As I sit in my study, unable to find sleep and engrossed in the unfinished book that I had been reading for the last many days, the radio plays some soft numbers that perhaps I never heard before, the clock strikes an unearthly hour and I hurriedly put the book away.
I look outside my window and see that it has stopped snowing. The trees and the rooftops have all been covered with a dazzling white blanket of snow by mother nature. I force open the window and a few snowflakes fly and fall on my hair, a cold chilly breeze sends shivers down my spine.There is stillness all around and a cool pale crescent moon shines above the snow clad valley. The radio suddenly plays some familiar tunes, and I listen as the poet serenades his love softly.
Chand maddham hai, Aasman chup hai,
Neend kee god main jahan chup hai,
Door vaadi main dudhiya baadal,
Jhuk ke parbat ko pyaar karte hain,
Dil main naakaam hasartein lekar,
Hum tera intezzar karte hain .
In baharon ke saye main aa ja,
Phir mohabbat jawan rahe na rahe,
Zindagi tere na-muradon par,
kal talak meherbaan rahe, na rahe.
The mountains wait for some more snow,
The trees, the bushes,
The gurgling stream whose icy waters seem frozen,
All wait with an expectant air,
I too wait for my love .
Hum intezzar karenge tera quyamat tak,
Khuda kare ke quayamat ho, aur tu aye,
Na denge hum tujhe ilzaam bewafai ka,
Magar gila to karenge teri judai ka,
Tere khilaaf shikayat ho, aur tu aye .
Yeh zindagi tere kadmon main daal jayenge,
Tujhee ko teri amanat sambhal jayenge,
Hamara aalam-e-rukhsat ho, aur tu aye.
The clouds gather in the far horizon and the moon disappears from my view. I hear the tinkle bells of a horse drawn carriage in the distance on the narrow snow laden winding road that passes in front of my house. It starts raining and the carriage stops below my window. A face peeps out from the carriage and I see, it's you. You smile and I understand everything. I put my woollen gown, take the steps quickly to the carriage. The coachman bids me welcome, the carriage moves on the long mountain road, the twin white horses neigh as he sings .
Pyar par bas to nahin hai mera, lekin phir bhee,
Tu bata de ke tujhe pyaar karoon, ya na karoon,
Mere khwabon ke jharokhon ko sajane wali,
Tere khwabon main kahin mera guzar hai ke nahin,
Pooch kar apnee nigahon se bata de mujhko,
Meri raaton ke muqaddar main sahar hai, ke nahin.
Kahin aisa na ho paon mere tharra jayen,
Aur teri marmari bahon ka sahara na mile,
Ashq behte rahen khamosh siyah raaton main,
Aur tere reshmi aanchal ka kinara na mile .
I look expectantly in your eyes for an answer,
You just smile, shake your head, and look the other way.
The stillness of night is unbroken,
The only sound I hear is the foot taps of horses,
I still wait for an answer .
Kashti ka khamosh safar hai,
Shaam bhee hai, tanhai bhee,
Door kinare par bajtee hai,
Lehron kee shehnai bhee .
Aaj mujhe kuch kehna hai,
Lekin yeh sharmeeli nigahen,
Mujhko ijazat den to kahoon,
Khud meri betaab umangen,
Thoree fursat den to kahoon .
Kehte huye dar sa lagta hai,
Keh kar baat na kho baithoon,
Yeh jo zara sa saath mila hai,
Yeh bhee saath na kho baithoon.
Aaj mujhe kuch kehna hai.
I stand here in the dead of the night,
Hands in hands with my love,
Still a fire burns inside my heart,
There is so much I have to say,
But havent the eyes said it all,
And not a word was spoken during this sacred ceremony.
Aaj kee raat nahin shikawe shikayat ke liye,
Aaj har lamha, har ik pal hai mohabbat ke liye,
reshmi sej hai, mehki hui tanhai hai,
Aaj kee raat, muradon kee barat ayee hai.
Har gunah aaj muqaddas hai farishton ke tarah,
kaampte hathon ko mil jaane do, rishton kee tarah,
Aaj milne main, na uljhan hai, na ruswai hai
Aaj kee raat muradon kee baraat ayee hai.
You hold my hands for one last time,
The portents are clear,
Its time to part,
Perhaps we shall never meet again,
For one last time, I look at you,
For one last time, this heart beats,
And a solitary tear rolls down my eyes,
I do not know, why,
Is it the happiness of the meeting,
Or from the pangs of parting?
tum chalii jaaogii parchhaaiyaan rah jaaengii
kuchh na kuchh husn kii raanaaiyaan rah jaaengii
sun ke is jhiil ke saahil pe milii ho mujhase
jab bhii dekhuungaa yahiin mujhako nazar aaogii
yaad miit'ati hai na manzar koi mit sakataa hai
door jaakar bhii tum apane ko yahiin paaogii
ghul ke rah jaaegii jhonkon mainn badan kii khushbu
zulf kaa aks ghataaon men rahegaa sadiyon
phool chupake se churaa lenge labon kii surkhii
ye javaan husn fizaaon men rahegaa sadiyon
tum chalii jaogee, parchaiyaan reh jayengii.
As I stand by the wayside,
And see your carriage disappear behind the mountains,
I go back into my shell,
The snow has started falling again,
Again I sit by the window,
Open the pages of the unfinished book.
Another chapter has been added to the Book of Life .
