I was asked once – “What is you favorite word in Urdu?”

And that was an ordeal in itself. I ended up writing following… 🙂 Hope you like it!

Darasal [Actually],there are not faqat [only] one or two, but beshumaar [incalculable] Urdu alfaaz [words]which I like a lot! 🙂 Also, choosing just one would be a grave na-insaafi [injustice] to this khoobsurat [beautiful] language.

I have yaqeen [belief] that the true imtehan [test] of a zabaan [language] is how it depicts your ehsaas [feelings], when you are in Ishq [Love]!

It really starts, when you one day have a deedar [sight] of a beautiful person. You are now always thinking about him/her from seher [morning] to shab-e-raat [night], weaving roomani [romantic] tales in your khwaab [dream].

One fine day, you buckle-up and do izhaar [propose]of love . You are elated when, instead of the dreaded inkaar [rejection], you get the ikraar [acceptance] from your mehboob [beloved]. Now no one else fascinates you more, from the high falaq [sky] to the vast zameen [earth]; neither the evening mehtaab [moon] nor the noon aaftab [sun]. That person becomes your tamaam [entire, whole] kaiynaat [universe]

The raftaar[speed] of waqt [time] seems so fast when you are with that khaas [special] person and ahista [slow] when you are separated. The masoom [innocent] heart, just has the justujoo [longing]for the next mulaqat [meeting], howsoever mukhtasar [short/brief] it might be, cherishing theendless guftagoo [chit chat]. You learn the subtlehunar [talent] to play with her zulf [hair] and labb [lips] with nazakat [delicateness]. You are never masroof [busy] for your beloved, always mayassar [available].

Lover’s tiffs make you both khafa / naraaz [unhappy], sometimes on reason, but mostly be-wajah or be-sabab [without any reason]. Yet, lamhein [moments] later, you patch up and all is well with the world again.You are deep in ibadat [prayers] for her when she is nasaaz [ill, not well].

The qurbat [closeness, nearness] between you two increases its shiddat [intensity], with each one of you, making the other muqammal [complete]. Whenever alone, you are full of musalsal [constant] iztiraar [restlessness]; when with her you get sukoon [peace]. Love isbandagi! [devotion]. You thankGod for His nawazish [kindess, generousity].

When in gardish [bad-times], you separate due to misunderstanding; all Hell breaks lose! You go to mai-khana 😉 [tavern] to drown your gham [pain], where you are served by the saki [bartender] and lose all sense of paimana [measure]. The furqat [separation] is so heart-breaking. It’s just left to tasavvur [imagination], where your ulfat [love] is bepanah [limitless] and the hasrat [desire] for her is unquenchable. There is tassuf [regret] and you feel like your life is sifar [nothing]

But due to inayat [blessing] of God, everything is solved. [I have to make this a happy ending! ;)] Both do sajda [bow in reverance] in front of God and do shukrana [Gratitude].

Is it an ittefaaq [coincidence] or taqdir [destiny]? It’s truly a moutjza [miracle] that two mukhtalif [different] persons are waabastaa [related to] each other, hamesha ke liye [for ever]!

Afreen! Afreen! [Word of applause!]

— Jatinder Singh , the lousy poet

© Written 8-Sep-2016