aaj tak dair-o-haram mein

Interpretation

In this sher, shaayar Rampuri contrasts two symbolic spaces. One is the rigid, rule bound world of the religious establishment where power and orthodoxy dominate. The other is the freer realm represented by wine, glass, and goblet, metaphors for joy, openness, intoxication of love and human warmth.

The poet mourns that across ages only the sword has been allowed to move unchallenged, while gentler impulses have been restrained.

The tone is wistful yet quietly rebellious. By placing himself among the rindon (revelers), the poet aligns with a tradition that values delight, compassion, and freedom over force or tradition, over orthodoxy of religion.

The couplet becomes a subtle critique of institutions that suppress joy, suggesting that a more humane world would allow sheesha and saagar to flow without fear.