Contemporary · 1938–2016 · Delhi – Mumbai
Nida Fazli was born in Delhi and raised in Gwalior; when his family migrated to Pakistan at Partition, he stayed. Drawing on Mir, Kabir and folk song alike, he wrote ghazals and dohas in a Hindustani anyone could carry home. His lines on the divinity of ordinary people — "ghar se masjid hai bahut duur" — are among modern poetry's most repeated.
masajdin hain namaazeewan ke liye
apne ghar mein kahin khuda rakhna
jism mein pheelne laga hai shahar
apni tanhaaiyan bacha rakhna
milna jalna jahan zaroori hai
milne jalne ka hausla rakhna
umr karne ko hai pachaas ko paar
kaun hai kis jagah pata rakhna
zamin di hai toh thoda sa aasman bhi de
mire khuda mire hone ka kuchh guman bhi de
bana ke but mujhe beenaai ka azaab na de
ye hi azaab hai quismat toh phir zaban bhi de
ye kaaenaat ka pheelaaؤ toh bahut kam hai
jahan sama sake tanhaai wo makan bhi de
mein apne aap se kab tak kya karoon baatein
miri zaban ko bhi koi tarjuman bhi de
falak ko chaand sitaare nwaazne waale
mujhe charaagh jalaane ko saayban bhi de
jitni buri kahi jaati hai itni buri nahi hai duniyaa
bachchon ke askol mein shaayad tum se mili nahi hai duniyaa
chaar gharon ke ek mohalle ke baahar bhi hai aabaadi
jaisi tumhein dikhaai di hai sab ki wahi nahi hai duniyaa
ghar mein hi mat use sajaaؤ adhar adhar bhi le ke jaao
yoon lagta hai jaise tum se ab tak khuli nahi hai duniyaa
bhaag rahi hai geenad ke peechhe jaag rahi hai chaand ke neeche
shor bhare kaale naron se ab tak dari nahi hai duniyaa
kisi bhi shahar mein jaao kahin quayaam karo
koi faza koi manzar kisi ke naam karo
dua salaam zaroori hai shahar waalon se
magar akele mein apna bhi ahatraam karo
hamesha amn nahi hota faakhtaaؤn mein
kabhi kabhaar aquabon se bhi kalaam karo
har ek basti badalti hai rang roop kai
jahan bhi subh gazaaro adhar hi shaam karo
khuda ke hukm se shaitaan bhi hai aadam bhi
wo apna kaam kare ga tum apna kaam karo
kuchh dinon toh shahar saara ajanbi sa ho gaya
phir hua yoon wo kisi ki mein kisi ka ho gaya
ishq kar ke dekhiye apna toh ye hai tajarba
ghar mahla shahar sab pahle se achchha ho gaya