payaan, sauda ho tou aisa ho, 

Darya ho tou aisa ho, sehraa ho tou aisa ho 

Ham sey nahin rishta bhi, Ham se nahin miltaa bhi, 

Hai paas vo betha bhi, dhoka ho tou aisa ho

Woh bhi raha begana, ham nay bhi na pehchana, 

Haan ay dil-e deewana, apna ho tou aisa ho! 

Ham ne yahi maanga tha, Uss ne yahi bakhsha hai, 

Banda ho tou aisa ho, daata ho tou aisa ho 

Iss daur main kya kya hai, rusvaai bhi lazzat bhi, 

Kaanta ho tou aisa ho, chubhta ho tou aisa ho

Ay Qais-e-janoon paisha Insha ko kabhi dekha? 

Vahshi ho tu aisa , rusvaa ho tu aisa ho!

Dil ishq main bey-payaan, sauda ho tou aisa ho, 

Darya ho tou aisa ho, sehraa ho tou aisa ho

... Bura Roag Bhi Hai

... Yeh soch kar, phir...

Insha Says ..

Band aankhain hoi jaati hain, pisaarain paoon
Neend see neend! humain ab na uthana logo
Aik hi shab hai, taveel, itni taveel, itni taveel
Apnay ayyaam mein amroz na farda logo
Ab koi aye tou kehna kay, musafir tou gaya
Yeah bhi kehna keh, bhala ab bhi na jata logo


Ibn e Insha

Hum Kya Jaanain

If there is one word one may define Ibn e Insha with, its: AMAZING.

He takes you along, to the bonfire at the end of his journey and reflects on that journey that never ceases to seem all too familiar. It is either your own journey, or of someone you may have known. The familiarity, the resemblance is striking! 

And at the end of it, you just wonder at his canniness at being a witness to it.

Insha Ji Bohat Din Beet Chukay

insha ji bohat din beet chukay

tum tanha thay, tum tanha ho

yeh jog bajoog tu theek nahi

yeh rog kissi ka acha ho?

kabhi poorab main, kabhi pacham main

tum purwa ho, tum pachwa ho?

jo nagri nagri bhatkay

aya bhi na mun mein kanta ho

kya aur sabhi choonchaal yahaan ?

kya aik tumhi yahaan dukhiya ho

kya aik tumhi par dhoop kaRee

jab sab par sukh ka saya ho

tum kis jungal kay phool miyaan

tum kis baghiyaa kay bayla ho?

tum kis sagar ki lehar bhala

tum kis badal ki barkha ho?

tum kis ponam ka ujyaara

kis andhi raeen ki oosha ho

tum kin hathoon ki mehndi ho

tum kis mathay ka teeka ho

kyon shehar taja, kyon jog liya

kyon wehshi ho, kyon ruswa ho

hum jab daikhain behroop naya

hum kya jaanain tum kya kya ho?

jab sooraj doobay sanjh bhaye

aur phail raha andhyara ho

kisi saaz ki lay par jhan'an jhan'an

kisi geet ka mukhra jaga ho

iss taal pay naachay pairoon main

aik chup chup behti nadiya ho

ho chaaron koot sugandh basi

jeevan jangal pehna gajra ho

yeh ambar kay mukh ka anchal ho

iss anchal ka rung ooda ho

ik gooT ro'pehlay taroon ki

aur beech sunehra chanda ho

iss sundar sheetal shaant samay

haan bolo bolo phir kya ho ?

woh jis ka milna na mumkin

woh mil jaye tu kaisa ho?

kyon aisay sapnay daikhtay ho

insha ji tum aap bhi sapna ho

ik beetain likhtay shayar ho

ik geet ugalti beena ho

yeh battain mun main woh sochay

jo kya batla'ein kaisa ho?

woh jis kay hath mein kismat ki

aik lambi gehri raikha ho

woh shakhas puranay qisoon ka

ik mud'mata shehzada ho

jo shehar ka rasta bhoola ho

aur jungal mein aa nikla ho

woh raja kaashi nagri ka

woh wali'e bulkh o bukhara ho

kuch uss kay taj pay kalghee ho

kuch uss ka chand sa chehra ho

woh malik mehal ataariyon ka

woh ruppey sonay wala ho

ya koye anookha gunn wala

woh jiss ka jug mein charcha ho

ya koyee sajeela banjara

jo nagri nagri ghooma ho

hum nagri nagri ghoomay tu

jab niklay thay awara ho

woh London ho, woh Paris ho

woh Berlin ho, woh Roma ho

woh Kabul ho, woh Lanka ho

woh sahil seen o rayan ho

ya sahil e neel o dajla ho

woh jeen ka daish washaal kaheen

ya pucham dais Amrica ho

woh chotti Fuji yama ki

ya Ulpus ka barpad ooncha ho

woh chattain gulabi laydan ki

ya neela aab Geneva ho

din Istanbul ki galiyon mein

ya sab ki sair praha ho

kuch sooratain theen, kuch mooratain theen

kuch aur bhi shaid daikha ho

jahaan nazrain thehri thutki hoon

jahaan dil ka kaanta atka ho

par hum ko tu kuch yaad nahi

kuch khoya ho, kuch paya ho

in batoon main, in ghatoon main

sajoog ka koi lamha ho

hum apnay jo khud aap nahi

phir bolo kaun humara ho

yun samjho shehar saraye main

shab bhar kay liye koi utra ho

koi pardaisi, koi saylaani

woh jis ka door thikana ho

shaam aye, sawairay koch kiya

jab dhundhla dhundla rasta ho

jab dharti sooni sooni ho

jab ambar pheeka pheeka ho

aik alam tha, kya alam tha

woh sacha ho, ya jhoota ho

hum apnay aap main doob gaye

khud pathar ban, khud darya ho

jeevan ghaas ka tinka jungle

jeevan aandhi main koi pata ho

hum kis say kahain, kis taur kahain

koi baat humari samjha ho!

