Carnatic (South Indian) Music

-by Justice Markandey Katju

Due to the influence of Justice Chalameshwar, presently a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court ( who is like a younger brother to me), I have developed some interest in South Indian (Carnatic) music. Justice Chalameshwar loves to hear, and indeed himself sings beautifully, Carnatic music.

I had no idea of Carnatic music before I met Justice Chalameshwar, who is from Andhra Pradesh. I had developed an interest in North Indian (Hindustani) music, and in fact attended the Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad for about two years when I was a student in Allahabad University. So I have some idea of Hindustani music.

At Justice Chalameshwar's house in Delhi I heard ( on his ipad) Jesudas singing a Carnatic music song in raag hindola ( which is called raag malkosh or malkauns in Hindustani music). I was simply enthralled by the music. Then I heard M.S. Subbalakshmi, Balmuralikrishna, Malladi brothers etc and was equally captivated. It was a new world for me, and now I am daily hearing Carnatic music on my ipad, which Justice Chalameshwar has kindly uploaded for me.

Carnatic music songs are composed largely in Telugu or Sanskrit, and very little in other south Indian languages. They are mostly devotional, sung in praise of some deity like Lord Shiva, Ganapati, etc The father of Carnatic music is regarded Purandar Das ( 1480-1564), but the Trinity of Carnatic Music are regarded three eminent composers and singers, Thyagaraja ( 1759-1847), Muthuswami Dikshitar ( 1776-1827), and Shyama Shastri ( 1762-1827).

In recent times M.S. Subbalakshmi ( 1916-2004), Balmuralikrishna, Malladi brothers, Jesudas, etc are great names in Carnatic music M.S. Subbalakshmi performed in the United Nations in 1966, and got a standing ovation after her performance. She also was awarded the Bharat Ratna.

A week long annual Carnatic music festival on the date of Thyagaraja's death (in January or February) is held in Thiruvaiyur, Thyagaraja's native place (near Tanjore). Many top Carnatic musuc exponents, and thousands of music lovers attend it. Thyagaraja's five important compositions are always sung in the festival.

The Madras Music academy in Chennai has played an important role as a world centre of Carnatic music.

Since I have just started learning something about Carnatic music my knowledge is not deep, and so I may be forgiven by people who know more of Carnatic music if I have made some mistake, or left out some vital features.

'Honour killing'

In Pakistan recently a newly wedded couple, Muafia and Sajjad Ahmed, were tortured and then beheaded by the girl's father and other family members for marrying against the wishes of the girl's parents. A family member of Muafia told her that her parents had forgiven her,and in this way the couple were lured back to her parents house, but it was a trap. The couple were then tied up, tortured, and decapitated.

In India, too,in Western U.P., Haryana, etc many young couples are brutally murdered for marrying against the wishes of the parents. This 'honour killing' is a barbaric, heartless, cold blooded and savage feudal practice which must be put down with an iron hand by the authorities. 

A bench of the Supreme Court consisting of myself and Justice Gyansudha Mishra held in Arumugam Servai vs. State of Tamilnadu (2011) that in such cases of 'honour killing' death sentence is mandatory, as it comes within the category of 'rarest of rare' cases. It was also held in that decision that 

1) If the District Magistrate and S.S.P./S.P. and other officials of the district where the crime was committed were aware that the crime was about to take place and did not prevent it they should be immediately suspended and chargesheeted, and

(2) If they came to know about the crime after it was committed and did not take effective steps to apprehend the culprits, criminal proceedings should be launched against them treating them as accomplices.

If the parents disapprove of their son's or daughter's marriage with someone the maximum they can do is to cut off social relations with the son/daughter. But they cannot threaten, beat, confine or kill him/her vide Lata Singh vs. State of U.P.(2006). If they do so they should be given harsh punishment

Anekantavad of Jainism

Although there are many Jainis in India, most people, including many Jainis, do not know about the philosophy of Jainism.

I was a student of philosophy in the Allahabad University, and was deeply impressed by the Jain philosophy. In a country of such diversity as India, Jainism is very relevant, as it promotes tolerance and secularism, which is absolutely essential if our country is to progress.

