Book: Chaand Pukhraj Ka

Author: Gulzar Sampooran Singh
Publisher:

`Chaand Pukhraaj ka` is a trend setter in Urdu Poetry. It is rare to find a book so imaginative, yet in a serene rhythm that really takes you to the depth of your feelings. I have read these kinds of books off and on since I was a little kid and have been fascinated by many torch-bearers of urdu poetry; but this one is the first that tempted me to scratch my pen against the paper in its appreciation.

The first portion of the book includes a large number of Nazams, written about the smallest pleasures of our daily lives. Many of these nazams are an attempt to relive the most memorable times of one`s life such as childhood, first love and certain events that are as small as fractions of seconds but last a lifetime in memories. One of my favorites of these is :

jaisey jhanna k chatakh jaaye kisi saaz ka taar
jaisey resham ki kisi dor sey ungli kat jaye
aisey ek zarb si parti hey kaheen siney main
khinch kar torni pa.d jaati hey jab tujh sey nazar

terey jaaney ki ghari, sakht ghari hey jaana.n !!


The second portion contains ghazalz in a variety of tones. Ranging from a harsh good-bye-time composition, to the rhythms of a praised beauty.

A few verses are :

Koi atka hoa hey pal shayad
Waqt main par gaya hey bal shayad

Dil hey tu dard bhi hoga
Iska koi nahin hey hal shayad

And :
Shaam sey aankh main nami si hey
Aaj phir aap ki kami si hey

Koi rishta nahin raha liken
Ek taswir laazmi si hey

Besides the gazals and nazams, the poet has sketched some portraits in a very fine choice of words. Portraits of people like Ghalib and Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi. Moreover, a few uncommon forms of urdu poetry such as Tarailey and Tarawini , are also included in this collection. Tarawini are composed of three verses (misra) , and can be very deep in their meanings.

For instance:

Sab pey aati hey sab ki baari hey
Maut insaaf ki alaamat hey

Zindagi sab pey kyun nahin aati

And:

Roz uth kar chaand taanka hey falak per raat ko
Roz din ki rpshni main raat tak aaya kiye

Haath bhar k faasley ko umar bhar chalna para

All in all, if you appreciate good urdu poetry and want your imagination to go deeper then the regular ishq and mehboob, you ought to read this book.