Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa: What the poet meant?

 



Hungama hai kyon barpa


My father loved ghazals and I became familiar with many because of him. The above is a very popular ghazal best associated with the Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali. 

Until more recently I took it at face value and believed it was a monologue by an alcoholic. 
I was, and many of you too will be, surprised to know that alcohol is not at all the subject of this song!

To understand poetry it is necessary to understand the poet. The reverse is just as true. To understand the poet you must know his/ her poetry.

In this post I will discuss the poet who penned this beautiful ghazal and what he really meant through its verses.

Let’s first look at its word to word meaning. 

Hungama hai kyon barpa 
Thodi si jo pee li hai
Daka to nahi dala 
Chori to nahi ki hai

हंगामा है क्यूँ बरपा थोड़ी सी जो पी ली है 
डाका तो नहीं मारा चोरी तो नहीं की है 

Hungama = uproar
Kyon= why
Barpa = befallen, arisen, suddenly occurred 
Thodi si = just a little bit
Pee li hai= consumed ( alcohol)
Daka= burglary, looting
Chori= theft

Why is there so much uproar when I have had just a little bit of alcohol?
I haven’t committed a burglary or theft ! 

ना-तजरबा-कारी से वाइ'ज़ की ये हैं बातें 
इस रंग को क्या जाने पूछो तो कभी पी है 

Na tajurba kari se waij ki yeh baatein hai
Is rang ko kya jaane puchho toh kabhi pee hai

Tajurba= experience 
Waij= baseless, futile
Is rang ko kya jaane= what do they know about the color of wine
Puccho= ask
To kabhi pee hai= if they ever drank it

Those who advise me to quit drinking, their advice is baseless, coming without any personal experience. 
Ask them if they have ever tasted it (to know what it is/ how good it is.)

उस मय से नहीं मतलब दिल जिस से है बेगाना 
मक़्सूद है उस मय से दिल ही में जो खिंचती है 

Usa mai se nahi matlab dil jisse ho begana 
Maksood hai usa mai se dil hi mein jo khichti hai

Mai= wine, alcohol
Matlab = meaning, interest, connection
Dil= mind, heart
Begana= stranger, lost to oneself
Maksood = intention
Khichti hai= pulls 

I have no interest in the alcohol that makes me intoxicated and unaware of myself or my surroundings. 
Instead my intention for drinking is to look within myself. 

ऐ शौक़ वही मय पी ऐ होश ज़रा सो जा 
मेहमान-ए-नज़र इस दम एक बर्क़-ए-तजल्ली है 

Ay shauk wahi mai pee, ay hosh jara so jaa
Mehmaan-e-nazar isa dum ek burk-e-tajalli hai

Ay shauk = O enjoyment 
Wahi = the very same. That
Mai=alcohol 
Pee=drink
Hosh= consciousness 
Jara= for a bit
So jaa = go to sleep 
Mehmaan = guest
Nazar = view, vision
Is dum= this life
Burk = lightning
Tajalli = God revealing Himself 

वाँ दिल में कि सदमे दो याँ जी में कि सब सह लो 
उन का भी अजब दिल है मेरा भी अजब जी है 

Wo dil mein ki sadme do, ya jee mein ki sab sah lo
Un ka bhi ajab dil hai, mera bhi ajab jee hai

Wo dil = those hearts/ minds
Sadme = injuries, shocks, hurts
Ya= or
Jee = mind, heart
Sab = all, everything 
Sah lo= tolerate
Ajab= strange, mysterious 

Those hearts cause hurt to others, others, like mine, bear the hurt quietly 
Both hearts are strange in their own ways.

हर ज़र्रा चमकता है अनवार-ए-इलाही से 
हर साँस ये कहती है हम हैं तो ख़ुदा भी है 

Har jarra chamakta hai anwaar-e-illahi se
Har saans yeh kehti hai hum hai toh Khuda bhi hai

Har= every, each
Jarra = particle
Chamakta hai= shines
Anwaar= divine light
Illahi = God
Saans= breath
Kehti hai= says
Hum= me
Khuda= God

Every particle shines with the light from the Almighty.
Every breath declares that if I exist then God too exists.

