Classical · 1778–1847 · Faizabad – Lucknow
Khwaja Haidar Ali Aatish was, with Nasikh, a founder of the Lucknow school of Urdu ghazal. Living plainly, almost as a dervish, he balanced the school’s love of ornament with directness and force of feeling. His couplets on self-respect and contentment are among the most quoted in Urdu.
sun to sahi jahaan mein hai tera fasaana kya
kehti hai tujh ko khalq-e-khuda ghaaibaana kya
baahar nikal ke deedah-e-hairaan ke chaar so
aalam hai husn-e-yaar ke jalve mein gharq kya
ye aarzu thi tujhe gul ke ru-ba-ru karte
hum aur bulbul-e-betaab guftugu karte
lipaT-ti hai dhuaan ban ke ye aah-e-dil-e-zaar
mire nikalte hi ghar se charaagh bujhte hain
bandagi mein bhi vo aazaada-o-khud-been hain ki ham
ulTe phir aaye dar-e-kaaba agar va na hua
zindagi hai ya koi toofan hai
ham to is jeene ke haathon mar chale
hum hain mushtaaq aur vo bezaar
ya ilaahi ye maajra kya hai
shab ko mere saamne us ne charaagh ko bujha diya
aur kaha ki chaand hai dil ko tasalli ho gayi