The cornerstone of Jain philosophy is the concept of Anekantavad. This is defined as 'non-absoluteness', or 'non-onesidedness', or 'many-foldedness'.

The Jain scriptures often explain this concept by the parable of the blind men and the elephant. Four blind men came to an elephant. The first felt the legs of the elephant and said that an elephant is like a pillar. The second felt its trunk, and said that an elephant is like a drainpipe. The third felt its ear, and said that an elephant is like a fan. The fourth felt its back, and said that an elephant is like a throne.
None of them got to know the whole truth as they knew only one aspect of it.

Jain philosophy is thus against dogmatism. It believes that reality is complex and multi-faceted.
Anekantavad does not mean compromising or diluting one's own beliefs,principles or values. It allows us to understand and be tolerant of conflicting and opposing views, while respectfully maintaining the validity of one's own views. Anekantavad encourages its adherents to consider the views and beliefs of their rivals and opposing parties. 

Anekantavad also does not mean conceding that all arguments and views are true, but rather that logic and evidence determine which views are true, and as to which aspect, and to what extent. For this, Anekantavad relies on 'samayakva' which means rationality and logic, and 'syadvada' which means 'perhaps' or 'may be', i.e. 'in some ways' or ' from a particular perspective'.

Democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of religion, tolerance, and secularism impliedly reflect the Jain philosophy of Anekantavad.

In the Holy Quran it is stated " Unto you be your religion, and unto me be mine".

The great Emperor Akbar had great respect for Jainism, and I have mentioned in some detail about his meetings and discussions with the Jain monks Hirvijaya Suri, Bhanuchandra Upadhyaya, and Vijaysen Suri in my judgment in Hinsa Virodhak Sangh vs. Mirzapur Moti Koreish Jamaat, from paragraph 51 onwards ( which can be seen online).

Science also adopts a non-absolutist approach in understanding nature. Thus, at one time it was believed that light travels as waves ( Huygens theory), but Max Planck demonstrated that it travels in discrete particles called 'quanta' or packets of energy ( which is why it is called the Quantum Theory). J.J. Thompson's plum pudding model of the atom was disproved by Rutherford's famous gold foil experiment which showed that electrons were not embedded on the surface of the atom, but were instead existing outside the nucleus and revolving around it (like planets orbiting the sun). Quantum mechanics demonstrated that electrons, protons, etc can be conceived of as both particles and waves ( because they undergo diffraction, interference and polarization, which are characteristics of waves).

Science is constantly developing, and hence no theory can be said to be absolutist or the last word on the topic. What was regarded true yesterday may be found untrue today. Ptolemy's theory (that our world was the centre of the Universe) was disproved by Copernicus' theory. Similarly, what is regarded true today may be found untrue by later scientific research. But whatever theory is advanced must be supported by logic and evidence ( which the Jain philosophy calls 'samyakva').

'Qaid-e-Azam' Jinnah

Jinnah is called 'Qaid-e-Azam', ( leader of the People) by Pakistanis, who regard him as a hero.
But what is the reality ?

It was Jinnah who relentlessly advocated the bogus two nation theory (that Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations) and the mischievous British policy of divide and rule which resulted in Partition of India in 1947 with all its horrors. (Please read Saadat Hasan Manto's stories about Partition in this connection).

It is estimated that as a result of Partition 5 lac Hindus and Muslims were killed and millions uprooted and driven out of their native places. Was he ever distressed by the terrible unhappiness which was caused as a direct result of his actions ? Not at all. All that he wanted was to satisfy his ambition to become Qaid-e-Azam and head of the fake, artificial country called Pakistan, which was the goal of the British whose loyal stooge he was, and the sole aim of creating which was to keep Hindus and Muslims fighting with each other.

Gandhiji was deeply distressed by the Partition riots, and he went to Noakhali and other places where Hindus and Muslims had been killed and tried to bring about peace. But did Jinnah ever do that ? Not at all. He remained comfortably throughout this holocaust in his home. Should such a man who caused such misery and grief to millions be respected ?

