Chand umeedein chand fasaane

Avid readers of Urdu poetry would definitely find shades of Firakh Gorakhpuri in this piece (specially in the last couplet). The title is borrowed from Mehndi Hassan's famous ghazal - bhooli beesri chand umeedein, chand fasaane yaad aaye.

Bewafa jo hue tum to koi shikwa bhi nahi
Mit gayi ho ranjishein saari kuch aisa bhi nahi,

Dard to hai dil mein ki tum chodh gaye mujhko
Rok loon tere qadmon ko, dard itna bhi nahi,

Ab tammanna bhi nahi, na koi khwaeish hi rahi
Shab-e-firaaq magar shaam-e-besahar ho, aisa bhi nahi,

Chand umeedein, chand fasaane, sab adhoore hi rahe
Niyat-e-mohabbat to paak thi, aadmi wo magar achcha bhi nahi.

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When nationalism tried to ‘reform’ Indian sadhus

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