Tumhari

तुम्हारी सोच के सांचे में ढल नहीं सकता

ज़बान काट लो लहजा बदल नहीं सकता।

मुझे भी मोम का पुतला समझ रहे हो क्या,

तुम्हारी लौ से ये लोहा पिघल नहीं सकता।

हो गया खत्म शरर का खेल तो लौट जाओ,

लाख कोशिश कर लो पत्थर जल नहीं सकता।

हौसला मेरा तोड़ने की, ये आदत छोड़ दो अब,

तूफान के साए में आग का शोला पल नहीं सकता।

Urdu script:

تمہاری سوچ کے سانچے میں ڈھل نہیں سکتا،

زبان کاٹ لو، لہجہ بدل نہیں سکتا۔

مجھے بھی موم کا پتلا سمجھ رہے ہو کیا؟

تمہاری لو سے یہ لوہا پگھل نہیں سکتا۔

ہو گیا ختم شرر کا کھیل تو لوٹ جاؤ،

لاکھ کوشش کر لو، پتھر جل نہیں سکتا۔

حوصلہ میرا توڑنے کی، یہ عادت چھوڑ دو اب،

طوفان کے سائے میں آگ کا شعلہ پل نہیں سکتا۔

English script:

Tumhari soch ke saanche mein dhal nahi sakta,

Zabaan kaat lo, lehja badal nahi sakta.

Mujhe bhi mom ka putla samajh rahe ho kya?

Tumhari lau se yeh loha pighal nahi sakta.

Ho gaya khatam sharar ka khel toh laut jao,

Laakh koshish kar lo, patthar jal nahi sakta.

Hausla mera todne ki, yeh aadat chhod do ab,

Toofan ke saaye mein aag ka shola pal nahi sakta.

- Khan Saifullah 'Khalid'

Meaning:

1. "Tumhari soch ke saanche mein dhal nahi sakta, Zabaan kaat lo, lehja badal nahi sakta."

This couplet immediately sets the tone. The poet states that they cannot be molded ("dhal nahi sakta") into the shape of someone else's thinking ("tumhari soch ke saanche"). The "saancha" is a mold or a cast, a powerful metaphor for conformity. The second line is an even more intense declaration: "Even if you cut my tongue, I cannot change my tone/style ("lehja")." This means that even if the physical means of expression are taken away, the underlying belief and attitude will remain unchanged. It's a statement of ultimate defiance against censorship and coercion.

2. "Mujhe bhi mom ka putla samajh rahe ho kya, Tumhari lau se yeh loha pighal nahi sakta."

Here, the poet challenges the perception of others. They ask, "Do you think I am a wax figure?" The "mom ka putla" (wax figure) is a symbol of something easily malleable, soft, and quick to melt. The poet then offers a counter-metaphor: "This iron cannot melt from your flame." The poet sees themselves as unyielding iron, and the opponent's attempts to change them are nothing more than a small, ineffectual flame. It's a vivid image of steadfastness and inner strength against a weak and futile force.

3. "Ho gaya khatam sharar ka khel toh laut jao, Laakh koshish kar lo, patthar jal nahi sakta."

This couplet dismisses the opponent's efforts as a trivial game. "Sharar" means a spark or an act of mischief. The poet tells the opponent that if their game of sparks is over, they should leave. The reason is given in the next line: "Try a million times, a stone cannot burn." The opponent's efforts are as pointless as trying to set a rock on fire. The stone represents the poet's inherent, unchangeable nature, which is immune to the "sparks" of malice or provocation.

4. "Hausla mera todne ki, yeh aadat chhod do ab, Toofan ke saaye mein aag ka shola pal nahi sakta."

The final couplet is a direct command and a concluding statement. The poet tells the opponent to abandon their habit of trying to break their courage ("hausla"). The reason is presented with a powerful, if slightly inverted, metaphor: "In the shadow of a storm, a flame of fire cannot grow/thrive." Usually, a flame grows in a storm's wind. However, here, "toofan" (storm) represents the poet's own formidable strength and spirit. The opponent's "aag ka shola" (flame of fire) is their malice or hatred, which is incapable of thriving or even surviving in the overwhelming presence of the poet's inner "storm" of resilience. It's a powerful and confident assertion that the opponent's negative energy is no match for the poet's strength.

In summary, the poem is a forceful declaration of self-respect and an unshakeable resolve. It's a refusal to conform, a defiance of external pressure, and a powerful statement that some things, like one's core beliefs and spirit, cannot be broken or changed. The poet is an immovable force, an iron in the face of a flame, and a stone that cannot be burned.