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

4 Urdu couplets and shers with chalte

chalte: move, go

Description of chalte: The Urdu word chalte means "walking" or "moving," derived from the verb "chalna." Unlike static descriptions, chalte conveys continuous motion and progression through space or time. Differs from "chal," which is the imperative command form, chalte functions as a present participle expressing ongoing action. In literary and poetic contexts, chalte carries metaphorical weight, symbolizing life's journey, the passage of time, or emotional movement through relationships and experiences.

1 / 4: chalte

ek pal ke rukne se duur ho gayee manzil

sirf hum nahin chalte

raaste bhi chalte hain

by pausing for a moment

the goal slipped farther away

it is not only we that move,

the paths are moving too

Shahid Siddiqui (3)

pal (m) (7)

moment, nurture

rukne (m) (1)

tostop

duur (7)

distant, far away

manzil (f) (24)

goal, destination

sirf (4)

only

chalte (4)

move, go

raaste (m) (4)

path, paths

Theme: Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

2.8K

2 / 4: chalte

log kaanTon se bach ke chalte hain

main ne phoolon se

zakhm khaaye hain

people walk along,

surviving the thorns

but here i am,

wounded by flowers

Anonymous

kaanTon (m) (2)

thorns

chalte (4)

move, go

phoolon (m) (5)

flowers

zakhm (m) (16)

wound, injury

Theme: Nature, World & Universe (50)

3.8K

3 / 4: chalte

musaafir hain yaaron na ghar hai na thikaana

mujhe chalte jaana hai

bas chalte jaana

i am a traveler, my friends

with neither home, nor shelter

i just need to keep walking

keep walking

Gulzar (Sampooran Singh Kalra) (7)

musaafir (m) (7)

fellow traveler

yaaron (m) (3)

friends

thikaana (m) (1)

shelter

chalte (4)

move, go

Theme: Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

2.9K

4 / 4: chalte

'shakeb', apne taaruf ke liye ye baat kaafi hai

hum us se bach ke chalte hain

jo raasta aam ho jaaye

shakeb, for my introduction,

this much is enough

i steer clear of paths

that are trodden by all

Shakeb Jalali (Syed Hasan Rizvi) (1)

taaruf (m) (1)

introduction

kaafi (3)

enough

chalte (4)

move, go

raasta (m) (5)

path, way, road

aam (3)

common

Theme: Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

Featured Themes

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

Miscellany (44)

Love, Passion, and Longing (113)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (58)

Nature, World & Universe (50)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (66)

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (70)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (40)

Friends, Family, & Community (139)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (37)

Voice, Expression, & Language (78)

Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

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

chalte: move, go

Featured Shaayars

See All Shaayars

Featured Themes