1 / 25 : Featured
gul se jo dil lagaa hai
abtar hai haal us ka
the nightingale, drunk with passion,
circles me, weeping
its heart bound to the rose
its state has grown wretched
0
0
4
2.3K
2 / 25 : Featured
main hoon dard-e-ishq se jaan-ba-lab
mujhe zindagi ki dua na de
my companion, my mate
don’t cheat me by being my friend
on the verge of death with pain of love
don’t bless me with any more life
1961: Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist
1962: Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist
1963: Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist
fellow songster
fellow traveler
cheat, trick, deceit
brink of death
blessing, prayer
Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (126)
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3 / 25 : Featured
aur us taraf tamaam
zamaana usi ka hai
until now, even i wasn’t
on my own side
and on that side
the whole world was her’s
2018: Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar
Theme: Friends, Family, & Community (149)
0
0
2
3.0K
4 / 25 : Featured
mu-e-aatish deeda hai
halqa meri zanjeer ka
in captivity too, i am ‘ghalib’,
with fire under my feet
i still see the ring of passion
around my shackles
0
0
1
4.7K
5 / 25 : Featured
lekin shaheed ho gaye
biwi ki nauj se
akbar was not subdued by
the army of an emperor
but he was martyred
by the lament of his wife
0
0
0
2.2K
6 / 25 : Featured
vagarna sher mera kya hai
shaayari kya hai
my ecstastic wanderings
brought joy to the world
if not, what is my poem,
of what worth is my poetry
0
0
1
4.1K
7 / 25 : Featured
kitna khaamosh hoon
main andar se
i keep talking
constantly
but how silent
i am within
Theme: Voice, Expression, & Language (82)
0
0
0
3.5K
8 / 25 : Featured
faasla hai ki
kam nahin hota
as i keep traveling
on this road
the distance to destination
doesn’t seem to reduce
Theme: Quest, Journey, & Destination (56)
1
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4
4.4K
9 / 25 : Featured
ke naadaani hai
behtar aagahi se
i have learnt
this much from life
that ignorance is
better than awareness
Anonymous
0
0
1
4.8K
10 / 25 : Featured
mil jaaye toh miTTi hain
kho jaaye toh sona hai
that which is called life
is but a bizarre toy
what we get is dirt
what we lose is gold
1
0
2
3.7K
11 / 25 : Featured
yeh kehne mein mujh ko
zamaane lage hain
all i wanted to say was
that i am in love
for me to say this
took a lifetime
Theme: Love, Passion, and Longing (125)
1
0
1
2.4K
12 / 25 : Featured
aadatan ham ne
etibaar kiya
by habit
you made promises
by habit
i trusted you
trust
Theme: Friends, Family, & Community (149)
1
0
1
3.4K
13 / 25 : Featured
ishq bechaara
na zaheed hai na mullah na hakeem
intellect is clever
can change into many forms
poor love
not an ascetic, nor learned, nor a healer
0
0
1
3.7K
14 / 25 : Featured
ab kya kahun
jamal-e-rukh-e-fitnagar ko mein
it is a crime if i see
lacking in grace if i don’t
what shall i call this
beautiful, mischievous face
face, direction
crime
ungrateful, impious
mischievous, playful
Theme: Beauty, Charm, & Union (115)
0
0
1
4.1K
15 / 25 : Featured
naye din ka naya suraj
ufuuq par uTha aata hai
the shivering shadows of
the old year are fading away
the new sun of the new day
is rising over the horizon
shivering
shadows
fold
sun
horizon
Theme: Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (40)
1
0
1
2.9K
16 / 25 : Featured
main fed up ho gaiyaan mundeya
sun sun ke tere dukhde ve
you’re just a country bumpkin
and i am lovely like katrina
i am fed up, you fellow,
listening to your sob stories
Theme: Beauty, Charm, & Union (115)
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0
2
2.1K
17 / 25 : Featured
aashiq ka janaaza hai
zara dhoom se nikle
let’s walk along as wishes
spring from the heart of the dead
it’s the funeral of a lover
let us celebrate with fanfare
0
0
3
4.0K
18 / 25 : Featured
agar mazloom kuchh bole to
dahshat-gard kahti hai
when countless cruelties are inflicted
on the oppressed, the world stays silent
but when the oppressed dare to speak out
it calls them terrorists
cruelty, tyranny
oppressed
world
terrorist
Theme: Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (69)
2
0
4
1.8K
19 / 25 : Featured
if i can get
through myself
i can get through
any calamity
Theme: Grit, Resilience, & Courage (62)
0
0
1
2.1K
20 / 25 : Featured
kiraae ke ghar the
badalte rahe
love, hatred
faithfulness, indifference
it was a rented house
kept changing
Theme: Heart, Mind, & Memory (67)
0
0
4
3.7K
21 / 25 : Featured
vahi ghar hai
vahi qissa hamaara
our address so far
has not changed
same house
same story ours
Theme: Time, Life & Learning (139)
0
0
0
2.9K
22 / 25 : Featured
ki har zarre ne mujhe tumse
milaane ki saazish ki hai
with so much dedication
did i strive and struggle to win you
that every atom of the universe
conspired to help me achieve it
0
0
3
2.6K
23 / 25 : Featured
rahatein aur bhi hain
wasl ki raahat ke siva
there are other sorrows
in this life than love’s longing
there are other comforts too
than the union with the beloved
Theme: Time, Life & Learning (139)
0
0
0
4.6K
24 / 25 : Featured
jo kisi ke kaam na aa sakey
main vo ek musht-e-gubaar huun
am not the light of anyone’s eyes
nor offer comfort to any heart
could not be of value to anyone
was just a handful of dust
1
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0
5.0K
25 / 25 : Featured
ki lagaaye na lage
aur bujhaaye na bane
we have no power over love,
it is a burning fire, ghalib
lights up without being lit, and
once lit, can’t be extinguished
Theme: Love, Passion, and Longing (125)
1
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6
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Ashaar (couplets) on other themes
Ashaar (couplets) by others
Alfaaz Ki Mehfil is a curated space for timeless poetry celebrating words, emotions, and the enduring beauty of expression. From classic Urdu couplets to modern reflections, it brings together generations of poetic voices that speak of love, longing, hope, and the human soul.
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