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Raat Ki Aakhri Seeti: Chand Sher Aur Ek Sukhan
Classical Urdu couplets and nazm on the midnight departure of distant trains, lingering station chai, and the melancholy of unsaid departures.
Platform ke aakhri kone par jab chai ka dhuan theharta hai,
Toh lagta hai waqt bhi thodi der ke liye pahaadi raste par ruk gaya hai.
I. Ghazal Ke Chand Ash'aar
Koyi aawaz na thi raat ke sannate mein,
Bas ek seeti bachi thi kisi ke jaane mein.
Hazaar chehre the us bheed ke samandar mein,
Magar talaash wahi ek thi zamaane mein.
Duaayein haath utha kar zaroori toh nahi,
Kayi baras nikal gaye ek ashq chhupane mein.
Chiraagh bujhne lage jab toh yeh khayaal aaya,
Bohot qareeb the hum subah ko bhulaane mein.
II. Sukhan-e-Dil
Rail ki patriyon par jab sard hawa guzarti hai, toh lohe ki ek meethi, purani aawaz aati hai.
Yeh aawaz un safaron ki hai jo humne kabhi tay nahi kiye; un khaton ki hai jo jeb mein hi reh gaye aur un shehron ki hai jinke naam hum sirf timetable ke safhon par padhte the.
Raat ka safar manzil tak pahunchne ke liye nahi hota; yeh toh sirf is baat ka saboot hai ki hum abhi jaag rahe hain, aur shehar abhi so raha hai.