Melancholia

I have developed a new interest, that is of reading Urdu Poetry. When couple of my friends came to know about that, their reaction was "Man! I know you are going through some tough times ; that is why you are reading all this. I replied to them

Har mod pe miltey hain hamdard hazaron
Shayad meri basti mein adakar bahut hain..

I am a melancholic person by default. My life has been pretty good and I had a happy childhood but somehow I was always attracted to the gloomy stuff. I still remember when I was about 10 years old I really loved the movie "Ek doctor ki maut" aired on doordarshan. So I believe its more to do with my natural inclination rather than circumstances.Surprisingly I have this other part of me who likes humour in movies.Movies like jaane bhi do yaaron and katha are in my favourites list.But I believe these are far and few in between.

I have always liked music,poetry, photography or any art form which is dark,mysterious and pensive. Many of the urdu poetry is so beautiful,deep and sad that I became an instant big fan. I connect Urdu Poetry to the heavy metal music and get nostalgic about my younger years when that music had left an almost similar impression on me.I have read quite a lot of Ghalib and Faiz and found them truely amazing.They are considered as the best of the lot by most people.
But my favourite poet is Ahmad Faraz. His poetry is simple yet so meaningful and thought provoking.He simply rocks.Posting some of the ashaar of this great poet.

*In barishon se dosti achi nahi Faraz
kachha tera makan hay kuch to khayal kar

*Mana ke tum Guftago ke fun main mahir ho Faraz.
Wafa kay lafz pay atko to humhain yaad kar lena

*Gham ki jageer wirsat main mili hai mujh ko Faraz
apni jageer main rehta hun nawaboon ki tarah!!

*Zindagi to apnay hi qadmooo pay chalti hai Faraz
auroon ke saharay to janazay utha kartay hain !!

*Yeh acha hai ke bohat acha nhi huun main "Faraz"
Dukhii hoga na koii mere marne ke baad !!

*Kitaabon se Daleel duun ya Khud ko saamne rakh duun "Faraz"
Wo mujh se pooch baitha hai, Mohabbat kis ko kehte hain...!!

*Tujh ko gila hai ke duniya nay pher lee ankhain Faraz..
yeh to sada se riwaaz us ka tha !!

*Laakh ye chaha ke usko bhool jaon par Faraz
hosley apni jagah hai beybasi apni jagah !!

*Nikaal dey Faraz dil se khayal uska..
Yaadein kisiki taqdeer badla nahin karti !!

And the most famous of his ghazals..HAIL FARAZ.

Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhane ke liye aa
aa phir se mujhe chhod ke jaane ke liye aa..
(Ranjish=enmity)

Pahale se maraasim na sahii phir bhi kabhi tou
rasm-o-rahe duniya hi nibhane ke liye aa..
(maraasim=relationship,rasm-o-rahe=customs)

Kis kis ko batayenge judaai ka sabab ham
tu mujhse khafaa hai tou zamaane ke liye aa ..
(sabab=reason)

kuch tou mere pindaar-e-mohabbat ka bharam rakh
tu bhi to kabhi mujh ko manaane ke liye aa..
(pindaar=pride)

ek umr se hoon lazzat-e-giriyaa se bhi maharuum
aye raahat-e-jaan mujh ko rulaane ke liye aa..
(lazzat-e-giriyaa=taste of tears, maharum=devoid)

ab tak dil-e-khushfeham ko tujh se hain ummiden
ye aakharii shammen bhi bujhaane ke liye aa
(khushfeham=optimistic,shamme=candles)