Some more verses from Muhajirnama of Munawwar Rana :

" Ajab deewanagi thi sonchiye to ranj hota hai
Ajab sehra-pasandi thi ki dariya chhod aaye hain

Wuzu karne ko jab bhi baithte hain yaad aata hai
Ki hum ujlat mein Jamuna ka kinaara chhod aaye hain

Utaar aaye murawwat aur rawaadari ka har chola
Jo ek sadhu ne pehnaayi thi mala chhod aaye hain

Hamesha jaagte rehna hi ab apna muqaddar hai
Hum apne ghar mein sab logon ko sota chhod aaye hain

Tayammum ke liye mitti bhala kis muh se hum dhoonde
Ki hum shaffaq Ganga ka kinaara chhod aaye hain

Aqeedat se kalai par jo ek bachhi ne baandhi thi
Woh raakhi chhod aaye hain woh rishta chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak baarishon mein bheegte hi yaad aata hai
Ki hum chappar ke neeche apna chaata chhod aaye hain

Woh jinse rishtedari to naheen thi, haan taalluq tha
Woh Laxmi chhod aaye hain woh Durga chhod aaye hain

To kya sadiyon ka rishta todne ka naam hijrat hai
Daro-deewar tak ko hakka-bakka chhod aaye hain

Pakaa kar rotiyaan rakhti thi maa jismen saleeqe se
Nikalte waqt woh roti ki daliya chhod aaye hain

Yahaan aate hue har qeemati saaman le aaye
Magar Iqbal ka likkha taraana chhod aaye hain

Yahaan to deendari ka chalan had se ziada hai
Wahaan sachmuch ka ek Allah wala chhod aaye hain

Ghiza kitni hi achhi ho hamein achhi naheen lagti
Hum apni maa ke haathon mein nivaala chhod aaye hain

Na jaane bakriyaan baandheen kisi ne ya naheen baandhi
Hum apni gaay ko kheton mein charta chhod aaye hain

Woh injun ke dhuen se ped ka utaraa hua chehraa
Woh dibbe se lipat kar sabko rota chhod aaye hain

Hamein bichde hue baasath baras hone ko aa pahunche
Magar lagta hai jaise zakhm-e-tazaa chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak rang saare yaad hain apni patangon ke
Jinhen hum ped ki shaakhon mein uljha chhod aaye hain

Hamara paaltu kutta hamein pahunchaane aaya tha
Woh baitha ro raha tha usko rota chhod aaye hain

Tu itni berukhi se chand humse baat karta hai
Hum apni jheel mein ek chand utara chhod aaye hain

Yeh humne kiske kahne par bahaeen khoon ki nadiyaan
Yeh hum ek doosre ko kyon akela chhod aaye hain ?

Shahaadat humne miljul kar watan ke waaste di thi
Phir aakhir kis liye Jalianwala bagh chhod aaye hain ?

Udhar ka koi mil jaaye idhar to hum yahi poonchen
Hum aankhen chhod aaye hain ki chashma chhod aaye hain

Yakeen aata naheen, lagta hai kachhi neend mein shaayad 
Hum apna ghar, gali, apna muhalla chhod aaye hain

Hamari maa hamare waaste meley se laayi thi
Hum aate waqt mitti ka woh pyaala chhod aaye hain

Hamein shatranj ke is khel mein kitni mahaarath thi
To phir pitne ke khaatir kyon piyaada chhod aaye hain ?

Ghazal mein naadirakaari badi mushkil se aati hai
Jahaan aasan tha yeh fun woh qasba chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak aake saawan har baras humko bataata hai
Ki hum ek neem ki shaakhon mein jhoola chhod aaye hain

Watan ka is tarah takseem ho jaana qayaamat hai
Kisi se kya gila jab khud thikaana chhod aaye hain

Na kuch khaane ko ji chaahe na kuch peene ko ji chaahe
Hum apne hum-niwaala hum-piyaala chhod aaye hain

Safar se qabl humko istkhaara dekh lena tha
Bina dekhe hue hum shahar apna chhod aaye hain

Jahaan ke aalimon se saari duniya dars leti hai
Woh takiya chhod aaye hain woh Nadwa chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak ilm-o-hikmat ka jahaan se faiz jaari hai
Bareilly mein hum aisa ek rauza chhod aaye hain

Woh pagdandi jo seedhe ghar se station ko jaati thi
Usi par apne bachpan ka zamaana chhod aaye hain

Bayan ka ghonsla, maina ki boli, kook koyal ki
Jahaan yeh saaz the saare woh bagiya chhod aaye hain

Gale milti theen aapas mein jahaan par mukhtalif qaumen
Wahaan ka kisliye hum aab-o-daana chhod aaye hain ?

