Main Khayal Hoon Kisi Aur Ka (I’m a thought of someone else)

Translation:

I’m a thought of someone, but being thought by someone else,
Appearing before the mirror is my image, behind is someone else.

I’m under possession of someone, someone else makes the claims,
I’m destined to be with someone, but who begs for me is someone else.

Amidst strange conundrum of belief and disbelief hangs my life,
I belong to someone, yet one who understands me is someone else…

My gloss and luminosity isn’t different from yours description, yet
come close, for me to be sure, you’re the same one or someone else?

You had no idea of enemies, I remain ignorant of friends,
Your story was something, but my incident is something else..

Should you meet face to face again, don’t ask – notice earnestly,
The one who noticed late, amidst the way – the road is different.

Those traditions of juries, those inscriptions of decisions,
My offense was quite different, my sentence is something else…

When my midnight-devotion does not accede to a gloom of morning,
This must be a telling that here now “master” is someone else….

– Dedicated to love unrequited.

Main Khayaal Hun Kisi Aur Ka Mujhe Sochtaa Koi Aur Hai
Sar-E-Aeenah Mera Aks Hai Pas-E-Aeenah Koi Aur Hai

Main Kisi Ke Daste Talab Main Hoon, To Kisi Kay Harf-E -Dua Main Hoon
Main Naseeb Hoon Kisi Aur Ka Mujhe Maangata Koi Aur Hai

Ajab Aitabar-O-Bey Aitabaree, Keh Darmayan Hai Zindagi
Main Qareeb Hoon Kisi Aur Ke Mujhe Janataa Koi Aur Hai

Meri Roshni Teri Khaddo-Khaal Se Mukhtalif To Nahin Magar
Tu Qareeb Aa Tujhe Dekh Lun Tu Wohi Hai Ya Koi Aur Hai

Tujhe Dushmanon Ki Khabar Nati, Mujhey Doston Ka Pata Nahi
Teri Daastan Koi Aur Thi, Mera Waaqaya Koi Aur Hai

Wohi Munsifon Ki Rwaayaten Wohi Faisalon Ki Ibaaraten
Mera Jurm To Koi Aur Tha Par Meri Sazaa Koi Aur Hai

Kabhi Laut Aayen To Na Poochna, Nahin Dekhnaa Onay Ghaur Se
Jinhen Raaste Main Khabar Hoyi Ki Yain Raasta Koi Aur Hai

Jo Meri Riyaazat-E-Nim Shab Ko Saleem Subho Na Mil Saki
To Phir Is Ke Mahni Yain Hoye Ke Yahaan Khudaa Koi Aur Hai

Urdu version:

میں خیال ہوں کسی اور کا ، مجھے سوچتا کوئی اور ہے
سرِ آئینہ میرا عکس ہے ، پسِ آئینہ کوئ اور ہے

میں کسی کے دستِ طلب میں ہوں تو کس کے حرفِ دعا میں ہوں
میں نصیب ہوں کسی اور کا ، مجھے مانگتا کوئی اور ہے

عجب اعتبار و بے اعتبار ی کے درمیان ہے زندگی
میں قریب ہو ں کسی اور کے مجھے جانتا کوئی اور ہے

مری روشنی ترے خد ّو خال سے مختلف تو نہیں مگر
تو قریب آ تجھے دیکھ لوں تو وہی ہے یا کوئی اور ہے

تجھے دشمنوں کی خبر نہ تھی مجھے دوستوں کا پتہ نہیں
تری داستاں کوئی اور تھی مرا واقعہ کو ئی اور ہے

وہی منصفوں کی روایتیں وہی فیصلوں کی عبارتیں
مرا جرم تو کوئی اور تھا پہ مری سزا کوئی اور ہے

کبھی لوٹ آئیں تو پوچھنا نہیں دیکھنا انہیں غور سے
جنہیں راستے میں خبر ہوئی کہ یہ راستہ کوئی اور ہے

جو مری ریاضتِ نیم شب کو سلیم صبح نہ مل سکی
تو پھر اس کے معنی تو یہ ہوئے کہ یہاں خدا کوئی اور ہے

– Original lyrics penned by Saleem Kausar

Superb rendition by Ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan saheb.

Great rendition by classical maestros Ustads Imtiaz and Riaz Ali Khan.

 

17 thoughts on “Main Khayal Hoon Kisi Aur Ka (I’m a thought of someone else)

  1. Pingback: Chupke Chupke Raat Din – Ghulam Ali (Longing in secret, those days and nights) | Serenades of a dreamer...
  2. “Main Khayaal hoon kisi aur ka, mujhe sochta koi aur hai.
    Sar-e-aaina mera aks hai, pas-e-aaina koi aur hai.

