{"id":4470,"date":"2015-03-31T20:03:53","date_gmt":"2015-03-31T14:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swatisani.net\/blog\/?p=4470"},"modified":"2020-01-19T20:10:11","modified_gmt":"2020-01-19T14:40:11","slug":"aaj-baazar-mein-pabajaula-chalo-faiz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swatisani.net\/blog\/2015\/03\/31\/aaj-baazar-mein-pabajaula-chalo-faiz\/","title":{"rendered":"Aaj baazar mein pabajaula chalo – Faiz"},"content":{"rendered":"

Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Member of the Order of the British Empire, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Lenin Peace Prize awardee, was an influential left-wing intellectual, revolutionary poet, and one of the most regarded poets of the Urdu language, being considered four times for the Nobel Prize in poetry. (Source : Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/p>\n

He wrote ‘Aaj baazar mein pa ba jaulan chalo’ in 1959 when he was imprisoned under Ayub Khan’s martial law. He was taken to the Lahore fort’s torture cell passing through the streets of Lahore in a horse driven cart with his fetters on. Here’s the complete Nazm along with meanings.<\/p>\n

Aaj baazar mein paa-ba-jaulan chalo (paa-ba-jaulan – shackles on feet, like a prisoner)<\/small><\/i>
\nChashm-e-nam, jaan-e-shoreeda kaafi nahin (Chashm-e-nam-saltiness of tears, jaan-e-shoreeda – distressed soul )<\/small><\/i>
\nTohmat-e-ishq-e-posheeda baqi nahin (posheeda – hidden)<\/small><\/i>
\nAaj baazar mein paa-ba-jaulan chalo
\nDast-e-afshaan chalo, mast-o-raqsaan chalo (dast-e-afshaan – swinging hans, mast-o-raqsaan – dancing in trance)<\/small><\/i>
\nKhaak-bar-sar chalo, khoon-ba-damaan chalo (khaak bar sar – kicking the dust, khoon-ba-daman- blood on sleeves)<\/small><\/i>
\nRaah takta hai sab shahr-e-janaan chalo (shahar-e-jaana – beloved city)<\/small><\/i>
\nAaj baazar mein paa-ba-jaulan chalo
\nHaakim-e-shahar bhi, majma-e-aam bhi
\nTeer-e-ilzaam bhi, sang-e-dushnaam bhi (sang-e-dushnam – the stones on road)<\/small><\/i>
\nSubh-e-nashaad bhi, roz-e-nakaam bhi (roz-e-nakaam -unsucessful day)<\/small><\/i>
\nAaj baazar mein paa-ba-jaulan chalo
\nIn ka damsaaz apne siwa kaun hai (damsaaz – friend)<\/small><\/i>
\nShahr-e-jaanan mein ab ba-safa kaun hai (ba-safa – sincere)<\/small><\/i>
\nDast-e-qaatil ke shaayan raha kaun hai (dast – hand, shaayan – extending)<\/small><\/i>
\nRakht-e-dil baandh lo, dil figaaro chalo (dil figara – broken hearted)<\/small><\/i>
\nPhir hamin qatl ho aayen yaaro chalo.
\nAaj baazar mein paa-ba-jaulan chalo<\/p>\n

— Faiz Ahmed Faiz<\/p>\n

Here’s a rough translation of the Nazm<\/p>\n

Stride today in the bazaar despite shackled feet
\nSalty tears in eyes and a distressed soul is not enough
\nAccusations of a clandestine love are not enough
\nStride today in the bazaar despite shackled feet
\nSwing your arms, Stride merrily, feet dancing
\nhead and hair covered with dust, clothes stained with blood
\nCome, your beloved city is waiting for you
\nStride today in the bazaar despite shackled feet
\nRulers and common people (do if for the rulers and commoners of your beloved city)
\n(arrows of) slanders and (stones of) insult (so what if you get slanders and insult)
\ndepressing mornings, unsuccessful day (do it despite depressing mornings and unproductive day)
\nStride today in bazaar despite shackled feet
\nWho is there for them if not you?
\nwho in your beloved city can still be trusted?
\nwho is capable of murder?
\nstop the rhythm of the heart, walk broken hearted
\nlet us be murdered (martyrs), come my friend,
\nStride today in the bazaar despite shackled feet<\/p>\n

There was a movie called “In Custody” based on a novel by Anita Desai which used Faiz’s ghazals and Nazms. Here’s a video from the movie.<\/p>\n