Madhushala Part 4
18. Laalaait adharon se jisne,
haay nahi choomi haalaa
harsh-vikampit kar se jisne,
haa na chhuwaa madhu ka pyaalaa
haath pakad lajjit saaki ka,
paas nahi jisne kheenchaa
vyarth sukhaa daali jeevan ki,
usne madhumay MADHUSHAALAA.
The poet is playful again and says that one who has not kissed the wine with his thirsty lips, one who has not touched the cup with his trembling hands , one who has not held the shyful saaki’s hand and pulled her towards oneself , he has wasted this lovely life (Madhushala).
Here I remember Ghalibs poetry
go haath ko jumbish nahi aankhon mein to dum hai
rahne do saagar-o-meena mere saamne.
Ghalib says that what if I dont have the strength in my numb hands to get the cup , I have strength in my eyes. So he tells the bartender(saaki) to let the wine stay in front of him.
19. bane pujaari premi saaqi,
gangaajal pawan haalaa
rahe pherata avirat gati se,
madhu ke pyaalon ki maalaa
aur liye jaa, aur piye jaa,
isi mantra ka jaap kare
maen Shiv ki pratimaa ban baethun,
mandir ho yeh MADHUSHAALAA.
This is the poets imagination running wild. He imagines his lover saaki as priest, the wine as the holy Ganges water, and the saaki by making the rosary bead of wine glasses uttering the mantra of ‘Take more and drink more’ . He imagines himself as the Lord Shivas idol and the Madhushala(tavern) as the temple.
I faced some ire from some religious people whenever I uttered this to them .
And for them I have this sher, I guess it is Ghalib again.
zaahid, sharaab peene de masjid mein baithkar
ya woh jagah bathaa jaha khuda na ho
Ghalib(???) says O priest ,lemme have wine/liquor in the mosque or tell me where there is no God.
20. baji na mandir mein ghadiyaali
chadi na pratima par maala ,
baitha apne bhuvan muazzin
dekhar masjid mein taala
lutey khajaane narpatiyo ke
giri gado ki deevaren
rahe mubaarak peenevaale,
khuli rahe yah madhushaala
The poet says that it doesnt matter to him if the bells doesnt toll in the temple,nor if the idol is not decorated with flowers , nor if the imam (Islamic priest) sits at home adn doesnt open the masjid for prayers. It doesnt matter to him if the treasures of the rich are looted nor if the fortress is felled . He only wishes the drinker to remain fit and fine and the Madhushala to remain open.
21.bade bade parivar mitey yo,
ek na ho ronevaala,
ho jaaye sunsaan mahal be,
jaha thirakti surbaala,
rajya ulat jaaye, bhoopo ki
bhagya-sulakshmi so jaaye;
jame rahenge peehevaale,
jaga karegi madhushaala
The poet says that even if big families perish without trace, even if palaces become empty where once there was a lot of show, even if the regimes change ,even if lady luck goes to sleep , even then the drinkers will rule and the Madhushala will remain open.
22.sab mit jaaye, bana rahega
sundar saaki,yam kaala
soonkhe sab ras,bane rahnege,
kintu, halaahal aur haala,
dhoomdhaam aur chahal-pahal ke
sthaan sabhi sunsaan bane,
jaga karega avirath marghat,
jaga karegi madhushaala
The poet says Madhushala and the death(cemetery) are the only truths in this world.
The poet here says even if the world perishes ,the black God of death(yam) and the beautiful saaki will remain, even if all the oceans dry , poison (a/c to Hindu mythology, this poison,halaahal was created out of churning the ocean by Gods and demons) and wine will remain ,even if all the places of entertainment are deserted , the cemetry will be alive(???) and the Madhushala will be abuzz.
23.bura sada kehlaayega jag mein
baanka, mad-chanchal pyaala,
chail-chabila, rasiya saaki.
albela peenevaala;
patey kaha se , madhushala aur,
jag ki jodi theek nahi -
jag jarjar pratidin, pratikshan,par
nitya naveli madhushaala
The world will always say bad things about the nice cup , the voluptous saaki and the lively drinker. How can there be similarities between this world and Madhushala ? The world is decaying day by day whereas Madhsuhala is always fresh .
24.bina piye jo madhushala ko
bura kahe , vah matvaala,
pee lene par toh uske muh
par jaayega taala;
daas drohiyo dono mein hai
jeet suraki, pyaale ki,
vishvavijayini bankar jag mein
aayi meri Madhushaala
One who has never tasted wine and says harsh words about Madhushala, once he tastes wine he becomes speechless. The wine and the cup always wins in every battle. Madhushala has come in this world as the king(world beater).
I remember one of Ghulam Ali’s nice songs where he says
naa tajrubakaari se vaiz ki ye baaten hai
is rang ko kya jaane poocha jo kabhi pee hai
The poet here says not to mind the preacher as the preacher is in-experienced in drinking and doesnt know the beauty of alcohol.
25.hara bhara rahta madiraalay,
jag par padh jaaye paala,
vaha muharram ka taam chaaye,
yaha holika ki jvaala;
svarg lok se seedhi uthari
vasudha par, dukh kya jaane;
padhe marsiya duniya saari,
id manaati madhushaala
The poet wishes the madhushala to be evergreen and let the world has calamities . Let the world mourn as if it were Muharram, and let Madhushala celebrate the fire and color festival Holi (Indian festival). The poet claims that the Madhushala has descended straight from heaven and hence it doesnt know sadness. The poet further says the world is reading marsiya, and the Madhushala is celebrating Id.
Muharram is an Islamic ocassion where 10 days of mourning is observed in memory of Karbala tragedy ,where the grandson of Prophet Mohammed was martyred(One can compare this martyrdom to that of Christ). This is a Shiite festival and some very vivid poetic accounts of this tragedy, named marsiya, are told by some great poets. My personal favorite is Babar Ali Anees .Check him out at here http://urdupoetry.com/anees.html.
Id is again an Islamic festival in which there is happiness and lots of feasting.
