Delhi

dilli mein aaj bhik bhi milti nahin unhen tha kal talak dimagh jinhen taj-o-takht ka the couplet contrasts past grandeur with present destitution to show how swiftly fortune turns. “crown and throne” stand for power, prestige, and arrogant self-assurance, while “not even alms” marks utter helplessness. the emotional core is bitter irony: those intoxicated by rule are reduced to begging, yet even begging yields nothing. it warns that worldly authority is fragile and pride invites a harsh fall.

hazaron lakhon dilli mein makan hain

hazaron lakhon dilli men makan hain magar pahchanne vaale kahan hain kahin par silsila hai kothiyon ka kahin girte khandar hain naliyan hain kahin hansti chamakti suraten hain kahin mitti hui parchhaiyan hain kahin avaz ke parde pade hain kahin chup men kai sargoshiyan hain qutub-sahib khade hain sar jhukae qile par gidh bahut hi shadman hain are ye kaun si sadken hain bhaai yahan to ladkiyan hi ladkiyan hain likha milta hai divaron pe ab bhi to kya ab bhi vahi bimariyan hain havalon par havale de rahe hain ye sahab to kitabon ki dukan hain mire aage mujhi ko koste hain magar kya kijiye ahl-e-zaban hain dikhaya ek hi dilli ne kya kya bura ho ab to do do dilliyan hain yahan bhi dost mil jaate hain 'alvi' yahan bhi doston men talkhiyan hain hazaron lakhon dilli mein makan hain magar pahchanne wale kahan hain kahin par silsila hai kothiyon ka kahin girte khandar hain naliyan hain kahin hansti chamakti suraten hain kahin mitti hui parchhaiyan hain kahin aawaz ke parde pade hain kahin chup mein kai sargoshiyan hain qutub-sahib khade hain sar jhukae qile par gidh bahut hi shadman hain are ye kaun si sadken hain bhai yahan to ladkiyan hi ladkiyan hain likha milta hai diwaron pe ab bhi to kya ab bhi wahi bimariyan hain hawalon par hawale de rahe hain ye sahab to kitabon ki dukan hain mere aage mujhi ko koste hain magar kya kijiye ahl-e-zaban hain dikhaya ek hi dilli ne kya kya bura ho ab to do do dilliyan hain yahan bhi dost mil jate hain 'alwi' yahan bhi doston mein talkhiyan hain

dil ki basti purani dilli hai jo bhi guzra hai us ne luta hai

wo kahan jalwa-e-jaan-bakhsh butan-e-dehli

vo kahan jalva-e-jan-bakhsh butan-e-dehli kyuun ki jannat pe kiya jaae guman-e-dehli in ka be-vajh nahin tuut ke hona barbad dhunde hai apne makinon ko makan-e-dehli jis ke jhonke se saba tabla-e-attar bane hai vo bad-e-sahar-e-itr-fishan-e-dehli mehr zar khaak ko karta hai ye sach hai lekin is se kuchh badh ke hain sahab-nazaran-e-dehli aina-saz sikandar hai tu jam jam-farosh vusat-abad hai kis darja jahan-e-dehli kar ke barbad use kis ko basaega falak kya koi aur bhi hai shahr basan-e-dehli is liye khuld men jaane ka har ik talib hai ki kuchh ik duur se padta hai guman-e-dehli vo sitam dekh chuke the ki rahe asuda fitna-o-hashr men afat-zadagan-e-dehli samjhe hain su-e-adab jannat-e-sani kahna vo kuchh ashkhas jo hain martaba-dan-e-dehli saili-e-panja-e-jallad-e-sitam se hai hai nazr-e-be-dad hue muntakhaban-e-dehli ya-khuda hazrat-e-ghhalib ko salamat rakhna ab isi naam se baaqi hai nishan-e-dehli karbat-e-ghhurbat-o-tanhai-o-shab-ha-e-daraz aur 'majruh'-e-dil-afgar bayan-e-dehli wo kahan jalwa-e-jaan-bakhsh butan-e-dehli kyun ki jannat pe kiya jae guman-e-dehli in ka be-wajh nahin tut ke hona barbaad dhunde hai apne makinon ko makan-e-dehli jis ke jhonke se saba tabla-e-attar bane hai wo baad-e-sahar-e-itr-fishan-e-dehli mehr zar khak ko karta hai ye sach hai lekin is se kuchh badh ke hain sahab-nazaran-e-dehli aaina-saz sikandar hai tu jam jam-farosh wusat-abaad hai kis darja jahan-e-dehli kar ke barbaad use kis ko basaega falak kya koi aur bhi hai shahr basan-e-dehli is liye khuld mein jaane ka har ek talib hai ki kuchh ek dur se padta hai guman-e-dehli wo sitam dekh chuke the ki rahe aasuda fitna-o-hashr mein aafat-zadagan-e-dehli samjhe hain su-e-adab jannat-e-sani kahna wo kuchh ashkhas jo hain martaba-dan-e-dehli saili-e-panja-e-jallad-e-sitam se hai hai nazr-e-be-dad hue muntakhaban-e-dehli ya-khuda hazrat-e-ghaalib ko salamat rakhna ab isi nam se baqi hai nishan-e-dehli karbat-e-ghurbat-o-tanhai-o-shab-ha-e-daraaz aur 'majruh'-e-dil-afgar bayan-e-dehli