सूरज में लगे धब्बा फ़ितरत के करिश्मे हैं 
बुत हम को कहें काफ़िर अल्लाह की मर्ज़ी है 

Sooraj = sun
Lage = acquires, gets
Dhabba = stain, blemish
Fitrat = Nature
Karishme = miracle
Boot = idol, lifeless form
Hum ko kahe= tells me, calls me
Kafir= infidel, unfaithful to God
Marzi = Will, choice

Sooraj mein lage dhabba fitrat ke karishme hai
Boot hum ko kahe kafir Allah ki marzi hai

Nature is filled with miracles and strange occurrences. For instance the bright sun at times gets a stain ( gets eclipsed).
If a lifeless idol labels me an infidel I accept it as the will of God.

तालीम का शोर ऐसा तहज़ीब का ग़ुल इतना 
बरकत जो नहीं होती निय्यत की ख़राबी है 

Taalim ka shor aisa tehzeeb ka gul Itna 
Burkat jo nahi hoti neeyat ki kharabi hai

Taalim = training, instruction 
Shor= commotion, noise
Aisa = such
Tehzeeb = civility, culture, fashion, etiquette, manners
Gul=abundance
Itna =so much
Burkat = progress, improvement, prosperity, growth 
Nahi hoti= does not happen 
Neeyat = motive, intention 
Kharabi=fault

Religious Beliefs are touted with so much noise, and rules of culture are abundant 
Yet there is hardly progress in this society.
There must be a fault in the motives.

सच कहते हैं शैख़ 'अकबर' है ताअत-ए-हक़ लाज़िम 
हाँ तर्क-ए-मय-ओ-शाहिद ये उन की बुज़ुर्गी

Such kehte hai Shaikh Akbar hai taa-at-e-Haq-laajim 
Haa tark-e-mai-o-shaahid yeh un ki buzurgi

Such= truth
Taa at = essential, necessary, mandatory 
Laajim = devotion
Tark = discard, give up
Mai= wine
Shaahid= sacrifice( in the cause of God) 
Buzurgi = idea of greatness, nobility, old way of thinking

I, Sheikh Akbar( Allahabadi) in all honesty consider pure devotion to be most essential criteria for religion and living.
The torch bearers of religion give more importance to dogma and try to force me to quit alcohol. 

—————————————————————


Akbar Allahabadi was a poet in pre-partition India. He was a Muslim poet who lived his life in the Hindu holy city of Prayagraj,( previously known as Allahabad).

Satire is the hallmark of his poetry. The atmosphere during the imperial era was one of great turmoil. Western influence was threatening Indian culture and particularly the rich spirituality that bridged different religions. The British made no pretense about their divide and rule strategy. The initially unified opposition to British rule was beginning to get cracks between the Muslim League and Indian National Congress. Voices of radical groups on both sides were getting louder. People with independent minds who begged to differ and were in favor of brotherhood and unity amongst different sects were ridiculed and ostracized by their own community. The clerics touted outdated concepts of religion that were not conducive to the growth of society as a whole. 

In this ghazal the visionary poet has craftily defended his stand against the blind followers of religion. For his broad minded views he was ridiculed as being out of his mind or intoxicated with alcohol. Alcohol as you know is prohibited by Islam. His views about being respectful, cordial, tolerant and accepting towards members of other religions as well as taking a different look at the teachings of the holy Quran were considered anti-Islam, similar to consuming alcohol.


हंगामा है क्यूँ बरपा थोड़ी सी जो पी ली है 
डाका तो नहीं मारा चोरी तो नहीं की है 

He seizes on the accusations and defiantly tells his critics that so what if I helped myself to a bit of alcohol? I haven’t looted a bank or committed a theft. There are much worse things you should worry about( like interpreting religion in a narrow self serving context, dividing your country or robbing it of its peace and brotherhood). 

ना-तजरबा-कारी से वाइ'ज़ की ये हैं बातें 
इस रंग को क्या जाने पूछो तो कभी पी है 

These people who give unsolicited advice and make rules for others have no clue about what they are talking about. They talk without experience or understanding of the consequences of their beliefs.

उस मय से नहीं मतलब दिल जिस से है बेगाना 
मक़्सूद है उस मय से दिल ही में जो खिंचती है 

I don’t indulge in alcohol( independent thinking) to isolate myself from the world and its problems or to become oblivious to reality. I do it to gain better understanding and insight. 

Time and again people who think deeply and differently from the main stream population are painted as being out of touch with reality. Only a few recognize the value of the insight of these saints, prophets and visionaries.

