Classical Urdu poet Aatish's ghazal: Ye qissa hai jab ka ki Aatish jawan tha....

Khwaja Haider Ali Aatish Lucknowi is one of the giants of Urdu literature who was born in 1778 and died in 1848. Aatish and Nasikh were contemporary poets whose rivalry is well-known.

The era of Aatish and Nasikh was a golden era for Urdu poetry in Lucknow. Part of the last couplet 'Aatish javaa tha' has survived centuries and is used extensively even today in conversation to reminisce one's youth.

Read the ghazal:

शब-ए-वस्ल* थी चांदनी का समाँ था
बगल में सनम था खुदा मेहेरबां था

वोह शब थी कि थी रोशनी जिसमें दिन की
ज़मीन पर से एक नूर त़ा आसमाँ था

निकाले थे उसने दो चाँद मुक़ाबिल
वोह शब, सुब'ह-ए-जन्नत का जिसपे गुमाँ था

उरूसी की शब की हलावत थी हासिल
फ़रहनाक थी रूह, दिल शादमाँ था

बयान ख्वाब की तरह जो कर रहा है
ये किस्सा है जब का कि आतिश जवाँ था

आतिश लखनवी

[The expression 'aatish jawaaN thaa' is used in conversation to recall one's youth. Here the word Aatish also has the literal meaning that intensifies the feeling of the expression]

Now read the Roman transliteration:

shab-e-vasl thii chaandnii kaa samaaN thaa
baGal meN sanam thaa, Khudaa meherbaaN thaa

voh shab thii ki thii roshnii jismeN din kii
zamiiN par se ek nuur taa aasmaaN thaa

nikaale the do chaaNd usne muqaabil
voh shab sub'h-e-jannat ka jis pe gumaaN thaa

uruusii kii shab kii halaavat thii haasil
faraHnaak thii ruuH, dil shaadmaaN thaa

bayaaN khwaab kii tarah jo kar rahaa hai
ye qissa hai jab kaa ki Aatish javaaN thaa

Khwaja Haider Ali 'Aatish' [also Aatash]

Mini-dictionary
*Shab-e-wasl=night of union