Classical · 1735–1830 · Delhi – Agra
Wali Muhammad, who wrote as Nazeer Akbarabadi, was the great nazm poet of Agra. Turning away from courtly ghazal, he wrote of Holi and Eid, of bread and money, of the banjara and the swimmer — an everyday humanism rare in his age. His Banjaranama remains among the best-loved poems in Urdu.
sab thaaTh paRa rah jaavega jab laad chalega banjaara
ṭuk hirs-o-havas ko chhoR miyaan, mat des bides phire maara
yaan aadmi pe jaan ko vaare hai aadmi
aur aadmi hi tegh se maare hai aadmi
jab phaagun rang jhamakte hon tab dekh bahaaren holi ki
aur daf ke shor khaRakte hon tab dekh bahaaren holi ki
har ek maqaam se aagaah hai vo saara jahaan
jise diya hai khuda ne dimaagh aur dil bhi
kuchh paas the to kuchh nahin, kuchh aas the to kuchh nahin
banjaarapan hai zindagi, har shai musaafir ki tarah
dekhi qalandaron ki tarah aankh khol kar
duniya ki gardishon ko phira hoon Tahel kar
har subah ek nayi roshni le ke aati hai
har shaam ek diya dil mein jala ke jaati hai
mohabbat hi vo daulat hai jo baanTe se baRhti hai
ye vo deepak hai jis ki lau sada aage ko baRhti hai