Classical · 1735–1830 · Delhi – Agra
Wali Muhammad, who wrote as Nazeer Akbarabadi, was the great nazm poet of Agra. Turning away from courtly ghazal, he wrote of Holi and Eid, of bread and money, of the banjara and the swimmer — an everyday humanism rare in his age. His Banjaranama remains among the best-loved poems in Urdu.
jo us anjuman mein hain beethte toh mizaaj us ke se ham ko wan
kabhi ijz hai kabhi beem hai kabhi rasm hai kabhi daab hai
wo adhar se ja ke jo aata hai use donon haal se dil mein yan
kabhi soch hai kabhi fikr hai kabhi ghaur hai kabhi taab hai
jo wo baad bosa ke naaz se zara jhadke hai toh nazeeraؔ ko
kabhi masri hai kabhi quanad hai kabhi shahad hai kabhi raab hai
lo na hans hans ke tum aghyaar se gul daston se
itni zid bhi na rakho apne jigar khaston se
fanadquin bazm mein dekh us ke sar angashton se
rishta-e rabt ne li raah kaf daston se
robro howe jo chashmaan butan se ai dil
darte rahna hi munaasib hai siyah maston se
dast sayyaad se chhote toh uchhal pay dar pay
warna kya faaeda ai aahwe dil jaston se
pesh jaati nahi hargiz koi tadbeer nazeeraؔ
kaam jab aan ke padta hai zabardaston se
kuchh aur toh nahi hamein us ka ajab hai ab
yaani wo shokh ham se khafa be sabab hai ab
aah w fughaan w girya w andoh w dard w daagh
jo jins ishq hai wo mire paas sab hai ab
dekhe se jis ke ghuncha sifat gul ho rashk hai
aisa toh us janam mein wahi ghuncha lab hai ab
subh falak bhi jis ki tajalli se ho khajil
us rashk maahtaab se apni wo shab hai ab
aaeena ek dam nahi rakhta hai haath se
aisa wo apne rukh ka tamaasha talab hai ab
us gul badan ke wasl se har dam nazeeraؔ ko
sab se ziyaada khalque mein aish w tarab hai ab
hoon tere tasawwur mein miri jan hama tan chashm
dil hai mira joon aaeena hairan hama tan chashm
ta ek nazar dekhe tujhe ai mah taaban
rahta hai sada mehar darakhshan hama tan chashm
aankhon ko mile taaka tire paanw ke neeche
har naqsh quadam se hai bayaaban hama tan chashm
deewaangi meri ke tahayyur mein shab w roz
hai halqua-e zanjeer se zindan hama tan chashm
us aaeena ro ke hai tasawwur mein nazeeraؔ ab
hairat zada nazaara pareshan hama tan chashm
saniye ai jan kabhi aseer ki arz
apne kooche ke ja pazeer ki arz