Writing 101,Day 15: Take a cue from your readers, my favorite song, posted and translated by Ranu

Assignment: Choose one from the list.

Do you have an all-time favorite song? Why is it significant?

The following is my favorite song, its meaning is very deep, the poet himself writes about his suffering.

My heart cannot rest in this ravaged land,

No one feels fulfilled in this pointless world.

The nightingale does not complain ,

about the guard or the hunter.

I was destined to be imprisoned ,

during Spring harvest.

Tell my yearnings to go somewhere else,

There is no room in my tarnished heart for them.

The Nightingale feels great joy ,

sitting on a branch of flowers.

While my heart is strewn with thorns.

I prayed for a long life,

I was only decreed four days.

I spent two days longing,

and two waiting.

My days are over now,

and evening has fallen.

I intend to sleep with outstretched

legs, in my tomb.

How wretched am I !

I couldn’t even get two yards,

for burial in my beloved land!

The lyrics of the above song was written  by Bahadur Shah Zafar in prison, before he died.

………………………………..:)

 

 

Ghazal by Runa Laila: Baat karni mujhe mushkil posted and translated by Ranu

This is my favorite song. I’m posting it again for my day fifteen assignment.November 20, 2015

I never had this much trouble speaking like I have now

Just like your gathering is not the same as before

Who took away your patience and serenity today

You were never this restless dear heart

God knows how those eyes hypnotized me

I was never this docile before

Bewitching eyes  were always my enemy but

Never was I a victim to those eyes as I am now

Just as  your gathering now is  not the same as before

The singer of this ghazal is Runa Laila from Bangladesh, the lyrics  is by Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor of India.

Many thanks to Khurram Shafique for reading  my translation, and  his advice to make some changes.

For writing 101 assignment, day 15

………………………..:)

 

 

 

 

365 Writing Prompts: Fly on the wall

If you could be a “fly on the wall” anywhere at any time in history, where and when would you choose?

“Fly on the wall”, I would love to be at the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor in India.

Bahadur Shah Zafar  was the last of the mughal Emperors. He was an emperor at a time when the condition of the country was at its lowest ebb. His last days in his beloved land was difficult. He was accused of killing European women and children.There were charges laid against him which it was claimed would last till the world lasted.

He was frail and gaunt when he was threatened he’d be killed if he tried to escape. The Mughal emperor came out from the resting place of his ancestor after a long wait, one of unimaginable tragedy, hardship and humiliation.

I would like to be a fly on the wall when Bahadur Shah Zafar came to court at 11 am with his lawyer. How he tried to explain by hand gestures and his voice to impress the court of his innocence. It didn’t work, he was exiled to Rangoon now known as Myanmar.

He was a poet and spent his time writing poetry. One of the ones I liked was the one he wrote while he was in exile the following is the English translation  from Urdu:

I had requested for a long life, a life of four days, two passed by in pining, and two in waiting.

How unlucky is Zafar ! he couldn’t get two yards of land in his beloved land.

My life has no ray nof light , I bring no solace to heart or eye, out of dust again, I am of no use to anyone.

I came to the world what did I see ? whatever it was it was like a dream. Man is moulded from clay but I saw him as a bubble of water!

Here is the song posted by me, Ranu.

 

NaBloPoMo An Urdu Song Ranu’s post https://sabethville.wordpress.com

The last Mughul Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This ghazal was written by Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was the last mughal emperor of India. He was a devout Sufi and also an Urdu poet.This ghazal(or poem) was his best.

My heart cannot rest in this destroyed land.

Who can be satisfied in this useless world.

The nightingale does not complain

about the guard or the hunter.

Fate has decided imprisonment

during Spring harvest.

Tell these desires to find

some other home.

There is no room for them

in this dishonored heart.

The nightingale is delighted

sitting on the branch of flowers.

While thorns are strewn

in my heart’s garden.

I wanted  a long life

all I got was four days.

Two I spent wishing  and two waiting.

My days are over

evening is here.

I shall sleep with

outstretched legs in my tomb.

Referring to himself he says,

How unlucky is Zafar!

For his burial,

He could not  even have two yards of

land in his beloved country!

He was exiled to Rangoon(Myanmar where he breathed his last)!

Translated by Ranu