Dussehre mein jahaan har saal Ravan jalaate the
Usi teele pe jalne ko qabeela chhod aaye hain

Humeen Ghalib se nadim hain humeen Tulsi se sharminda
Humeen ne Mir ko chhoda Meera chhod aaye hain

Bahut mumkin hai dozakh bhi hiqaarat se hamein dekhe
Ki hum veeran karke ghar khuda ka chhod aaye hain

Woh gosha jo ibaadat ke liye makhsoos tha ghar mein
Waheen tasbeeh chooti hai musalla chhod aaye hain

Gali ne paaon pakde raaste ne rokna chaaha
Magar dete hue hum sabko jhatka chhod aaye hain

Himalay sar uthaye aaj tak aawaz deta hai
Use lagta hai jaise saath uska chhod aaye hain

Na jaane kaisi aandhi thi ki sab kuch udh gaya usme
Hum apni raah takta Gurudwaara chhod aaye hain

Woh Azamgarh woh Shibli ka watan bhi chut gaya aakhir
Woh ilm-o-deen ka hum roshan idaara chhod aaye hain

Yahaan hum paan kab khaate hain bas patte chabaate hain
Wahaan paanon ka hum gadde ka gadda chhod aaye hain

Woh shahar-e-Lucknow jis par zamaana naaz karta tha
Hum uski guftagu uska saleeqa chhod aaye hain

Muharram ki sabeelen, majlisen aur aag par maatam
Na poocho Lucknow mein aur kya kya chhod aaye hain

Azeemabad ki aankhen abhi tak lal rahti hain
Hum un aakhon ko chalte waqt rota chhod aaye hain

Hamein Bhopal chhod aane ka itna gham naheen hota
Magar sab taal choote har talaiyya chhod aaye hain

Aligarh mein jo beete the woh qeemti din the
Numaishgaah mein yaadon ka mela chhod aaye hain

Aligarh ki woh daanish gaah aur woh chai ka hotel
Woh maktab chhod aaye hain thikaana chhod aaye hain

Hamein sooraj ki kiranein is liye takleef deti hain
Avadh ki shaam Kashi ka savera chhod aaye hain

Yahaan kisko bataayen kaun hai jo isko samjhega
Ki hum Sambhal ka tehzeebi ilaaqa chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak humko apne Malwa ki yaad aati hai
Jahaan ka Zaika choota hai poha chhod aaye hain

Yooheen Saawan barasta tha yooheen bijli chamakti thi
Isi mausam mein hum aamon ki bagiya chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak Gomti se koi pooche to bataati hai
Ghazal sunte the jis bajre par bajra chhod aaye hain

Kisi ke waaste Jaipur se jo leke aaye the
Woh chunri chhod aaye hain woh lehnga chhod aaye hain

Siyaasi saanp humko is tarah daste naheen lekin
Palaa tha hamare saath newla chhod aaye hain

Hamaari dosti rahti thi har mausam ke phoolon se
Hum apne ghar ke aangan ko mahakta chhod aaye hain

Woh roshandaan jisme faakhtaon ka basera tha
Banaakar hum usey saapon ka dera chhod aaye hain

Woh ek koh-e nida thi ghaliban jo kheench laayi thi
Yahaan pahunche to yaad aaya ki kunba chhod aaye hain

Hamein rota hua woh shakhs ab bhi yaad aata hai
Jise hum be-sabab aur be-iraada chhod aaye hain

Yahaan hum kis se roothen kaun aayega manaane ko
Manaa leta tha jo humko woh apna chhod aaye hain

