ROZ EK SHER

ख़ुदी ख़ुद पर्दा है दीदार के लिये
वरना कोई नक़ाब नहीं यार के लिये

khudii khud pardaa hai diidaar ke liye
varnaa koii naqaab nahiin yaar ke liye

Pride is the impediment against seeing the beloved
Else, there is no veil for the lover

Sher contributed by Vijayalaxmi Modi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book of the day

B H A R A T I Y A   D A R S H A N
By Dr. Radhakrishnan
First published in 1922 as "Indian Philosophy"
Hindi translation by Dr. Nandakishor Gobhil
Set of 2 books
Hindi
2004      226 x 148 mm      1296 pages
Hardcover      Rs. 700

ROZ EK SHER

दिल भी तेरे ही ढंग सीखा है
आन में कुछ है, आन में कुछ है
-मीर दर्द

dil bhii tere hii dhang siikhaa hai
aan mein kucch hai, aan mein kucch hai
-Mir Dard

My heart has imbibed your style
It keeps changing from moment to moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book of the day
B H A R A T I Y A   D A R S H A N By Dr. Radhakrishnan
First published in 1922 as "Indian Philosophy"
Hindi translation by Dr. Nandakishor Gobhil
Set of 2 books
Hindi
2004      226 x 148 mm      1296 pages
Hardcover      Rs. 700

To read a brief review, please go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hindibooks/message/73

ROZ EK SHER

हम बन्द किया आँख तसव्वुर में पड़े हैं
ऐसे में कोई छ्म से आ जाये तो क्या हो
-रियाज़ ख़ैराबादी

hum band kiye aankh tasavvur mein pade hain
aise mein koii chham se aa jaaye to kyaa ho
-Riyaz Khairabadi

As I lie down, eyes closed, lost in fantasies
What would happen if someone steps into them?


NB The translation struggles to capture the delicacy of the wording of
the original. "Chham" is an onomatopoeic word, denoting the melodious
sound of the paayal, worn by Indian women. The phrase "Chham se"
denotes suddenness and unexpectedness. Read the original couplet and
appreciate the romantic imagery of the poet. Picture yourself
stretched out, eyes closed, lost in your dreams. Then, your beloved
enters the dream. What would happen? Riyaz Khairabadi is a poet after
my heart!

_____________

Book of the day

PLANT LIVES
Borderline Beings in Indian Traditions
By Ellison Banks Findly
2008     220 x 150 mm     617 pp + 17 colour plates on art paper
Hardcover     Rs. 1095

ROZ EK SHER

कहूँ किस से मैं कि क्या है, शबे-ग़म बुरी बला है
मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना, अगर एक बार होता
-ग़ालिब

kahuun kis se main ki kyaa hai, shabe gham burii balaa hai
mujhe kyaa buraa thaa marnaa, agar ek baar hotaa
-Ghalib

What can I say to anyone, the night of separation is terrible
I would not mind death, if I did not have to die over and over


________________

Book of the day

Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 23

JAINISM: AN ETERNAL PILGRIMAGE
By Bal Patil
Edited by Manish Modi and Tony Whittington
Mumbai: Hindi Granth Karyalay, 2008.
ISBN 978-81-88769-34-6     220 x 140 mm     102 pp
Deluxe Hardcover Edition     Rs. 300

ROZ EK SHER

ख़ुद को पढ़ता हूँ छोड़ देता हूँ
इक वरक़ रोज़ मोड़ देता हूँ
-ताहिर फ़राज़

khud ko padhtaa huun chhod detaa huun
ik waraq roz mod detaa huun
-Tahir Faraz

I read myself each day, and give it up
I turn a page each day
__________

Book of the day
DARASHUKOH (Hindi)
Novelised Biography of the Mughal prince Darashukoh
By Mevaram
First Edition  2008
220 x 145 mm     868 pp
Hardcover     Rs. 600

ROZ EK SHER

जो पुल बनायेंगे
--------------------

जो पुल बनायेंगे
वे अनिवार्यतः
पीछे रह जायेंगे ।

सेनाएँ हो जायेंगी पार
मारे जायेंगे रावण
जयी होंगे राम;
जो निर्माता रहे
इतिहास में
बन्दर कहलायेंगे
-अज्ञेय



ON BUILDING BRIDGES
-------------------------------------

Those who build bridges
Will inevitably
Be left behind.
The armies will cross over
The Ravanas will die in battle
The Ramas be acclaimed as victors:
The builders
Will be known to history
As monkeys.
-Ajneya


Original Hindi Poem and English translation by Satchidanand Hiranand
Vatsyayan 'Ajneya'
Contributed by Dr Rupert Snell

ROZ EK SHER

आपको मैंने निगाहों में बसा रखा है
आईना छोड़िये आईने में क्या रखा है
-हिना तैमूरी

aapko maine nigaahon mein basaa rakhaa hai
aaiinaa chhodiye aaiine mein kyaa rakhaa hai
-Hina Taimuri

