aaj kyā lauTte lamhāt mayassar aa.e

yaad tum apnī ināyāt se baḌh kar aa.e

aaj kya lauTte lamhat mayassar aae

yaad tum apni inayat se baDh kar aae

shāmil huuñ qāfile meñ magar sar meñ dhund hai

shāyad hai koī raah judā bhī mire liye

shamil hun qafile mein magar sar mein dhund hai

shayad hai koi rah juda bhi mere liye

bain kartī huī samtoñ se na Darnā 'bānī'

aisī āvāzeñ to is raah meñ aam ā.eñgī

bain karti hui samton se na Darna 'bani'

aisi aawazen to is rah mein aam aaengi

maazī se ubhrīñ vo zinda tasvīreñ

utar gayā sab nashsha na.e purāne kā

mazi se ubhrin wo zinda taswiren

utar gaya sab nashsha nae purane ka

is qadar ḳhālī huā baiThā huuñ apnī zaat meñ

koī jhoñkā aa.egā jaane kidhar le jā.egā

is qadar KHali hua baiTha hun apni zat mein

koi jhonka aaega jaane kidhar le jaega

vahī ik mausam-e-saffāk thā andar bhī bāhar bhī

ajab sāzish lahū kī thī ajab fitna havā kā thā

wahi ek mausam-e-saffak tha andar bhi bahar bhi

ajab sazish lahu ki thi ajab fitna hawa ka tha

is añdhere meñ na ik gaam bhī ruknā yaaro

ab to ik dūsre kī āhaTeñ kaam ā.eñgī

is andhere mein na ek gam bhi rukna yaro

ab to ek dusre ki aahaTen kaam aaengi

mire banā.e hue but meñ ruuh phūñk de ab

na ek umr kī mehnat mirī akārat kar

mere banae hue but mein ruh phunk de ab

na ek umr ki mehnat meri akarat kar

is tamāshe meñ ta.assur koī laane ke liye

qatl 'bānī' jise honā thā vo kirdār thā maiñ

is tamashe mein tassur koi lane ke liye

qatl 'bani' jise hona tha wo kirdar tha main

uḌ chalā vo ik judā ḳhāka liye sar meñ akelā

sub.h kā pahlā parinda āsmāñ bhar meñ akelā

uD chala wo ek juda KHaka liye sar mein akela

subh ka pahla parinda aasman bhar mein akela

din ko daftar meñ akelā shab bhare ghar meñ akelā

maiñ ki aks-e-muntashir ek ek manzar meñ akelā

din ko daftar mein akela shab bhare ghar mein akela

main ki aks-e-muntashir ek ek manzar mein akela

os se pyaas kahāñ bujhtī hai

mūslā-dhār baras merī jaan

os se pyas kahan bujhti hai

musla-dhaar baras meri jaan

ai dost maiñ ḳhāmosh kisī Dar se nahīñ thā

qaa.il hī tirī baat kā andar se nahīñ thā

ai dost main KHamosh kisi Dar se nahin tha

qail hi teri baat ka andar se nahin tha

koī gosha ḳhvāb kā sā DhūñD hī lete the ham

shahr apnā shahr 'bānī' be-amāñ aisā na thā

koi gosha KHwab ka sa DhunD hi lete the hum

shahr apna shahr 'bani' be-aman aisa na tha

Dhalegī shaam jahāñ kuchh nazar na aa.egā

phir is ke ba.ad bahut yaad ghar kī aa.egī

Dhalegi sham jahan kuchh nazar na aaega

phir is ke baad bahut yaad ghar ki aaegi

ajiib tajraba thā bhiiḌ se guzarne kā

use bahāna milā mujh se baat karne kā

ajib tajraba tha bhiD se guzarne ka

use bahana mila mujh se baat karne ka

kisī maqām se koī ḳhabar na aane kī

koī jahāz zamīñ par na ab utarne kā

kisi maqam se koi KHabar na aane ki

koi jahaz zamin par na ab utarne ka

mire vāste jaane kyā lā.egī

ga.ī hai havā ik khañDar kī taraf

mere waste jaane kya laegi

gai hai hawa ek khanDar ki taraf

bagūle us ke sar par chīḳhte the

magar vo aadmī chup zaat kā thā

bagule us ke sar par chiKHte the

magar wo aadmi chup zat ka tha

tū koī ġham hai to dil meñ jagah banā apnī

tū ik sadā hai to ehsās kī kamāñ se nikal

tu koi gham hai to dil mein jagah bana apni

tu ek sada hai to ehsas ki kaman se nikal

koī bhūlī huī shai tāq-e-har-manzar pe rakkhī thī

sitāre chhat pe rakkhe the shikan bistar pe rakkhī thī

koi bhuli hui shai taq-e-har-manzar pe rakkhi thi

sitare chhat pe rakkhe the shikan bistar pe rakkhi thi

jaane vo kaun thā aur kis ko sadā detā thā

us se bichhḌā hai koī itnā pata detā thā

jaane wo kaun tha aur kis ko sada deta tha

us se bichhDa hai koi itna pata deta tha

damak rahā thā bahut yuuñ to pairahan us kā