Chale to aayen hain khwaaja ki basti chodkar lekin
Hum us chaukhat pe sar rakkha ka rakkha chhod aaye hain

Bahut se khwaab ab bhi khemaazan hain khushk aankhon mein
Bahut si loriyaan ko aabdeeda chhod aaye hain

Baraabar ke sharakatdaar the hum saare Bharat ke
Hamein kya ho gaya tha kyon yeh saajha chhod aaye hain

Woh ek shayar jo munsif bhi tha Urdu ka mujahid bhi
Barhaman hoke kahlaata tha Mulla chhod aaye hain

Kadak lehze ki aadat ab yeh majboori hamari hai
Yahaan aate hue boli purabiya chhod aaye hain

Hamein tum khoon de do hum tumhe de denge aazadi
Hum Hindustan mein aisa bhi neta chhod aaye hain

Gale mein haath daale ghoomte the mukhtalif mazhab
Woh Kashi chhod aaye hain woh Mathura chhod aaye hain

Lipatna chahti thi ghaliban khaak-e-watan hum se
Magar kar ke usey bhi gharq-e-dariya chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak laut jaane ki tamanna sar uthaati hai
Ki hum Jayas, Nasirabad, Takiya chhod aaye hain

Ab apni jaldbaazi pe bahut apsos hota hai
ki ek kholi ki khaatir Rajwaara chhod aaye hain

Hamare baagh mein jangal-jalebi khoob phalti thi
Hum uske ped par apne ko latka chhod aaye hain

Classici ghazal jis jagah tauqeer pai thi
Jigar ka shahar yaani shahar-e-Gonda chhod aaye hain

Hamare chahne walon mein aksar zikr hota hai
Munawwar naam ka deewana ek tha chhod aaye hain

Abhi tak hain wahaan par aisi Urdu bolne waale
Jinhe suniye to lagta hai saheefa chhod aaye hain

The Plight of Muhajirs

My friend Mr. S.M.A. Kazmi, former Advocate General of U.P. has his sasural in Karachi. He was once returning on the Karachi to Delhi PIA flight when the air hostess came to him and said that the pilot wanted to meet him in the cockpit. 

He was a bit surprised, but nevertheless he went with her to the cockpit. There the pilot and co-pilot welcomed him and offered him some coffee and snacks. They then told him that they were Muhajirs, and wanted to migrate to India, as they were not happy in Pakistan. They had seen from his passport that he was an advocate of Allahabad High Court, and wanted to know the legal formalities enabling them to migrate from Pakistan to India.

Now the interesting thing is that in fact both these young men were born in Pakistan and had lived all their lives in Pakistan. It was their parents who had migrated after Partition in 1947. Yet they were not happy in Pakistan, as muhajirs are often still treated as outsiders in Pakistan.

Many Muslims had migrated from India to Pakistan in 1947 thinking that Muslims could only feel at home in an Islamic state, but later regretted their decision. However , having given up their Indian nationality and acquired Pakistani nationality it was impossible to come back. A few could get a short time (one month or so) visa to India, and that too with many restrictions, e.g. that the visa was restricted to visiting a particular city in India only, that one had to report to the nearest police station once a week, etc

Many old Muslims (for the muhajirs who migrated had become old) came to India and lived with their relatives in Delhi, Lucknow, Allahabad, Kanpur, Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, etc. When they had to leave they wept bitterly.

The plight of the muhajirs living in Pakistan has been poignantly depicted in the long poem 'Muhajirnama' written by the eminent Urdu poet of India, Munawwar Rana. I am quoting a few couplets (shers) from the poem:

"Muhajir hain magar hum ek duniya chhod aaye hain
Tumhare paas jitna hai utna hum chhod aaye hain

Kai aankhen abhi tak yeh shikayat karti rehti hain
Ki hum behte hue kaajal ka dariya chhod aaye hain

Kahani ka yeh hissa aaj tak sab se chupaya hai
Ki hum mittee ke khatir apna sona chhod aaye hain

Bahut mumkin tha hum ek din yooheen wapas chale jaate
Magar hum neend ke alam mein chalna chhod aaye hain

Wahaan Baba Farid Aaj tak khushboo lutate hain
To kyon Darbar Saheb ko akela chhod aaye hain ?

