Rahut

Rahut hai azaadi main,
Kuch ruh ki he barbaadi main,
Sakoon sa hai lataluki main,
Dum ghuthta hai abaadi main,

Kaheen dur kisi aur rah per,
Jahaan dur dur tak jaandaar na ho,
Shayud chain aa jayay tub dil ko,
Jab aashina he kuch anjaan ho,

Ruk sako toh ruk jana lumhay bhar,
Kuch tooti kuch puri kuch aadhi main,
Shikwa na malaal ab kuch rahay ga,
Saans layni hai pus aakhri azaadi main.

Itti Si Khushi

Waqti sa taluq hai,
Kuch lamhoun ka sauda,
Bharhay, khilay, murjhayay,
Manind jaisa koi pauda,
Chandh lamhoun ka he hai sawaal,
Wajib hai beech rah chooth jana,
Jo saath milay ghaneetmut jaano,
Kal toh hai phir dil toot he jana,
Per phir afsoos na karna tum,
Kay kuch dair aur saath chaltay toh kya,
Rangoun bhari duniya toh hai,
Per hai uss main bhi ik rung syah,
Chaashni main liptay lumhoun say,
Dil lubhana jo jaantay ho,
Toh phir batao kaantoun bina phool naheen,
Iss ko kaisay naheen maantay ho,
Jo tha jab taluk, gholi misri zindagani main,
Bhichrhay toh moun karwah ab toh,
Aaj anjaan hua phir say tum say,
Jo tha kabhi tumhara sab woh,
Dil-o-dimaagh peh hawi hain lumhain,
Jab qadum say qadum mila kay chalay,
Un yaadoun ko dil say na utaaro,
Kya hua jo ab tanhai main shaam dhalay,
Kabhi toh uss nay bhi roshni lai thee,
Di thee tum ko muskuranay ki wajah,
Ab jo naheen hai woh toh phir,
Ussay tumhara yaad karna toh hai baja,
Per intiqaam ki ruh say naheen,
Naheen jhulastay ghussay main,
Jo mila jitna mila, muskura kay yaad karo,
Aaya jo bhi jab taluk tumharay hissay main,
Maazi ka punnah bun kay bhi reh jaayay,
Na ho majood woh ab iss pal,
Mustaqbil kay sapnoun ka saathi tha,
Per ab reh gaya toh bus khalal,
Mayoosi ki chadar ko kyun orhna,
Kyun bhulana theek tha jab sab,
Khusiyoun nay dee dastak kabhi toh thee,
Chahay waqt ki rait main ab gaya dub,
Humraahi bun kay reh jatay sada,
Toh khair gila na shikwa hota koi,
Per ab jo haqiqut ka daikhtay ho chehra,
Toh asnsoo behtay, yaadain chubteen jaisay soi,
Per jo ussay rukna naheen ab,
Toh batao thehrana jaantay ho kya,
Naheen toh bus ab sambhalnay main sakoon jano,
Uss ko toh tha jana so woh toh gaya,
Mut bhoolo kay ho itti si khushi,
Naheen bun kay rehti sab ka naseeb bhi,
Kuch toh tumharay beetay lamhoun ko bhi hain tarastay,
Tahayaat dayta hai ishq kuch aisi bhi ghareebi.

Naseeb

Waqt kay kaantay peh thirakhta,
Lamhoon kay kandhoon peh sirakta,
Ajab paheli sa hai naseeb,
Zakham bhi jo, woh he tabeeb,
Phir maan lo chahay khud ka raqeeb,
Ya yeh keh kuch yeh bhi hai budnaseeb,
Jawaab kai thehra lo tum sahi,
Per sawaal bun kay yeh rehta wahi,
Kay laut kay jo aatay ho baar baar,
Raasta hum bhathkay ya tum kartay khabardaar,
Lo ab toh tabdeeli ka bhi chorha intizaar,
Arsa hua na roye phir zaar-o-qataar,
Maan lo humnay bhi mana yehi kissa,
Kay palut palut kar aanay wala ho tum hissa,
Per ajab hai na kay aatay ho ab bhi achanuk,
Saath latay ho phir kuch tum bhayanuk,
Per ab toh uss ki bhi kuch aadut ho gai yoon,
Lugta he naheen waqt guzra bin tum aflatoon,
Larzay na dil-o-dimaagh toh lugta kuch kum,
Woh khushi bhi saraab, jis main ghula na ghum.

