Two for 'Zafar'

We have heard of valiant warrior poets, poet kings with the smile of eros and the body of adonis, but imagine a 60 year old prince becoming the king. With his four queens tucked along and unkept princes running around, the king, with his toothy grin and bent back, must have been an ugly sight. But what the public would have failed to see was his heart which no longer was a mughal but had turned Hindustani like the man that the king was.

Bahadur shah may have been no doubt a Mughal but Zafar was an Indian.
The following two poems by Zafar is a proof of that.

Title: Lagta Nahin Hai Dil Mera
Poet: Bahadur Shah Zafar
Performer: Mohd rafi.
Film: Lal Quila

Lagta Nahin Hai Dil Mera Ujde Dayaar Mein
Kiski Bani Hai Aalam-E-Napaydaar Mein

Dayar - City; Aalam-e-Napaidar - The Mortal World

Keh Do In Hasraton Se Kahin Aur Ja Basein
Itni Jageh Kahan Hai Dil-E-Daagdar Mein

Hasraton: Fancies/desires Dil-e-Daagdaar - Sorrowful Heart

Umr-E-Daraaz Mang Kar Laye The Chaar Din
Do Aarzoo Mein Kat Gaye Do Intezaar Mein
Umr-e-Daraz - Long Life

Kitna Hai Badnaseeb zafar Dafan Ke Liye
Do Gaz Zameen Bhi Na Mili Kuch-E-Yaar Mein

Dafn - Burial; Koo-e-Yaar - Land of the Beloved

Translation:

My heart is so very unhappy on this barren earth,
But who has ever been contended on this mortal hearth

Please ask my fancies to go dwell some place else
There remains no room enough in this sorrow filled heart

I had requested a long life all of four days
Two have passed pining and two spent in the wait

How ill-fated is zafar that for his own burial
Two yards of land was not fated in the land of his beloved.


Title: Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon
Poet: Bahadur Shah Zafar
Performed : Mohd Rafi
Film: Lal Quila

Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon, na kisi ke dil ka qaraar hoon
Jo kisi ke kaam na aa sake main wo ek musht-e-Gubaar hoon

Qaraar: Ease, Satisfaction; Noor: Light; Musht: The fist/—a blow with the clenched fist/—a handful/—a few; Gubaar: Dirt/Dust

Na to main kisi ka habib hoon, no to main kisi ka raqeeb hoon
Jo bigad gaya wo naseeb hoon, jo ujaad gaya wo dayaar hoon

habib: beloved; raqeeb: enemy; naseeb: fate; dayaar= place

Mera rang-roop bigad gaya, mera yaar mujh se bichhad gaya
Jo chaman fizaan mein ujad gaya main usi ki fasl-e-bahaar hoon

chaman: garden; fizaan: environment; fasl: yield,harvest; bahaar: bloom, beuty, glory;

Paye faatehaa koi aaye kyun, koi chaar phool chadhaaye kyun
Koi aake shammaa jalaye kyun, main wo bekasi ka mazaar hoon

Fateh:Aperture, Conquest, Opening, Sucess, Victory; shamaa: lamp,candle; bekasi: despair; Mazaar: Mausoleum, Shrine, Tomb, Grave