Yahaan sab kuch mayassar hai yahaan har cheez haasil hai
Sabhi kuch hai magar Punjab aadha chhod aaye hain

Woh mandir ho ki masjid ho ki girja ho ki gurdwara
Jahaan sab saath rehte the woh duniya chhod aaye hain

Kiraye ka yeh kamra yeh ghuzarti zindagi apni
Wahan itna bada naukar ka kamra chhod aaye hain

Mazaa aata tha Urdu ka jahaan ki bhojpuri mein
Woh Chhapra chhod aaye hain woh Ballia chhod aaye hain

Yeh batwaara nahin tha yeh to naasamjhi hamari thi
Dhundal ke liye ghar ka ujaala chhod aaye hain

Baha lai hame hijrat ki aandhi ajnabi ghar mein
Jahaan paida hue the woh thikaana chhod aaye hain

Woh Amroha jahaan par ilm ke chashme ubalte the
Usey bhi hum banakar ek naala chhod aaye hain

Yeh woh qasbe hain jinme aaj tak tehzeeb palti hai
Rudauli, Barabanki, Naanpara chhod aaye hain

Kisi bhi haal mein apne watan ko chhod mat dena
Hamaara haal dekho ghar hum apna chhod aaye hain

Moharram mein hamara Lucknow Iran lagta tha
Madad maula Husainabad rotaa chhod aaye hain

Kahaa karti thi bachpan mein ki hum se dur mat jaana
Magar hum apni ammi ko akela chhod aaye hain

Yahaan to khushbuon ka jhonka tak nahin aata
Wahan hum ek Alam ko mahakta chhod aaye hain

Riyaya the to phir Hakim ka kehna kyon nahin maana ? 
Hakim the to kyon riyaya chhod aaye hain ?

Nai naslen sunengi to yakeen unko na aayega
Ki hum kaisi zameenen aur zamaana chhod aaye hain

Yeh poonchon kitni qabren chhod aaye hain buzurgon ki
Yeh mat poocho zameenen kitni beegha chhod aayen hain

Siyasat ke bune ek jaal mein hum phans gaye aakhir
Muhabbat se banaaya ghar ka naqsha chhod aaye hain

Bataa ai zindagi ab aur kitna saath dena hai
Ki saansen chal raheen hain aur jeena chhod aaye hain

Kisi ke sar par hum ilzaam bhi to dhar naheen sakte
Hum apni zindagi mein khud khala sa chhod aaye hain

Chalo aisa karen mil jul ke rona seekh len hum sab
Ki hum mil jul ke hasna khilkhilaana chhod aaye hain

Koi aane lage to ek chutki khaak mangwa lena
Wahi jisko samajhkar gard-e-sehra chhod aaye hain

To kya takseem hi buniyaad-e-Pakistan thehri thi ?
Hum ek tukde ke khatir mulk saara chhod aaye hain

Bichadte waqt ki woh siskiyaan woh phoot ke rona
Ki jaise machliyon ko hum tadapta chhod aaye hain

Woh hijrat thi ki mayyat thi tamaasha ban gaye the hum
Ghadi rukhsat ki aayi sab ko goonga chhod aaye hain

Nahin maloom tha jannat ki bhi takseem hoti hai
Magar Kashmir tujhko hum adhoora chhod aaye hain

Kai gorey abhi tak dur baithe has rahe honge
Ki do qaumon mein woh saahi ka kaanta chhod aaye hain

Bahut chup chup se rehte hain shikaayat bhi naheen karte
Ki ai khaak-e-watan hum saath tera chhod aaye hain

Gale milti hui nadiyaan gale milte hue mazhab
Allahabad ka kaisa nazaara chhod aaye hain

Kal ek amrood wale se kehna pad gaya humko
Jahaan se aaye hain is phal ki bagiya chhod aaye hain

Woh hairat mein hame takta rahaa kuch der, phir bola
Woh sangam ka ilaqa chut gaya, ki chhod aayen hain ?

