the concept of 'Jigar'

For those who are familiar with hindi/urdu songs, ghazals etc are well-versed with the usage of 'jigar' in typical love songs. I might be wrong but most of the people mistake it for 'heart' and those who know its english translation take it to be an exceptional usage in poetry.

"nazar ke saamne, jigar ke paas
koi rehta hai wo ho tum"

If we consider this chartbuster hit from Aashiqui, it would translate to 'you stay close to my gaze, close to my liver'. Now, I would not want my beloved to be close to my liver. So, what is the deal. The usage has become popular since the ancient times of urdu maestros who used the term for quite a different reference, which has nothing to do with gastric functionalities at all.

If I may quote from a web reference - "In ghazal physiology, the liver is the organ that makes fresh blood; thus it's an emblem of fortitude, steadfastness, endurance over time. The heart, by contrast is always consuming blood: bleeding constantly, pumping blood to the eyes so the lover can weep tears of blood, and then tearing itself into fragments as a sign of its proper lover-like self-destruction. For the heart to be done for is an initial state of passion, since more blood can be sent along from the liver. But when the liver is finished, the game is up."

Beautifully put by the author. I think that clarifies it nicely for all of us who keep wondering about usage of 'jaan-e-jigar' etc again and again.

Let the thought sink in with few ashaar-

"chak jigar ke see lete hain,
jaise bhi ho jee lete hain"

"aashiqui sabr talab aur tamanna betaab
dil ka kya rang karun, khoon-e-jigar hone tak"

Ghalib ki kalam se - yet again

I must say this is the best one so far

dekhna qismat ki aap apne pe rashk aajaaye hai
main use dekhoon, bhalaa kab mujhse dekha jaaye hai

[ rashk = envy ]

haath dho dil se yahee garmee gar andeshe mein hai
aabgeena tundee-e-sahbaa se pighla jaaye hai

[ andesha = suspicion, aabgeena = a crystal glass, tundee = heat, sahbaa = red wine ]

Ghair ko yaa-rab woh kyon kar mana'a-e-gustaakhee kare ?
gar haya bhee usko aatee hai to sharma jaaye hai

(dint get the meaning of this one)

shauq ko ye lat ke hardam naala kheenche jaayiye
dil ki woh haalat ki dam lene se ghabra jaaye hai

(dint get the meaning of this one)

door chashm-e-bad ! teree bazm-e-tarab se waah-waah
naghma ho jaata hai waan gar naala mera jaaye hai

[ bad = wicked, tarab = joy, naala = lamentation ]

Gharche hai tarz-e-taghaaful, pardaadaar-e-raaz-e-ishq
par ham 'eise khoye jaate hain ki woh paa jaaye hai

[ taghaaful = negligence, pardaadar = one who puts on a veil ]

uskee bazm-aaraaiyaan sunkar dil-e-ranjoor yaan
misl-e-naqsh-e-muddaa-e-ghair baitha jaaye hai

[ aaraaiyaan = decorations, ranjoor = sad/distressed, misl = record, naqsh = copy/print ]
(again I lose track here)

hoke aashiq woh paree-rukh aur naazuk ban gaya
rang khulta jaaye hai, jitna ki udata jaaye hai

[ paree_rukh = angel faced ]
(this one is totally awesome)

naqsh ko uske musawwir par bhee kya-kya naaz hai
kheenchta hai jis qadar, utana hee khinchta jaaye hai

[ naqsh = copy/print, musawwir = painter ]
(this one is magnificent too)

saaya meraa mujhse misl-e-dood bhaage hai 'Asad'
paas mujh aatish-bazaan ke kisse thehra jaaye hai

[ misl-e-dood = like smoke ]
(aur bazaan ka matlab abhi tak nahi mila :) )

ho na jaaye kahin izhaar

aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar, khuda khair kare
dil hua kiska giraftaar, khuda khair kare

jaane ye kaun meri rooh ko chhoo kar guzra
ek qayamat hui bezaar, khuda khair kare

khoon dil ka na chhalak jaaye meri aankhon se
ho na jaaye kahin izhaar, khuda khair kare

-------------------
a must listen for ghazal lovers
Razia Sultan (1983)
sung by Kabban Mirza

Ghalib ki kalam se - continued

Taskin ko ham na roen jo zauq-e-nazr mile,
Huraan-e-khuld mein teri surat magar mile.

[taskin - consolation/soothing, zauq - delight
huraan-e-khuld - jannat ki hoor]

Apni gali mein mujhko na kar dafan baad-e-qatal,
Mere pate se khalaq ko kyon tera ghar mile?

[baad-e-qatl - after killing me
khalq - world]

Saqi gari ki sharm karo aaj warna ham,
Har shab piya hi karte hain, mai jis qadar mile.

[saqi gari - serving wine]

Tujh se to kuchh kalaam nahin lekin ai nadim!
Mera salaam kaheyo agar naama bar mile.

[nadim - close friend
this is tricky one, is used as a sarcasm on the friend who was appointed to deliver the message to beloved but the friend himself fell in love and did not deliver the message
in lack of better expression at the moment, if anyone can, please leave a comment]

Tum ko bhi ham dikhaenge Majnun ne kya kiya,
Fursat kashaakash-e-gham-e-pinhaan se gar mile.

[pinhaan - secret, concealed
kashaakash-e-gham-e-pinhaan - entanglement of hidden sorrows]

Laazim nahin ke khizar ki ham pairwi karen,
Maana ke ek bazurg hamen ham safar mile.

[laazim - obligatory, pairwi - following
bazurg - aged person]

Ai saaknaan-e-kucha-e-dildaar dekhna,
Tum ko kahin jo Ghalib-e-aashufta sar mile.

[saaknaan-e-kucha-e-dildaar - people living in the neighborhood of my beloved
aashuftaa - deranged
the neighbors of my beloved be warned, you might find the 'deranged' Ghalib lurking in your premises]

Ghalib ki kalam se - continued

aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak
kaun jeeta hai teri zulf ke sar hone tak

daam har mauj mein hai halqaa-e-sad kaam-e-nahang
dekhe.n kyaa guzare hai qatare pe gauhar hone tak
[daam = net/trap; mauj = wave; halqaa = ring/circle]
[sad = hundred; nahang = crocodile; gauhar = pearl]

aashiqi sabr-talab aur tamannaa betaab
dil kaa kyaa rang karoon Khoon-e-jigar hone tak
[sabr-talab=patient]

ham ne maanaa ke taGaaful na karoge lekin
Khaak ho jaayenge ham tum ko Khabar hone tak
[taGaaful=neglect/ignore]

partav-e-Khuur se hai shabanam ko fanaa ki taaleem
main bhi hoon ek inaayat ki nazar hone tak
[partav-e-Khuur = sun’s rays; shabanam=dew]
[fanaa = perish; inaayat = favour]

yak nazar besh nahin fursat-e-hasti Gaafil
garmi-e-bazm hai ik raqs-e-sharar hone tak
[besh = excess; Gaafil = ignorant]
[raqs = dance; sharar = flash/fire]

Gam-e-hasti kaa ‘Asad’ kis se ho juz marg ilaaj
shammaa har rang mein jalati hai sahar hone tak
[juz = other than; marg = death]
[I guess 'Asad' here is for Asadullah ie Ghalib's name]

in voice of Jagjit Singh