WHAT IS A SHAHR-ASHOB?
“Tumult, clamour; storm, tempest; terror; misfortune; inflammation of the eyes; an impostor;
—part. adj. (used in comp.) exciting” — Platts p. 58
#Shahrashob by Mir Taqi Mir after the destruction bought about by Ahmed Shah Abdali’s plunder of #Dilli shows his anguish&concern
1.Mushkil jo apni huyi jo bood o baash, Apne lashkar men hum baraye talash, Unke dekhi yaan ki turfa maash
1.When living became an uphill task, In soldiers camp we sought refuge, In narrow straits we found them caught.
2. Haye lab e nan pe sau jagah khirash, Nayi daam e aab hai, nayi chamchaa e aash
2.They lived on bread stale& scorched, No drop of drink, no spoon of broth
3.Marne ke martabe men hain ahbaab, Jo shanaasa mila so be asbaab, Tangdasti se sab bahaal kharab,
3.My friends, I found were nearing death, deprived of goods were all I met, Each and all were poverty pressed
4..Jiske hai baal tau nahi hai tanaab, Jiske hain farash tau nahi hai faraash.
4. If one had thread, he had no rope, If one had carpet,none to roll.
5.Zindagi huyi hai sab pe bawaal, Kunjre jheenken hai, rote hain baqaal,
6. Pooch mat kuchh sipahiyon ka haal, Ek talwar neeche hai, ik dhal, Badshaah o wazeer sab qalaash
6. Soldiers used their swords and shields as cots. The king and councillors, bankrupt all
7.Paise wale jot hay huwe hain faqeer, Tan se zaahir ragen hain jaisi lakeer, Hain maazib gharz sagheer o kabeer,
7.Men of means have joined beggars fold, Their veins like lines on paper,on their body show, Great&small r helpless,so are young and old
8. Makhiyan si giren hazaaron faqeer, Dekhen tukda agar baraber mash.
8.A thousand beggars pounce together like a swarm of flies, When a crumb or grain of wheat somewherethey descry
9.Shor mutliq nahi kasu sar men, Zor baaqi nahin asp o ushtar men, Bhook ka zikr aql o aksar men
9.Every head lies benumbed, Horse and camel are sans strength, Hunger cries on every
10.Khaana jangi se aman lashkar men, Na koi rind hai, na koi oobaash.
10.Thanks to the civil strife, soldiers sit content, No fear of drunken brawls or youth vagrant.
11Jitne hain yaan ameer, be dastoor, Phir yeh husn o salook sab mashoor, Pahunchana un talak bahut hai door
11 Unscrupulous r they all,the town’s elite, Everyone doth understand how they speak&treat, Moreover, these haughty rich aren’t easy to reach
12 Baat kahne kaa waan kise maqdoor Haasil unse na dil ko ghair khiraash
12.In their absence who can dare speak? Their conduct hurts theheart, biting is their speech
13 Bas qalam ab zabaan ko apni sambhaal, Khush numa kab hai aisi qail o qaal,
13.Enough now my pen,your tongue control, Who will b regaled with this tale of woe?
14.Hai kudhab charkh e roo seah ki chaal, Maslehat hai ke rahiye hokar laal, Fayda kya jo raaz kariye faash