I have ensconced you in my gaze
Forget the mirror, it has nothing

__________________

Book of the day

GHAZAL 2000
Dhuup January Ki, Phool December Ke
Amir Khsuro - Bashir Badr
Collection of Urdu Shers in Hindi
Compiled by Bashir Badr
2006     220 x 140 mm     144 pages
Paperback     Rs. 65

ROZ EK SHER

ख़ुदा की इतनी बड़ी कायनात में मैंने
बस एक शख़्स को चाहा मुझे वो ही ना मिला
-बशीर बद्र

khudaa kii itnii badii kaayanaat mein maine
bas ke shakhs ko chaahaa mujhe vo hii na milaa
-Bashir Badr

In this whole wide world, I loved
Only one person, but could not get her


_______________

Book of the day

THE ASSEMBLY OF LISTENERS
Jains in Society
Ed. by Michael Carrithers and Caroline Humphrey
1999     228 x 152 mm     344 pages
Hardcover     US $ 99

ROZ EK SHER

जनाज़ा रोककर मेरा वो किस अन्दाज़ से बोले
गली हमने कही थी तुम तो दुनिया छोड़े जाते हो
-सैफ़ी

janaazaa rokkar meraa vo kis andaaz se bole
galii hamne kahii thii tum to duniyaa chhode jaate ho
-Saifi

She stopped my funeral procession and exclaimed,
My streets I had asked you to leave, not this world!

____________________

Book of the day

BHARAT JÑANA KOSH
An Encyclopedia of India
Hindi
Set of 6 books
Ed. by Indu Ramchandani & Others
2002    255 x 180 mm    3000 pp (approx.)
Paperback    Rs. 3000 for the set

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~

ROZ EK SHER

मंज़र इक बलन्दी पर और हम बना सकते
अर्श से परे होता काश के मकान अपना
-ग़ालिब

manzar ik balandii par aur hum banaa sakte,
arsh se pare hotaa, kaash ke makaan apnaa.
-Ghalib

I could have created another vista on the heavens
Had my house been away from the sky

Sher contributed by Sushant Agarwal

____________

Book of the day

MRITYUNJAY (Hindi)
Landmark Marathi Novel based on Mahabharata's Karna
By Shivaji Savant
Hindi translation by Om Shivraj
First Edition 1974
Thirty-fifth Edition 2008
220 x 145 mm     700 pp
Hardcover     Rs. 425

ROZ EK SHER

त्यागाय श्रेयते वित्तमवित्तः संचिनोति यः
स्वशरीरं स पङ्केन स्नास्यामीति विलिंपति
-आचार्य पूज्यपाद

tyaagaaya shreyate vittamavittah sancinoti yah
svashariiram sa panken snaasyaamiiti vilimpati
-Acarya Pujyapada

He who hoards wealth in order to give it away
Is smearing his body with dirt before bathing

___________

Book of the day

ISHTOPADESHA
Sanskrit text + Hindi translation
By Acarya Pujyapada
Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 14
Hindi translation by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
Ed. by Manish Modi
Mumbai: Hindi Granth Karyalay, 2007
215 x 140 mm     24 pp
978-81-88769-23-0    Paperback      Rs. 20

ROZ EK SHER

ये कहकर सितमगर ने ज़ुल्फ़ों को झटका
बहुत दिन से दुनिया परीशां नहीं है
-साहिल

ye kahkar sitamgar ne zulfon ko jhatkaa
bahut din se duniyaa pariishaan nahiin hai
-Sahil

The beloved scattered her tresses saying
The world has been calm for too many days

____________

Book of the day

GULHA-E-PARIISHAAN
A Bouquet of 4000 Urdu Shers
Ed. by Khurshid Nabi Abbasi
2005     220 x 140 mm     459 pp
Hardcover     Rs. 250

ROZ EK SHER

किसी की राह में दहलीज़ पर दिये ना रखो
किवाड़ सूखी हुई लकड़ियों के होते हैं
-बशीर बद्र्

kisii kii raah me dahliiz par diye naa rakho
kivaad suukhii huii lakdiyon ke hote hain
-Bashir Badr

Don't put a lamp on your doorstep, lighting the path for someone
For doors are made of dry wood


___________

Book of the day

MAXIMUM CITY: BOMBAY LOST AND FOUND
By Suketu Mehta
English
2006     195 x 125 mm     585 pp
Paperback     Rs. 399

 

ROZ EK SHER

मैंने बातों में उलझाये रक्खा है बच्चे को अभी
काश जल्दी से गुज़र जाये खिलौने वाला
-शाकिर

maine baaton mein uljhaaye rakkhaa hai bacche ko abhii
kaash jaldii se guzar jaaye khilaune vaalaa
-Shakir

I have distracted my child for the moment
I hope the toy seller goes away  quickly

Sher contributed by Zaidi

___________

Book of the day

MAHANAGAR: BAMBAI KI TALASH
By Suketu Mehta
Hindi translation of the English original "Maximum City: Bombay Lost
and Found"
Hindi translation by Yogendra Kumar
2006     210 x 140 mm     666 pp
Paperback     Rs. 300