Sher on Tanhai

yādoñ kā ik hujūm thā tanhā nahīñ thī merī zaat

ḳhud-kalāmī meñ huī tamām shab unhīñ se baat

yaadon ka ek hujum tha tanha nahin thi meri zat

KHud-kalami mein hui tamam shab unhin se baat

bhiiḌ tanhā.iyoñ kā melā hai

aadmī aadmī akelā hai

bhiD tanhaiyon ka mela hai

aadmi aadmi akela hai

tanhā.ī kī dulhan apnī maañg sajā.e baiThī hai

vīrānī ābād huī hai ujḌe hue daraḳhtoñ meñ

tanhai ki dulhan apni mang sajae baiThi hai

virani aabaad hui hai ujDe hue daraKHton mein

shahr meñ kis se suḳhan rakhiye kidhar ko chaliye

itnī tanhā.ī to ghar meñ bhī hai ghar ko chaliye

shahr mein kis se suKHan rakhiye kidhar ko chaliye

itni tanhai to ghar mein bhi hai ghar ko chaliye

kaav kāv-e-saḳht-jānī hā.e-tanhā.ī na pūchh

sub.h karnā shaam kā laanā hai jū-e-shīr kā

kaw kaw-e-saKHt-jaani hae-tanhai na puchh

subh karna sham ka lana hai ju-e-shir ka

ye kis maqām pe laa.ī hai merī tanhā.ī

ki mujh se aaj koī bad-gumāñ nahīñ hotā

ye kis maqam pe lai hai meri tanhai

ki mujh se aaj koi bad-guman nahin hota

kisī hālat meñ bhī tanhā nahīñ hone detī

hai yahī ek ḳharābī mirī tanhā.ī kī

kisi haalat mein bhi tanha nahin hone deti

hai yahi ek KHarabi meri tanhai ki

maiñ kis se kartā yahāñ guftugū koī bhī na thā

nahīñ thā mere muqābil jo tū koī bhī na thā

main kis se karta yahan guftugu koi bhi na tha

nahin tha mere muqabil jo tu koi bhi na tha

saarī duniyā hameñ pahchāntī hai

koī ham sā bhī na tanhā hogā

sari duniya hamein pahchanti hai

koi hum sa bhi na tanha hoga

kitne chehre kitnī shakleñ phir bhī tanhā.ī vahī

kaun le aayā mujhe in ā.īnoñ ke darmiyāñ

kitne chehre kitni shaklen phir bhi tanhai wahi

kaun le aaya mujhe in aainon ke darmiyan

go mujhe ehsās-e-tanhā.ī rahā shiddat ke saath

kaaT dī aadhī sadī ek ajnabī aurat ke saath

go mujhe ehsas-e-tanhai raha shiddat ke sath

kaT di aadhi sadi ek ajnabi aurat ke sath

koī kyā jaane ki hai roz-e-qayāmat kyā chiiz

dūsrā naam hai merī shab-e-tanhā.ī kā

koi kya jaane ki hai roz-e-qayamat kya chiz

dusra nam hai meri shab-e-tanhai ka

zindagī yuuñ huī basar tanhā

qāfila saath aur safar tanhā

zindagi yun hui basar tanha

qafila sath aur safar tanha

kamre meñ maze kī raushnī ho

achchhī sī koī kitāb dekhūñ

kamre mein maze ki raushni ho

achchhi si koi kitab dekhun

dil dabā jaatā hai kitnā aaj ġham ke baar se

kaisī tanhā.ī Tapaktī hai dar o dīvār se

dil daba jata hai kitna aaj gham ke bar se

kaisi tanhai Tapakti hai dar o diwar se

ḳhvāb kī tarah bikhar jaane ko jī chāhtā hai

aisī tanhā.ī ki mar jaane ko jī chāhtā hai

KHwab ki tarah bikhar jaane ko ji chahta hai

aisi tanhai ki mar jaane ko ji chahta hai

panchhī saare peḌ se uḌ jā.eñge

sahn meñ ik ḳhāmushī rah jā.egī