hum uss say millain jo apna ho

hum uss say kahain jo hum sa ho

jab yeh bhi nahi, jab woh bhi nahi

kya baat banay, kya rasta ho

iss zindaan main koi rozan ho

iss gunbad main darwaza ho

ay jogi, ay darwaish qavi

kion umar ganwaye ramta ho

kion tun pay rakh bhaboot malay

tu gorakh naat ka cheela ho

yeh poorab pucham kuch bhi nahi

yeh joog bajoog bhi dhooka ho

jo tujh say juda sab maya hai

ya apnay ko gar pana ho

kion aur pay jee ko rujhaata hai

yeh peet ki reet tu phanda ho

jo hara jaan say haar gaya

jo jeeta woh bhi ruswa ho

dhooni na rama, basram na kar

bus alakh jaga kar chalta ho

tu apna reh, tu apna ban

tu insha hai, tu insha ho

Ye baatain jhooti baatain hain

Ibne Insha has been my first introduction to literature - an all time most favourite poet, not only for his unmistakable canny-ness with words to explain the complexities of human heart but also for the enviable deftness with which he did so; One can always count on the tenderness in his verse to pluck at the heart strings like the fingers of a trained violinist. His solitude drenched in passion, and innocence peeping through that longing cascaded as just another perplexity, do little but to endear him to any dreamer. Insha's poise and spontaneity is yet to find any rival, for he truly is a master of flow.

Ye Baatain Jhooti Baatain Hain, is a lovely gem by the great poet and bears his same signature: ease and sensitivity. 




yeh batain jhooti batain hain, yeh logon nay phelai hain 

tum insha ji ka naam na lo, kia insha ji saudaaii hain??? 


These words are untrue tales, all rumoured by the folks
Why name the sweet Insha, nay you find him sane?

hain lakhoon rog zamanay main, kion ishq hai ruswa baychara 

hain aur bhi wajhain wehshat ki, insan ko rakhti dukhiara

haan baykal baykal rehta hai, ho peet main jis nay jii hara 

per shaam say lay kar subh talak yoon kon phiray ga awaara??? 

yeh batain jhooti batain hain, yeh logon nay phelai hain 

tum insha ji ka naam na lo, kia insha ji saudaaii hain??? 


With hundreds of plagues widespread, why blame the stricken love alone
Anguish could have many names, that stack the ache borne
True restless strays the one, whose heart burnt by the flame of love
If not him, who would fritter away, from sun down till dawn?
These words are untrue tales, all rumoured by the folks,
Why name the sweet Insha, nay you find him sane?

yeh baat ajeeb sunatay ho, wo duniya say bay aass huay
ik naam suna aur ghash khaya, ik zikr pay aap udaass huay
wo ilm main aflatoon sunay, wo sher main tulsi daas huay
wo tees baras kay hotay hain, wo B.A. M.A. paas huay
yeh batain jhooti batain hain, yeh logon nay phelai hain 

tum insha ji ka naam na lo, kia insha ji saudaaii hain??? 


What you tell is so strange, he has lost the hope to pursue
That one name and he turns cold, one mention and he goes blue
A Plato of knowledge, a giant of arts
30 seasons has he seen, with feathers in his cap
These words are untrue tales, all rumoured by the folks
Why name the sweet Insha, nay you find him sane?

gar ishq kia hai tab kia hai? kion shaad nahi abaad nahi?

jo jaan liay bin tal na sakay, yeh aisi bhi uftaad nahi
yay baat tu tum bhi mano gay, wo Qais nahi Farhaad nahi
kia hijr ka daro mushkil hai? kia visl kay nuskhay yaad nahi???
yeh batain jhooti batain hain, yeh logon nay phelai hain 

tum insha ji ka naam na lo, kia insha ji saudaaii hain??? 

What's wrong if he did love? Why is there joy and bliss naught?
That only seeks to knock off, this could be such havoc naught!
This you too won't question, some Qais or Farhaad he is naught
Is parting a hard brew? Are there concoctions of union naught?
These words are untrue tales, all rumoured by the folks
Why name the sweet Insha, nay you find him sane?

jo hum se kaho hum kartay hain, kia insha ko samjhana hai???

uss larki se bhi keh len gay, goh ab kuch aur zamana hai
ya chorain, ya takmeel karain, ye ishq hai ya afsaana hai???
ye kaisa gorakh dhanda, hai ye kaisa tana bana hai???
ye batain kaisi batain hain, jo logon nay phelai hain???

tum insha ji ka naam na lo, kia insha ji saudaaii hain???

Can do what you ask, is sweet Insha to be clued in?
May even ask that damsel, though the times are same naught
To yield, or to conclude, if this is some flame and a tale naught?
An enigma it seems, a maze so tangled!
These words are untrue tales, all rumoured by the folks
Why name the sweet Insha, nay you find him sane?

Image Courtesy: Paklinks.com