ASAD - 69

Originally posted on rec.music.indian.misc in 1997

So the "aahista aahista" Radeef has been used many times. Is this any plagiarism ? Can the term "Radeef Plagiarism" make any sense ? We have talked a lot about Lyrics Plagiarism in the first season of ASAD. Here let's see a case, which can be called "Radeef Plagiarism".

There is a famous GHazal sung by Pankaj Udhas, written by Rashid (?). Here is the Matla, the first sher ...

nam = geeli, bheegi (moist)

dard ki baarish sahi, mat tham, zaraa aahista chal
dil ki mitti hai, abhi tak nam, zaraa aahista chal

A nice sher, isn't it ?

The Radeef is "zaraa aahistaa chal", which is also very nice. Quite delicate. It takes talent to think such a Radeef and use it effectively. It's possible (just possible) that the Radeef is due to someone else.

Here is a sher by a contemporary and top rank poet.

gharib-e-shahar-e-na_pursa = stranger in a city of indifferent people
[ This is a long phrase ! Let's decipher it :-)
pursa = one who inquires about one's well-being
Hence na_pursa = indifferent, one who does not care etc
shahar = city
gharib = means 1.poor or 2.starnger
Hence my translation, which I hope conveys the general meaning :-) ]

is nagar me zulf ka saayaa, na daaman ki hawaa,
ai gharib-e-shahar-e-na_pursa, zaraa aahistaa chal
- Ahmed Faraz

Again, a nice sher.

Note that, this Radeef is obviously more influential than the ones we have seen before. With every article, the influence of Radeef goes up. I am sure, by now, you must be wondering - is "inventing" a Radeef so important ? For an accomplished and talented poet, no, it's not THE important thing. To him/her, it's a part of a big picture. Sadly many amateur poets, spend a lot of time thinking about a good combination of Radeef and Quaafiya and forget that it's the complete sher that clicks.

- Abhay.
ASAD _also_ stands for "A Sher A Day" !