This is another one of those ghazals, very close to my heart… It’s been performed by various artists of esteemed caliber and reputation… Few to mention are the favorites: Ghulam Ali saheb, Madam Abida Parveen, Late Begum Akhtar, and Nayyara Noor.
It’s hard to choose which rendition to pick and select for the top.
– Rendition by Begum Akhtar is my favorite, it’s classical to the core, delivers the soul of the ghazal with ethos and pathos of nostalgia perfectly… (And the only time I preferred anything over Ghulam Ali saheb’s version)
Translation:
That solace as once breathed among us,
Whether you care recalling or do not…
That promise, yes, of following thus,
Whether you care recalling or do not…
Those amenities showered on me before
All comforts on my state that you pour,
I do recollect all even if as a fragment..
Whether you care recalling or do not…
Those rants crisp, complains afresh,
Those captivating bits of guidance,
That being irked at each thought,
Whether you care recalling or do not…
Listen, revelation it is quite an ages old,
Once you happened to made few promises bold,
What good now, revisiting they full-filled or not?
Whether you care recalling or do not…
By a fleeting chance, when we met,
To display sincerity each moment,
A discontent at meeting frequently not,
Whether you care recalling or do not…
At times coming one to one in gathering among all,
though lips sealed, yet gaze delivering it all,
Those gestures revealing desires a lot…
Whether you care recalling or do not…
Had ever anything happened as,
something that lead you to a distress,
Before even revealing, forgetting it all,
Whether you care recalling or do not…
Once did exist a passion between us
Once there was a compassion between us
Once we’re too acquainted with what other sought.
Whether you care recalling or do not…
That turbulence before night of reunion,
Those disagreements over our communion,
Gifting long list of things for “Must not”..
Whether you care recalling or do not…
One who you did count among the cordial…
One who you did count among the sincere…
I am one – a very love-sworn mascot…
Whether you care recalling or do not…
– Dedicated to once long wearer of love-sworn mascot…
Woh jo hum maiN tum maiN qarar tha
tumhaiN yaad ho keh nah yaad ho
Wohi waada yaani nibah ka
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoWoh jo lutf mujh peh thay peshtar
Woh karam keh tha meray haal per
Mujhay sabb hay yaad zara zara
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoWoh naay gilay woh shikaayateN
Woh mazay mazay ki hikayateN
Woh har ik baat peh roothna
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoSuno zikr hai kai saal ka,
koi vaada mujh se tha aap ka
Woh nibahne ka to zikr kya,
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoHooay ittefaq say gar baham
To wafa jatanay ko dam badam
Gila-e-malamat-e-aqrabaa
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoKabhi baithe sab mein jo ru ba ru
to ishaaron hi se guftagu
Wo bayan shauk ka barmala
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoKoi baat aisee gar hooee
Keh tumharay jee ko buree lagee
To bayaN say pehlay hee bhoolna
TumhaiN yaad ho keh na yaad hoKabhi hum maiN tum maiN bhi chah thee
Kabhi hum maiN tum maiN bhi rah thi
Kabhi hum bhi tum bhi thay aashnaa
TumhaiN yaad ho keh nah yaad hoWoh bigarnaa wasl ki raat ka
Woh naa ma’an-na kisi baat ka
Who nahiN nahiN ki har aan adaa
TumhaiN yaad ho keh nah yaad hoJisay aap gintay thay aashnaa
Jisay aap kehtay thay baawafa
MaiN wohi hooN Momin-e-mubtalaa
TumhaiN yaad ho keh nah yaad ho
– Urdu version:
وہ جو ہم میں تم میں قرار تھا ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
وہی یعنی وعدہ نباہ کا ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہووہ جو لطف مجھ پہ تھے پیش تر، وہ کرم کہ تھا میرے حال پر
مجھے سب یاد ہے ذرا ذرا ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہووہ نئے گلے، وہ شکایتیں، وہ مزے مزے کی حکایتیں
وہ ہر ایک بات پہ روٹھنا، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہوسنو ذکر ہے کئی سال کا کہ کیا اِک آپ نے وعدہ تھا
سو نباہنے کا تو ذکر کیا، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہوہوئے اتفاق سے گر بہم ، تو وفا جتانے کو دم بہ دم
گلہ ملامتِ اقرباء ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہوکبھی بیٹھے جو سب میں روبرو ، تو اشاروں ہی میں گفتگو
وہ بیان شوق کا برملا ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہوکوئی ایسی بات ہوئی اگر کہ تمہارے جی کو بری لگی
تو بیاں سے پہلے ہی بھولنا ،تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہوکبھی ہم میں تم میں بھی چاہ تھی ، کبھی ہم میں تم میں بھی راہ تھی
کبھی ہم بھی تم بھی تھے آشنا ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہووہ بگڑنا وصل کی رات کا، وہ نہ ماننا کسی بات کا
وہ نہیں نہیں کی ہر آن ادا، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہوجسے آپ گنتے تھے آشنا ، جسے آپ کہتے تھے باوفا
میں وہی ہوں مومنِ مبتلا ، تمہیں یاد ہو کہ نہ یاد ہو
– Original poem, the ghazal written by 18th century Urdu poet of par excellence and depth: Momin Khan Momin. His praise is often mentioned in a way that even his contemporary Ghalib (the incomparable) was his fan.
Ghulam Ali saheb’s performance (No need to mention, this one comes with the inherited charm of his style and manners):
Abida Parveen’s rendition (Patience delivers the results, this is something that sticks with you for long…):
Nayyara Noor’s vocals (Her voice and musical composition for the ghazal here is spell-binding):
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Still, there are many things to be said about this ghazal, the genius of its poet, and its renditions, but someone has already beat me to that… here’s the link for the details… A mesmerizing ghazal – Woh Joh Hum Mei Tum Mei Qarar Tha
Serenades of a dreamer... 
Wow… Never heard this ghazal before but I am listening to it again and again now.
This is as good as it can get, with simplicity and nostalgia punched in each couplet. If Chupke Chupke and Ranjish Hi Sahi are King and Queen for remembrance of lovely days begone, this one too is in family not far away. 🙂
This is one is love!! I remember the first time I heard this one was when Shehzad Roy “Pop-fied” it and I loved it, merely coz of the poetry then I was introduced to the Abida Parveen version by dad, and fell in love with the verses once again!
“Huey gar ittefaq se barham….” is my fav part. This ghazal, I think, speaks of pure and innocent love.
Yes, Miss Maqsood, very aptly put. It speaks of pure and innocent love… Both the lover recalling and the beloved he’s remembering of (with sarcasm of whether she remembers him or not) are very pure and innocent ones in ocean of love… The little things he recalls of her, those moments, and how those little things are so important to recall now in fragments, is a proof that there once was a relation too comforting and casual among them, that is now not there, it’s like bridge is burned and only the ashes remain… Yet total love is his last sentence – the ending couplet, reminding her that once whom she considered her loyal friend and her confidant, her lover and her companion, he’s that very same fellow, whether she cares recalling or do not… No matter how much we hear that or even experience it times a few in life, it’s still no short of awe, how sudden turn of events make people strangers from once the love swearing friends… Perhaps, our egos, our failures, our in-competencies, and our not falling in love with people evolve but way they appear to us, is something to blame.
Reblogged this on Refuge. and commented:
Tumhe Yaad Ho K Na Yaad Ho..