‘Indian flag,’ a painting by Mark Rowan-Hull, 2005. Reprinted with the kind permission of the artist.
Ghazal
Tausif Alam
Editor’s note: Tausif Alam’s four-line ghazal came to the attention of people in Calcutta when he recited it during the Eid celebrations in May this year. It was quoted in a report in the Telegraph by Arkamoy Datta Majumdar. It has been translated into English below by the editor.
یوں تو ہم نے کئی غزل، کئی کہانی لکھ دیا
وطن کے نام ہم نے اپنی زندگانی لکھ دیا
جب لوگوں نے پوچھا ہم سے پہچان ہماری
ہم نے اُٹھایا قلم، اور ہندوستانی لکھ دیا
توصیف عالم
yun to humne kayi ghazal, kayi kahaani likh diya
watan ke naam humne apni zindagaani likh diya
aur jab logon ne poochha humse pehchaan hamaari
humne uthaya kalam aur Hindustani likh diya
Many ghazals and many stories I’ve written.
For my homeland’s sake my life’s story I have written.
And when people asked me who I am and where I come from,
I’ve picked up my pen and, ‘Indian’, I’ve written.
Tausif Alam was born in Saugarpatti in the Cossipore area of North Calcutta in 1997. He is a graduate of Surendranath Evening College. He began working in Kuwait recently. He writes ghazals and poetry in Urdu.