Abhi hum sonch mein ghum the ki usse kya kaha jaaye
Hamare aansuon ne raaz uglaa chhod aaye hain

Karachi ka yeh halwa Bambai mein bhi to milta tha
To phir Bambai ko hum sisakta kyon chhod aaye hain ?

Avadh ko khwaab mein dekhen to aakhir kis tareh dekhen
Malihabad-Kakori-Sandila chhod aaye hain

Karachi tere khaatir Bambai bhi reh gayi peeche
Teri chaahat mein Poona aur Khandala chhod aaye hain

Gulabon ki bhari faslen abhi tak muntazir hongi
Sikandarpur, Ghazipur, Ballia chhod aaye hain

Kayi sadiyon ke qisse muh zabaani yaad hain jisko
Woh Dilli aur uska lal qila chhod aaye hain

Woh leechi se ladey pedon ka khamoshi se muh taknaa
Muzaffarpur hum tujhko akela chhod aayen hain

Banaras yaad karta hai ab tak jaane walon ko
Banaras ai Banaras hum tujhko kyon chhod aaye hain ?

Jaahaan ki khaak milkar jism ko loha banaate the
Woh Jhansi chhod aaye hain woh Datiya chhod aaye hain

Hamen bahka ke le aayi siyasat kis kharaabe mein
Chaman ko ho chuka hai ek arsaa chhod aaye hain

Dua ke phool Panditji jahaan takseem karte the
Gali ke mod par hum woh Shivala chhod aaye hain

Muhalle ke sabhi bachche jahaan miljul ke padhte the
Na jane kis liye woh paathshala chhod aaye hain

Usi mein bhai Jumman Ram ka kirdaar karte the
Abhi tak yaad hai jo Ramlila chhod aaye hain

Jahaan Akbar ne rishta karke buniyaad-e-wafa rakkhi
Wafadaron ka woh sachcha ilaqa chhod aaye hain

Zameen-e-Nanak-o-Chishti, Zubaan-e-Ghalib-o-Tulsi
Yeh sab kuch paas tha apne yeh saara chhod aaye hain

Sabhi tyohaar miljul kar manaate the wahaan jab the
Diwali chhod aaye hain, Dussehra chhod aaye hain

Badi sharmindagi hoti hai jab bhi sonch leten hain
Ki hum Ajmer, Kaliyar, Dewa chhod aaye hain

Hamen hijrat ki is andhi gufa mein yaad aata hai
Ajanta chhod aaye hain, Ellora chhod aaye hain

Kisi naqqash ke dast-e-hunar ne phool tanke the
Woh huqqa kya Moradabad saara chhod aaye hain

Jo ek patli sadak Unnao se Mohaan jaati hai
Waheen Hasrat ke khwabon ko bhatakta chhod aaye hain

Bhateeji ab saleeqe se dupatta odhti hogi
Wahi jisko jhoole mein humakta chhod aaye hain

Agar hijrat karni thi to hum arab hi jaate
Zara sa itr lekar mushk-e-naafa chhod aaye hain

Himalay se nikalti har nadi aawaz deti hai
Miyan ao, wuzu karlo, yeh jumla chhod aaye hain

Janaab-e-Mir ka diwan to hum saath le aaye
Magar hum Mir ke maathe ka kashka chhod aaye hain

Woh khudgharzi ka jazbaa aaj tak humko rulaata hai
Ki hum beta to le aaye, bhatija chhod aaye hain

Khuda jaane yeh hijrat thi ki hijrat ka tamaasha tha
Ujaale ki tamanna mein ujaala chhod aaye hain

Hansee aati hai apni hi adakaari pe khud humko
Bane phirte hain Yusuf Zuleikha chhod aaye hain

Basi thi jismen khushboo meri ammi ki jawani ki
Woh chadar chhod aaye hain, woh takiya chhod aaye hain

Woh khaprailon pe phaili har taraf angoor ki belen
Unhi belon se hum bachpan ko lipta chhod aaye hain

Harey honge abhi tak ped woh saare gulistaan ke
Badan pe jinke hum ek naam likkha chhod aaye hain

Hamen marne se pahle sabko yeh taakeed karni hai
Kisi ko mat bata dena ki kya kya chhod aaye hain"