panchhi sare peD se uD jaenge

sahn mein ek KHamushi rah jaegi

is bulandī pe bahut tanhā huuñ

kaash maiñ sab ke barābar hotā

is bulandi pe bahut tanha hun

kash main sab ke barabar hota

ab is ghar kī ābādī mehmānoñ par hai

koī aa jaa.e to vaqt guzar jaatā hai

ab is ghar ki aabaadi mehmanon par hai

koi aa jae to waqt guzar jata hai

kis qadar bad-nāmiyāñ haiñ mere saath

kyā batā.ūñ kis qadar tanhā huuñ maiñ

kis qadar bad-namiyan hain mere sath

kya bataun kis qadar tanha hun main

sar-bulandī mirī tanhā.ī tak aa pahuñchī hai

maiñ vahāñ huuñ ki jahāñ koī nahīñ mere sivā

sar-bulandi meri tanhai tak aa pahunchi hai

main wahan hun ki jahan koi nahin mere siwa

udāsiyāñ haiñ jo din meñ to shab meñ tanhā.ī

basā ke dekh liyā shahr-e-ārzū maiñ ne

udasiyan hain jo din mein to shab mein tanhai

basa ke dekh liya shahr-e-arzu main ne

yādoñ ke shabistān meñ baiThā huā saa.il

tanhā jo nazar aatā hai tanhā nahīñ hotā

yaadon ke shabistan mein baiTha hua sail

tanha jo nazar aata hai tanha nahin hota

maiñ to tanhā thā magar tujh ko bhī tanhā dekhā

apnī tasvīr ke pīchhe tirā chehrā dekhā

main to tanha tha magar tujh ko bhi tanha dekha

apni taswir ke pichhe tera chehra dekha

mujhe tanhā.ī kī aadat hai merī baat chhoḌeñ

ye liije aap kā ghar aa gayā hai haat chhoḌeñ

mujhe tanhai ki aadat hai meri baat chhoDen

ye lije aap ka ghar aa gaya hai hat chhoDen

ab to un kī yaad bhī aatī nahīñ

kitnī tanhā ho ga.iiñ tanhā.iyāñ

ab to un ki yaad bhi aati nahin

kitni tanha ho gain tanhaiyan

maiñ apne saath rahtā huuñ hamesha

akelā huuñ magar tanhā nahīñ huuñ

main apne sath rahta hun hamesha

akela hun magar tanha nahin hun

bhiiḌ ke ḳhauf se phir ghar kī taraf lauT aayā

ghar se jab shahr meñ tanhā.ī ke Dar se niklā

bhiD ke KHauf se phir ghar ki taraf lauT aaya

ghar se jab shahr mein tanhai ke Dar se nikla

pukārā jab mujhe tanhā.ī ne to yaad aayā

ki apne saath bahut muḳhtasar rahā huuñ maiñ

pukara jab mujhe tanhai ne to yaad aaya

ki apne sath bahut muKHtasar raha hun main

musāfir hī musāfir har taraf haiñ

magar har shaḳhs tanhā jā rahā hai

musafir hi musafir har taraf hain

magar har shaKHs tanha ja raha hai

dekh kabhī aa kar ye lā-mahdūd fazā

tū bhī merī tanhā.ī meñ shāmil ho

dekh kabhi aa kar ye la-mahdud faza

tu bhi meri tanhai mein shamil ho

yādoñ kī mahfil meñ kho kar

dil apnā tanhā tanhā hai

yaadon ki mahfil mein kho kar

dil apna tanha tanha hai

ḳhamoshī ke haiñ āñgan aur sannāTe kī dīvāreñ

ye kaise log haiñ jin ko gharoñ se Dar nahīñ lagtā

KHamoshi ke hain aangan aur sannaTe ki diwaren

ye kaise log hain jin ko gharon se Dar nahin lagta

zarā der baiThe the tanhā.ī meñ

tirī yaad āñkheñ dukhāne lagī

zara der baiThe the tanhai mein