Qalumband

Bharum hai zindagani, kehnay ko bohat,
Toh apnay aks ko tum alfaaz bana do,
Jo kehtay kehtay ruk jatay thay kabhi,
Uss kay bayaan ka naya andaaz bana do,
Pholoon, patharoun, khanjaroun,
Sab ko haal-e-dil ka saaz bana do,
Bohat kuch keh kar bhi kuch na kaho,
Khud ko aisa tum ik raaz bana do,
Qalum thaamo, panay bhar bhar kay,
Siski naheen, misray ko awaaz bana do,
Bais-e-sakoon maan kar toh dekho,
Kuch anokha karnay ka javaaz bana do,
Tehus nehus karay jo behus-o-mohabisa,
Toh panoun ko he apna mahaaz bana do,
Likhawhat ki chashni gholo kuch aisi kay,
Kaantoun ko bhi qabil-e-naz bana do.

Kuch Toh Kami Hai

Tum main kuch kami hai,

Tum main naheen, toh uss main kami hai,

Iss dastoor peh he toh dunya bani hai,

Bin aal aulaad, tum main kuch toh kami hai,

Tum chaho kya, tum mano kya,

Gharz uss say kisi ko kuch naheen,

Bus lakeer kay fakeer jo na ho tum,

Toh tum main kuch toh kami hai,

Azal se abad tak, chalta aaya hai bus yehi,

Umar kay takazay kaho ya kuch aur,

Loagoon kay sawaaloun ka naheen hai jawaab,

Toh tum main kuch toh kami hai,

Yeh kaisi khahish hai, yeh kaisi marzi,

Kon karta hai aisa, kyun kehtay ho khudgharzi,

Hum toh maang rahay woh jo hai riwaajh,

Bus tum main he kuch toh kami hai,

Na hoti toh kyun kartay aisa inthakhaab,

Batao bhala kon bhirhta hai iss baat per,

Billawajah kartay ho iss baat peh israar,

Toh tum main kuch toh kami hai,

Bachpun, larakpun, jawani, shaadi byah,

Aal aulaad, bhurhapa, hai dastoor-e-dunya,

Phir youn jo rok daytay ho zindagi ki garhi,

Toh tum main kuch toh kami hai,

Waqt maangtay ho, toh waqt aur kitna,

Rishta jurha hai toh nibhana bhi seekho,

Hai yeh bhi nibhna ka he hissa warna,

Toh tum main kuch toh kami hai,

Saath bitanay kay liyay umar hai tamaam,

Bus maan lo yeh, phir humko hai araam,

Tumhari he khushi chahtay hain sab,

Bus tumharay samajhnay he ki kami hai,

Yeh sun sun kay kaan bhi kuch sun say hain ab,

Kehtay hain kay woh bun jayay ga ik door,

Inkaar naheen waqt maanga per mila zor,

Kay tum main he kuch toh kami hai,

Door naheen, insaan hai woh, zanjeer na banao,

Khushi main lapait kar bairhi na pehnao,

Waqt ki zaroorat maantay ho tum ussay,

Toh phir dunya, tum main kuch kami hai,

Aadha adhoora, kuch toota kuch poora,

Bebus sa bachpun naheen dayna uss ko hamain,

Waqt do iss rishtay aur khud ko samajhnay ko,

Tumhari he soch main dunya, kuch toh kami hai,

Woh ho iss ki khatir naheen nibhana yeh bandhan,

Yeh bandhan hai iss waastay naheen lana uss ko,

Khushi bun kay aamud ho uss ki, majboori naheen,

Iss baat ko samajhnay ki he toh kami hai,

Umar beeti jayay ab toh ho ga behtar,

Jab aayay woh toh na ho phir pashtawa,

Per tum kartay ho faqt waqt ki fikar,

Toh dunya tum main he kuch toh kami hai,

Kehtay ho ab naheen toh kab,

Jawaab shayud hum ko bhi maloom naheen,

Dil say khwahish ho gee kabhi toh kaheen,

Iss baat ki samajhnay ki tum main kami hai,

Sadiyaan naheen, lumhay churanay ka hai sawaal,

Phisalnay do haath say waqt ki rait ko abhi,

Takay jab aayay toh ho woh khushgawaar khayaal,

