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2 Urdu couplets and shers with tamashaayi

tamashaayi(f): spectator

Description of tamashaayi: Tamashayi is an Urdu noun referring to a spectator or onlooker who watches events idly, or colloquially, an attractive person drawing gazes like a "looker." Unlike a participant who engages actively, tamashaayi remains detached and observational. Differs from "tamasha," which means spectacle itself, by denoting the passive viewer. In Urdu poetry, it evokes crowds mesmerized by beauty or drama, as in ghazals depicting lovers as entranced tamashaayi.

1 / 2: tamashaayi

apne jalne ka hamesha se tamashaayi hoon

aag ye kis ne lagaayi

mujhe maloom naheen

i have always been

a spectator of my own ruin

as to who lit the fire

am yet to figure out

Mohammad Aazam (1)

hamesha (5)

always

tamashaayi (f) (2)

spectator

aag (m) (5)

fire

maloom (4)

to know

Theme: Life, Learning, & Living (127)

2 / 2: tamashaayi

main tere husn ka khalwat mein tamashaayi huun

aaina seekh na jaaye

kaheen hairat meri

i am, in isolation,

a spectator of your beauty

may the mirror not learn

of my awe and wonder

Sahba Lakhnavi (1)

husn (m) (19)

beauty

khalwat (f) (2)

loneliness / intimacy

tamashaayi (f) (2)

spectator

aaina (m) (6)

mirror

seekh (2)

to learn

hairat (f) (3)

awe, wonder

Theme: Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

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Featured Themes

Life, Learning, & Living (127)

Nature, World & Universe (50)

Friends, Family, & Community (139)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (40)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (58)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

Voice, Expression, & Language (78)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (66)

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (70)

Home, Country, & Belonging (30)

Love, Passion, and Longing (113)

Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (37)

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

Miscellany (44)

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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tamashaayi(f): spectator

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