Interpretations..

“Har Taraf har Jagah – beshumar aadmi” – those are the opening lines of a fantastic ghazal by Jagjit Singh and Lata Mangeshkar in the album Sajda.
I first heard it courtesy Amit and then a month ago my cousin gifted the CD to me and ever since I have been hooked, specially to this ghazal.
Here I would try to express my interpretations of the beautiful words woven into the poetry.
The ghazal goes..

Har taraf har jagah Beshumaar aadmi
Phir bhi Tanhayion ka Shikar aadmi
Subah se shaam tak bojh dhota hua
Apni hi lash par khud mazaar aadmi
Har taraf bhaagte duadte raaste
Har taraf aadmi ka shikaaar aaadmi
Roz jeeta hua.. roz marta hua
Har naye din , naya intezaar aadmi
Zindagi ka muqadar safar dar saafar
Akhri saaans tak bekraaar aadmi



1. Har taraf har jagah Beshumaar aadmi
Phir bhi Tanhayion ka Shikar aadmi

There is so much to do in life today that we have become lonely. Lonely in the sense that despite so many people around, we are unable to meet our self. Unless a person meets his self, he is no better than no one around. A person’s self, his conscious is the best and ever lasting companion. But in today’s life, with this conscious being continuously absent, we are all lonely.
In everyday life, we don’t listen to our conscious – that what we are doing is right or wrong, we don’t care – And that we do by killing our self. Also as we kill this self, all our inner dreams and ambitions are killed along.
The lines capturing all this and much more in just simple 12 words make it out of the world.

2. Subah se shaam tak bojh dhota hua
Apni hi lash par khud mazaar aadmi

The first line is self explanatory. We get up in the morning, reach office, work all day, all the time thinking that the other person's(that other person may be a friend, boss, teammate - anyone)
is better than your own and with that feeling, you do your job and at end of the day go home a unsatisfied person just to get up the next morning to follow the same routine. Hence you are a dead person and day by day you are constructing a mazzar or a tombstone on top of you - all the while burying yourself deep inside.

3. Har taraf bhaagte duadte raaste
Har taraf aadmi ka shikaaar aaadmi

The life is a long unending marathon with pulls and pressures from all directions. These pulls and pressures are exerted just by other people. 'Aadmi ka shikar aadmi' is a poet's way of defining peer pressure. The largest most factor affecting the peace of mind in today's life.

4. Roz jeeta hua.. roz marta hua
Har naye din , naya intezaar aadmi

An extension of above lines. Every morning a person gets up to 'live' the day. And everyday he dies - either by killing his soul or by killing his Soch (thinking)
And then he waits - waits for a better life or other person's job or earning what his friend his earning. Is this possible after he has killed himself??

5. Zindagi ka muqadar safar dar saafar
Akhri saaans tak bekraaar aadmi

Didn't really understand the first line but the secnd line says 'Akhri saans tak bekrrar aadmi' . till the last breath a person is ambitious. This can be taken in a positive sense - that its good to be ambitious. After 1 achievment - move on to the next challenge.
On the contrary, considering overall feel of the ghazal, it can be said that a person is never satisfied. He always wants more. Never being satisfied is one of the traits of a human being.