Iss baat ki samajhnay ki tum main kami hai,

Aur kya hua agar haqiqut main kuch kami hai,

Yaksaan toh her ungli bhi naheen bani hai,

Khoon say naheen dil say hain rishtay,

Iss baat ko samajhnay ki he toh kami hai,

Apnay say bhi zada apna lain gay ussay,

Uss ki bhi zindagi main kuch toh kami hai,

Haath thaam aik doosray ka beetay zindagi, 

Iss waastay he toh dunya bani hai,

Phir phair lain kisi kay sir peh ik haath,

Paraya maantay ho gay phir tum jo ussay,

Toh phir mujh main naheen, uss main naheen,

Tum main dunya kuch toh kami hai.

~ ——— ~

Parenthood is a beautiful thing.

But in South East Asian societies it is treated differently.

A duty. An obligation. A right of passage.

Name it anything you want.

But it is definitely not left up-to just the couple.

Everyone has something to say, a lot to say.

An uncomfortable invasion of personal space, that is a concept they refuse to understand.

At this stage in life I see my own friends and their siblings getting hitched and the questions are raised within just a month or more.

Something highly personal is treated like a topic worthy of public debate so here goes something for this society.

The baby boomers will refuse to understand.

Millennials, I hope at least you're better parents than the generations before in this regard, understand such matters should be left to the couple alone and don't force this question answer session upon your kids.

Harjai

Punjabi for a change.

~ ——— ~

Ishq di galaan tu ki janay,

Pathar v pighlay jay payweh paani,

Per tu na samjhay dil di galaan,

Harjai houn chay na tera koi saani,

Ankh mound k rawaan badlay,

Phul jaway wafa day wadhay,

Pal chay tola pal chay masha,

Wadhay teray kandhay teh jo laday,

Hun teray toun ki karni umeed,

Parosa tera na hun kar pawaan,

Behtar wa teray teh meray liyay,

Chalday jawaan alug rawaan,

Ais chay he sanu phir toun,

Mil jaway shayud wakhra sakoun,

Chalda aagay hun na waikheen,

Bharhun day aagay hun mainu.

Bint-e-Hawa

Tu maa hai, tu beti hai,

Tu behan hai, tu biwi hai,

Anginath sanchoun main dalti,

Naimut khuda ki tu divi hai,

Teri qok say janum layti hain perhiyaan,

Tu paalnay wali bhi hai, sikhanay wali bhi hai,

Dunya ki manind kay iss ghar ko,

Tu he toh chalanay wali bhi hai,

Khud ko kamzor na samajhna bint-e-hawa,

Teri takut se larazte hain yeh sab,

Tujhay diyay huay aik aik zakhum ka,

Hisaab lay ga khud tera rub,

Tu hai toh tujh say hai yeh jahaan,

Anjaan bunana chahain jitna yeh log,

Bhool jayain teri azmut ko,

Tujh peh lagayain sau rog,

Tu mut bhoolna kay tu kum naheen,

Woh aadum ki aulaad tu hawa ki beti,

Barabur hain yaksaan insaan sabhi,

Dunya bhi iss baat ki gawahi dayti,

Woh haath uthayay toh,

Tu hoslay buland kar layna,

Woh gar tujhay takleef day,

Toh tu bhi yaad dila dayna,

Kay kamzor naheen tu,

Tera toh hai dil barha,

Tu charhti ja oonchaiyoun ki seerhiyaan,

Teray saamnay na kuch rahay ga kharha,

Tu haath thaam kay toh daikh,

Behan maan tu bhi baandh lay dor,

Teri takut tu khud hai, aur hain teri behnain,

Phir daikh, daikhay ga kaisay koi teri ore.