ऐ शौक़ वही मय पी ऐ होश ज़रा सो जा 
मेहमान-ए-नज़र इस दम एक बर्क़-ए-तजल्ली है 

Dear me, relish your wine( way of thought)  and ignore what others say( be unconscious to criticism)
Your vision in life is rare, a transient visitor, like the lightning appearance of God Himself. 

( Indeed this poet was a wise man and visionary who could see where the country was headed with the seeds of discord being sown around him. He understood that a voice like his was going to be an exception amidst the mob and not likely to hold on too long before it would be trampled ,forgotten or extinguished. He has used the term mehman-e-nazar.

 Mehmaan or guest is an outsider, someone who does not permanently belong to the household. He is considered different from the family. He is welcome for a short time and must leave sooner or later. 

Mehmaan-e-nazar ! A view that is momentary in the scheme of things, like a guest. One that will be shown the door sooner or later.

But he valued it by adding the qualification burk-e-tajalli!

 Burk in urdu means lightning. Tajalli is when God reveals Himself. So although the view was a rare and transient occurrence it was by no means ordinary. It was like the lightning appearance of the Almighty!

The poet was very much aware that his views, though dismissed by the majority, were precious and worth holding up in the face of all opposition. They were stemming from a pure conscience and intended for universal justice.

Self doubt can be the biggest threat to a lone thinker.
It takes a lot of courage to not lose the voice of conscience when the world is against you.)

वाँ दिल में कि सदमे दो याँ जी में कि सब सह लो 
उन का भी अजब दिल है मेरा भी अजब जी है 

Their hearts are strange in their ways that they don’t hesitate to hurt others.
Mine is strange in its own way that I tolerate all their offenses.

Poet is trying to show his critics a mirror to make them realize the atrocities they inflict on others. And to see the difference between themselves and those who silently bear it all. 

हर ज़र्रा चमकता है अनवार-ए-इलाही से 
हर साँस ये कहती है हम हैं तो ख़ुदा भी है 

Every particle shines with the light of the Almighty.
Every breath proclaims that if I exist, then God must exist.
( Suggesting why inclusivity is important because God exists in all). 

He reminds them of the basic tenets of religion that they have forgotten. Religion endorses equality of all beings whereas these leaders are spreading message of discrimination and hatred.

सूरज में लगे धब्बा फ़ितरत के करिश्मे हैं 
बुत हम को कहें काफ़िर अल्लाह की मर्ज़ी है 

It is Nature’s phenomenon that the bright sun sometimes gets a blemish (eclipse). ( An honorable and intelligent man gets ridiculed by society). 
Stone idols calling me an infidel is God’s will.
( People without a soul, a conscience, without understanding of the essence of devotion, deeming me as being impious, I take it as God’s will). 


तालीम का शोर ऐसा तहज़ीब का ग़ुल इतना 
बरकत जो नहीं होती निय्यत की ख़राबी है 

Religious teachings ( dogma) are proclaimed loudly to followers
There is plentiful emphasis on culture, civilization, civility, fashion etc 
Despite this why is there no progress in people?
Because motives are not pure. 

Here the poet is taunting the orthodox community that, despite their zealous propaganda, society remains backward in every way. He doesn’t hesitate to take a jab at the root cause of this which is faulty motives.

सच कहते हैं शैख़ 'अकबर' है ताअत-ए-हक़ लाज़िम 
हाँ तर्क-ए-मय-ओ-शाहिद ये उन की बुज़ुर्गी

I, Akbar (Allahabadi) speak truthfully that devotion is most essential for religion.
My critics are hung up on forcing me to sacrifice the habit of alcohol( independent thinking) to prove that I am a follower. Their concept of nobility places importance to blind following of dogma over true devotion. 

The recording in the voice of Mr Ghulam Ali is beautiful and set in raag Darbari Kanada. He has not included all the verses however from the original ghazal. Please do listen to it again. This time you may see it in a different light. 

In subsequent posts I will discuss the same ghazal in context of how most people interpret or understand it and with that I will share my personal experiences, personal take and thoughts regarding alcohol and alcoholism.

Saree is a handspun handwoven cotton with natural dyes.





Comments

  1. I came across your blog by chance, looking for the meaning of "runu zhunu runu zhunu re bhramra", and found a small treasure trove of insights into common interests. Thank you.

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