12 Urdu ash'ar / shayari (shers, couplets) by
Firaq Gorakphuri
1896-1982,
Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh)
Firaq Gorakphuri Biography
Biography
Firaq Gorakhpuri, born Raghupati Sahay in 1896, was one of the most celebrated voices of modern Urdu poetry. He came from a well-educated Hindu Kayastha family in Gorakhpur. From an early age, he was surrounded by literature and languages, which shaped his lifelong love for poetry.
Though he was selected for both the Provincial Civil Service and the Indian Civil Service, he chose a very different path. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s call, he joined the non-cooperation movement. This decision cost him his official career and even landed him in prison for more than a year. Yet, it also defined his courage and commitment to a life guided by principles.
After his release, Firaq turned to teaching. He spent decades as a lecturer in English literature at Allahabad University, where he became known as much for his lectures as for his poetry. It was during this time that he produced some of his finest works, including the collection Gul-e-Naghma, which later won him the Jnanpith Award.
Firaq was a poet who bridged cultures and languages. He wrote ghazals, nazms, rubaai, and prose. His style combined the grace of tradition with the freshness of modern thought. He often blended romantic themes with reflections on human struggle and social realities. His command over both Urdu and English made him a unique literary figure who could converse across worlds.
Recognition followed. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1960, the Padma Bhushan in 1968, the Jnanpith Award in 1969, and the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 1970. In his final years, he was honored with the Ghalib Award in 1981, just a year before his death.
Firaq’s personal life remains less documented. What stands out most is his deep belief in harmony and his often-quoted idea that language belongs to no single community but to all who embrace it.
He passed away in 1982 in New Delhi. Even today, his verses are remembered for their lyricism, their humanity, and their ability to capture the essence of both love and sorrow. Firaq Gorakhpuri remains a poet whose words continue to echo across generations.
1 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
nayi nayi si hai kuchh
teri raahguzar phir bhi
a thousand times has
the world passed by here
even then, your (love’s) path
seems new every time
Theme: Love, Passion, and Longing (113)
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2 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
zindagi tu ne to dhoke pe
diya hai dhoka
of death, at least,
i don’t expect this
oh life, you have only
cheated me, again and again
Theme: Life, Learning, & Living (122)
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3 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
kitni aahista
aur kitni tez
watch
the pace of revolution, firaq
how deliberate
and, yet, how swift
Theme: Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (57)
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4 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
inheen se kaam chalao
baDi udaas hai raat
in these ruins, there are
a few broken lamps somewhere
make do with them
for this is quite a sad night
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5 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
vo teri yaad mein ho
ya tujhe bhulaane mein
the days of my life
were thus spent, my dear
either in remembering you
or in an effort to forget
Theme: Heart, Mind, & Memory (62)
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6 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
tujhe, aye zindagi,
hum door se pehchaan lete hain
for a long time now, i recognize
the soft sound of your footsteps
oh life,
i recognize you from afar
Theme: Life, Learning, & Living (122)
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7 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
ik zara divaangi
darkaar hai
there is nothing lacking
in intellect and reason
but you still need
a touch of madness
Theme: Life, Learning, & Living (122)
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8 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
kuchh faza kuchh
hasrat-e-parvaaz ki baaten karo
through the bars of the cage
some light is seeping through
speak of the expanse
speak of the desire to fly
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9 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
phir aao vaheen langar Daalen
phir aao unhen aabaad karen
in the ocean of the past, often
islands of memories are found
so, come, let’s anchor here
so, come, let’s dwell here
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10 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
bahut hote hain, yaaro,
chaar din bhi
it is true that life is
just four days long
even these four days, friends,
are too many
Theme: Life, Learning, & Living (122)
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11 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
haaye zaalim, tera
andaaz-e-karam kya kahiye
behind the comfort's veil, what to say
of this tyranny and cruelty
oh you tyrant, what to say
of your style of kindness
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12 / 12: Firaq Gorakphuri
magar humein to
tera intezaar karna tha
no promise, no assurance
no hope
yet, i had to
keep waiting for you
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