12 verses · ~1 min
हम घूम चुके बस्ती-वन में इक आस का फाँस लिए मन में
कोई साजन हो, कोई प्यारा हो कोई दीपक हो, कोई तारा हो
जब जीवन-रात अंधेरी हो इक बार कहो तुम मेरी हो
जब सावन-बादल छाए हों जब फागुन फूल खिलाए हों
जब चंदा रूप लुटाता हो जब सूरज धूप नहाता हो
या शाम ने बस्ती घेरी हो इक बार कहो तुम मेरी हो
हाँ दिल का दामन फैला है क्यों गोरी का दिल मैला है
हम कब तक पीत के धोखे में तुम कब तक दूर झरोखे में
कब दीद से दिल की सेरी हो इक बार कहो तुम मेरी हो
क्या झगड़ा सूद-ख़सारे का ये काज नहीं बंजारे का
सब सोना रूपा ले जाए सब दुनिया, दुनिया ले जाए
तुम एक मुझे बहुतेरी हो इक बार कहो तुम मेरी हो
इति
The Poet
इब्ने इंशा
Ibn-e-Insha
1927 · 1978
Sher Muhammad Khan, immortalized under the pen name Ibn-e-Insha, was a literary wanderer who observed the world with a brilliant mix of deep melancholy and razor sharp wit. Born in 1927 in the Jalandhar district of Punjab, he migrated to Pakistan and became one of the most beloved Urdu poets and travelogue writers of his generation. His most famous ghazal Insha Ji Utho Ab Kooch Karo carries an overwhelming sense of world weariness and final departure, sung beautifully by generations of classical vocalists. Yet, alongside this intense sorrow, he authored travelogues filled with hilarious, biting satire that dissected human follies across the globe. He served in the United Nations, traveling extensively before his premature death in London in 1978. He remains the poet of the restless soul, wrapping profound existential grief inside breathtaking lyrical beauty.
Paired Painting
The Maiden was Loth to Hearken to Nala's Message
This delicate illustration by Evelyn Paul captures a poignant moment from the ancient epic tale of King Nala and Queen Damayanti. Within the ornate pavilions of her royal palace, Princess Damayanti hesitates, her heart weighed down by modesty and longing, while a messenger gently pleads the love of Nala. The artist weaves Western romantic illustration traditions with Indian mythological storytelling, creating an intimate tableau of devotion, hesitation, and royal grace.
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