zarā se lams ne raushan kiyā badan us kā

damak raha tha bahut yun to pairahan us ka

zara se lams ne raushan kiya badan us ka

raah āsāñ dekh kar sab ḳhush the phir maiñ ne kahā

soch liije ek andāz-e-nazar merā bhī hai

rah aasan dekh kar sab KHush the phir main ne kaha

soch lije ek andaz-e-nazar mera bhi hai

silsila raushan tajassus kā udhar merā bhī hai

ai sitāro us ḳhalā meñ ik safar merā bhī hai

silsila raushan tajassus ka udhar mera bhi hai

ai sitaro us KHala mein ek safar mera bhi hai

chalo ki jazba-e-iz.hār chīḳh meñ to Dhalā

kisī tarah ise āḳhir adā bhī honā thā

chalo ki jazba-e-izhaar chiKH mein to Dhala

kisi tarah ise aaKHir ada bhi hona tha

vo hañste khelte ik lafz kah gayā 'bānī'

magar mire liye daftar khulā ma.ānī kā

wo hanste khelte ek lafz kah gaya 'bani'

magar mere liye daftar khula maani ka

phailtī jā.egī chāroñ samt ik ḳhush-raunaqī

ek mausam mere andar se nikaltā jā.egā

phailti jaegi chaaron samt ek KHush-raunaqi

ek mausam mere andar se nikalta jaega

vo TūTte hue rishtoñ kā husn-e-āḳhir thā

ki chup sī lag ga.ī donoñ ko baat karte hue

wo TuTte hue rishton ka husn-e-aKHir tha

ki chup si lag gai donon ko baat karte hue

koī bhī ghar meñ samajhtā na thā mire dukh sukh

ek ajnabī kī tarah maiñ ḳhud apne ghar meñ thā

koi bhi ghar mein samajhta na tha mere dukh sukh

ek ajnabi ki tarah main KHud apne ghar mein tha

kisī ke lauTne kī jab sadā sunī to khulā

ki mere saath koī aur bhī safar meñ thā

kisi ke lauTne ki jab sada suni to khula

ki mere sath koi aur bhi safar mein tha

qadam zamīñ pe na the raah ham badalte kyā

havā bañdhī thī yahāñ piiTh par sambhalte kyā

qadam zamin pe na the rah hum badalte kya

hawa bandhi thi yahan piTh par sambhalte kya

vo ek aks ki pal bhar nazar meñ Thahrā thā

tamām umr kā ab silsila hai mere liye

wo ek aks ki pal bhar nazar mein Thahra tha

tamam umr ka ab silsila hai mere liye

maiñ chup khaḌā thā ta.alluq meñ iḳhtisār jo thā

usī ne baat banā.ī vo hoshiyār jo thā

main chup khaDa tha talluq mein iKHtisar jo tha

usi ne baat banai wo hoshiyar jo tha

mohabbateñ na rahīñ us ke dil meñ mere liye

magar vo miltā thā hañs kar ki vaz.a-dār jo thā

mohabbaten na rahin us ke dil mein mere liye

magar wo milta tha hans kar ki waza-dar jo tha

'bānī' zarā sambhal ke mohabbat kā moḌ kaaT

ik hādsa bhī taak meñ hogā yahīñ kahīñ

'bani' zara sambhal ke mohabbat ka moD kaT

ek hadsa bhi tak mein hoga yahin kahin

na jaane kal hoñ kahāñ saath ab havā ke haiñ

ki ham parinde maqāmāt-e-gum-shuda ke haiñ

na jaane kal hon kahan sath ab hawa ke hain

ki hum parinde maqamat-e-gum-shuda ke hain

zarā chhuā thā ki bas peḌ aa girā mujh par

kahāñ ḳhabar thī ki andar se khokhlā hai bahut

zara chhua tha ki bas peD aa gira mujh par

kahan KHabar thi ki andar se khokhla hai bahut

thī paañv meñ koī zanjīr bach ga.e varna

ram-e-havā kā tamāshā yahāñ rahā hai bahut

thi panw mein koi zanjir bach gae warna

ram-e-hawa ka tamasha yahan raha hai bahut

harī sunahrī ḳhaak uḌāne vaalā maiñ

shafaq shajar tasvīr banāne vaalā maiñ

hari sunahri KHak uDane wala main

shafaq shajar taswir banane wala main

udaas shaam kī yādoñ bharī sulagtī havā

hameñ phir aaj purāne dayār le aa.ī

udas sham ki yaadon bhari sulagti hawa

hamein phir aaj purane dayar le aai

vo log jo kabhī bāhar na ghar se jhāñkte the

ye shab unheñ bhī sar-e-rahguzār le aa.ī

wo log jo kabhi bahar na ghar se jhankte the

ye shab unhen bhi sar-e-rahguzar le aai

yaad tirī jaise ki sar-e-shām

dhund utar jaa.e paanī meñ

yaad teri jaise ki sar-e-sham

dhund utar jae pani mein

paiham mauj-e-imkānī meñ

aglā paañv na.e paanī meñ

paiham mauj-e-imkani mein

agla panw nae pani mein