    Main kisi ke dast-e-talab mein hoon, to kisi ke harf-e-duwa mein hoon;
    Main naseeb hoon kisi aur ka, mujhe maangata koi aur hai.

    Kabhi lauT aayein to na poochhna, sirf dekhna baRe Ghaur se;
    Jinhein raaste mein Khabar huhi, ke yeh raasata koi aur hai.

    Ajab aitbar-o-be-aitbari ke darmiyan hai zindagi;
    Main qareeb hoon kisi aur ke, mujhe jaanata koi aur hai.

    Vahi munsifoon ki rivayatein, vahi faisaloon ki ibaratein;
    Mera jurm to koi aur tha, par meri saza koi aur hai.

    Teri roshni meri Khad-o-Khal se muKhtalif to nahi magar;
    Tu qareeb aa tujhe dekh loon, tu vahi hai ya koi aur hai.

    Jo meri riyazat-e-neem-shab ko ‘Saleem’ subh na mil saki;
    To phir is ke maani to ye huhe, ke yahaan Khuda koi aur hai.”

    THIS IS MY FAVORITE! Loved the elocution, and equally loved the translation!

    • Mine too… 🙂 Because it certainly is that great. Every couplet has a power, beauty, grace, irony and punch in it… Believe me when I say, I love it so much that it took me thrice than usual to translate this one. I didn’t want anything to go wrong or blurry; or have any essence of it to get lost in translation. I hope that I’ve been able to do a justice.

      My favorite one is the last couplet (Maqta)… which actually raises the power of whole poem by ten folds. I have 5 separate versions of its translation, out of which the one I used eventually is what I thought to be a best fit. 🙂
      2nd best – one that I often use for quoting is:
      When my restless night can’t lead me to the ecstasy of morning.
      This might be a sign that my allegiance lies to the other ‘One’ now.

      Also realized that you missed a couplet there in Urdu version… :p
      Tujhe dushmano ki khabar na thi, Mujhe doston ka pata nahi.
      Teri daastan koi aur thi, Mera waqiya koi aur hai…

      • That’s because I *copied* the Urdu version. Does someone else confess like that?
        But I really like that dushman-dost couplet, and what I loved the most about the entire ghazal is the WAY he has recited it.
        You’re right about this: ‘Every couplet has a power, beauty, grace, irony and punch in it!’..

        I am confused between choosing which one of the two translations of the ‘maqta’ are best. I like the ecstasy part, and the ‘One’ looks better too. But ‘master’ is what is appropriate or maybe I don’t know..

        Five separate versions of its translation? Wow.

      • Yes recitation is awesome. I cherish some good RJs who lend their voice for beautiful Urdu poems. He’s one of them. But I hope you heard Mehdi Hassan saheb’s version too. Because it has details like addition of his style, and Raags that make this already great poem more so.

        For a choice of words, I had similar perplexion at my end.
        Often artist’s intention is ‘One’, but ends up delivering something else. 😉

  3. Pingback: Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa (Why is the chaos growing?) | Serenades of a dreamer...
    • Thank you Miss Maqsood. 🙂 Each poem is near my heart, hence the translation. I guarantee they’re all great. I hope you would enjoy them too… If you know any ghazal similar to them in depth and nuance, do recommend me for sure. 🙂

      • Right now I cant recollect any intense, deep ghazals but sure insha’Allah when i do remember them I’ll share it with you. 🙂
        Oh I was reading Ahmed Faraz before logging here and I really like this ghazal by him, don’t know if u have read it. Its suna hai log ussey. Personally I like it alot ( i love his work) mainly cz itwas my first ghazal by him. And I like its light- hearted humor. It makes me smile whenever I read it. Do read that one. 🙂

      • Of course, I have read and listened to it… countless times indeed… So much that I had to put myself on a restraining order… it has become so commercially popular… that even though I like it, its commercialism now puts me off.
        And just like the most famous works, as it happens to be of Ahmed Faraz, it’s already translated, adapted and been played by many artists. Somehow my curiosity to adapt and translate always piques on rare gems. I don’t know if this makes any sense… 🙂
        But that Ghazal is a great work no doubt in that.

  4. Hahaha same here but I cant restrain myself and I love listening Ahmed Faraz reciting it, cant get enough of it. Haan woh toh hai its commercialised now.
    Oh yes it does make sense. 🙂
    Why don’t you translate Ghalib’s? Bazeecha-e-atfal hai zindagi mere aage is good. Don’t know if its been translated or not 🙂

  5. Pingback: Chupke Chupke Raat Din – Ghulam Ali (Longing in secret, those days and nights) | Serenades of a dreamer...

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