teri yaad aankhen dukhane lagi

dariyā kī vus.atoñ se use nāpte nahīñ

tanhā.ī kitnī gahrī hai ik jaam bhar ke dekh

dariya ki wusaton se use napte nahin

tanhai kitni gahri hai ek jam bhar ke dekh

jam.a kartī hai mujhe raat bahut mushkil se

sub.h ko ghar se nikalte hī bikharne ke liye

jama karti hai mujhe raat bahut mushkil se

subh ko ghar se nikalte hi bikharne ke liye

yuuñ raat ga.e kis ko sadā dete haiñ aksar

vo kaun hamārā thā jo vāpas nahīñ aaya

yun raat gae kis ko sada dete hain aksar

wo kaun hamara tha jo wapas nahin aaya

havā kī Dor meñ TuuTe hue taare pirotī hai

ye tanhā.ī ajab laḌkī hai sannāTe meñ rotī hai

hawa ki Dor mein TuTe hue tare piroti hai

ye tanhai ajab laDki hai sannaTe mein roti hai

maiñ sote sote ka.ī baar chauñk chauñk paḌā

tamām raat tire pahluoñ se aañch aa.ī

main sote sote kai bar chaunk chaunk paDa

tamam raat tere pahluon se aanch aai

makāñ hai qabr jise log ḳhud banāte haiñ

maiñ apne ghar meñ huuñ yā maiñ kisī mazār meñ huuñ

makan hai qabr jise log KHud banate hain

main apne ghar mein hun ya main kisi mazar mein hun

merā karb mirī tanhā.ī kī zīnat

maiñ chehroñ ke jañgal kā sannāTā huuñ

mera karb meri tanhai ki zinat

main chehron ke jangal ka sannaTa hun

simaTtī phailtī tanhā.ī sote jāgte dard

vo apne aur mire darmiyān chhoḌ gayā

simaTti phailti tanhai sote jagte dard

wo apne aur mere darmiyan chhoD gaya

tū mere saath nahīñ hai to sochtā huuñ maiñ

ki ab to tujh se bichhaḌne kā koī Dar bhī nahīñ

tu mere sath nahin hai to sochta hun main

ki ab to tujh se bichhaDne ka koi Dar bhi nahin

shahr kī bhiiḌ meñ shāmil hai akelā-pan bhī

aaj har zehn hai tanhā.ī kā maarā dekho

shahr ki bhiD mein shamil hai akela-pan bhi

aaj har zehn hai tanhai ka mara dekho

ham anjuman meñ sab kī taraf dekhte rahe

apnī tarah se koī akelā nahīñ milā

hum anjuman mein sab ki taraf dekhte rahe

apni tarah se koi akela nahin mila

apne saa.e se chauñk jaate haiñ

umr guzrī hai is qadar tanhā

apne sae se chaunk jate hain

umr guzri hai is qadar tanha

ye sard raat ye āvārgī ye niiñd kā bojh

ham apne shahr meñ hote to ghar ga.e hote

ye sard raat ye aawargi ye nind ka bojh

hum apne shahr mein hote to ghar gae hote

ik aag ġham-e-tanhā.ī kī jo saare badan meñ phail ga.ī

jab jism hī saarā jaltā ho phir dāman-e-dil ko bachā.eñ kyā

ek aag gham-e-tanhai ki jo sare badan mein phail gai

jab jism hi sara jalta ho phir daman-e-dil ko bachaen kya

tirī yādoñ se mahkā hai merī tanhā.ī kā aalam

qayāmat tak inhīñ tanhā.iyāñ meñ Dūbnā chāhūñ

teri yaadon se mahka hai meri tanhai ka aalam

qayamat tak inhin tanhaiyan mein Dubna chahun

zamīñ ābād hotī jā rahī hai

kahāñ jā.egī tanhā.ī hamārī

zamin aabaad hoti ja rahi hai

kahan jaegi tanhai hamari