Published by Hachette, on Amazon.in and in bookstores across India.

This is such an amazing initiative! This is a great collection of Urdu poetry which has been made accessible to everybody.

— Aditi Rao Hydari, Actor

1 Urdu couplets and shers with zabt

zabt(m): restraint, self-control

Description of zabt: Zabt is a historical revenue system implemented during the Mughal Empire in India, involving systematic land measurement and cash crop assessment for taxation. Unlike earlier crop-sharing methods, it fixed revenue based on soil fertility and yield estimates to promote economic stability. Differs from arbitrary collections by using standardized surveys across northern India, Malwa, and Gujarat. In Urdu poetry, zabt evokes disciplined restraint in ghazals, symbolizing emotional control.

1 / 1: zabt

zabt karta huun to ghuThta hai qafas mein mera dam

aah karta huun to

sayyaad khafa hota hai

if i restrain myself and submit

i suffocate in this cage

if i sigh and complain

my captor becomes irate

Qamar Jalalvi (5)

zabt (m) (1)

restraint, self-control

ghuThta (m) (1)

suffocate

qafas (m) (5)

cage, prison

dam (m) (9)

moment, breath

aah (m) (7)

sigh

sayyaad (m) (8)

captor, hunter

khafa (m) (6)

angry, upset

Theme: Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

3.9K

Featured Themes

Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (40)

Voice, Expression, & Language (78)

Friends, Family, & Community (139)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (66)

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (70)

Love, Passion, and Longing (113)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (37)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (58)

Nature, World & Universe (50)

Miscellany (44)

Life, Learning, & Living (127)

Home, Country, & Belonging (30)

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.

Quick Links

zabt(m): restraint, self-control

Featured Shaayars

See All Shaayars

Featured Themes