The symbols of mauj (waves), tūfāñ (storm), and sāhil (shore) are often used in Urdu Ghazal. But I recently came across a sher which is breathtaking for its wonderfully effective use of these familiar symbols.
arz hai:
ai mauj-e-balā un ko bhī zarā do chār thapeRe halke se
kuchh log abhī tak sāhil se tūfāñ kā nazārā karte haiñ
This sher is by Moin Ahsan Jazbi (b. 1912).
thapeRe (थपेड़े): slaps, gusts
Here’s a rough translation.
o wave of calamity, give them too a few gentle slaps
there are still some who watch the storm from the shore
A fierce storm rages, yet some remain on the shore, watching. The speaker addresses them indirectly, by asking the mauj-e-balā to deliver just a few halke (light) slaps to these onlookers. The request is gently ironic – no real harm is wished, only a mild shock or splash to break their complacency. A life too sheltered can numb empathy, leaving people content to observe suffering from afar rather than step into the waves themselves.
mauj-e-balā and tūfāñ symbolize revolution, upheaval, or social struggle. sāhil represents safety, or privilege. This sher criticises those who remain neutral in times of injustice, who spectate suffering instead of alleviating it, who offer commentary without accepting risk. It could even apply to those who are intellectually engaged but emotionally untouched.
The imagery most obviously points to a political interpretation. However, the storm may also represent any kind of moral or spiritual turmoil. The spectators are the people who avoid self-examination. They see suffering and moral complexity, yet maintain a safe psychological distance.
Like any good sher, this sher has a natural, flowing rhythm which makes it fun to recite. One way to recite this long behr is:
ai mauj-e-balā / un ko bhī zarā / do chār thapeRe/ halke se
kuchh log / abhī tak / sāhil se / tūfāñ kā nazārā karte haiñ
The rhythm builds through accumulation (“un ko bhī zarā / do chār thapeRe”) and then releases in the extended phrase “tūfāñ kā nazārā karte haiñ,” which slows down – like a wave breaking on the shore.
The sher’s pattern can be seen as a setup followed by a punchline. The first misra is the setup, which creates suspense. For the punchline, one has to wait till the latter part of the second misra. And the punch lands solidly.