in dinon garche dakan mein hai badi qadr-e-sukhan kaun jae 'zauq' par dilli ki galiyan chhod kar the poet acknowledges that the deccan region (south india) currently offers better patronage and respect for poets than the declining delhi. however, he rhetorically asks who could possibly bear to leave delhi, prioritizing his deep emotional connection to the city's culture and streets over financial gain or fame elsewhere.

amir-zadon se dilli ke mil na ta-maqdur ki hum faqir hue hain inhin ki daulat se meer taqi meer points to a bitter social irony: the rich and their circles are out of reach, not due to lack of worth but because inequality has been produced by them. the speaker’s poverty is presented as a consequence of the powerful’s “wealth,” suggesting exploitation and exclusion. the emotional core is wounded dignity mixed with quiet accusation: those who prosper also create the destitute they avoid.

chehre pe sare shahr ke gard-e-malal hai jo dil ka haal hai wahi dilli ka haal hai

dilli ke na the kuche auraq-e-musawwar the jo shakl nazar aai taswir nazar aai meer taqi meer portrays delhi as so altered and ghostly that it no longer feels like a living city. the lanes seem like drawn, lifeless “illustrated pages,” and every sight turns into a mere image. the metaphor suggests devastation and emotional numbness: reality has been reduced to a static scene. it is grief and nostalgia seeing the world as art because life has drained from it.

ai wae inqalab zamane ke jaur se dilli 'zafar' ke hath se pal mein nikal gai the couplet mourns a sudden political and personal ruin: the upheaval of the age becomes a force of oppression. “delhi” stands for sovereignty, home, and identity, and its slipping away “in an instant” captures how quickly power can vanish. the emotional core is grief mixed with helplessness before history’s harsh turn.

dilli kahan gain tere kuchon ki raunaqen galiyon se sar jhuka ke guzarne laga hun main

janab-e-'kaif' ye dilli hai 'mir' o 'ghaalib' ki yahan kisi ki taraf-dariyan nahin chaltin

dilli chhuti thi pahle ab lucknow bhi chhoden do shahar the ye apne donon tabah nikle

dilli mein apna tha jo kuchh asbab rah gaya ek dil ko le ke aae hain us sarzamin se hum

laila ghar mein silai karne lagi qais dilli mein kaam karne laga

ai saba main bhi tha aashufta-saron mein yakta puchhna dilli ki galiyon se mera nam kabhi

tazkira dehli-e-marhum ka ai dost na chhed na suna jaega hum se ye fasana hargiz

marsiye dil ke kai kah ke diye logon ko shahr-e-dilli mein hai sab pas nishani us ki the speaker says his inner grief became public through the ‘elegies’ he recited, so his pain spread among people. delhi turns into a witness: the city’s people carry “signs” of that sorrow as shared memories, stories, or traces. the metaphor suggests that personal heartbreak can leave a lasting mark on a whole community. it also hints at fame earned through suffering—grief becoming one’s identity.

kyun mata-e-dil ke lut jaane ka koi gham kare shahr-e-dilli mein to aise waqiye hote rahe

dil-ruba tujh sa jo dil lene mein ayyari kare phir koi dilli mein kya dil ki khabardari kare

dilli hui hai viran sune khandar pade hain viran hain mohalle sunsan ghar pade hain

dil mera jalwa-e-ariz ne bahalne na diya chandni-chowk se zakhmi ko nikalne na diya

hamin hain maujib-e-bab-e-fasahat hazrat-e-'shair' zamana sikhta hai hum se hum wo dilli wale hain

arz-e-dakan mein jaan to dilli mein dil bani aur shahr-e-lucknow mein hina ban gai ghazal

dilli pe rona aata hai karta hun jab nigah main us kuhan kharabe ki tamir ki taraf

kuchh bhi hon dilli ke kuche tujh bin mujh ko ghar katega

ai muzaffar kis liye bhopal yaad aane laga kya samajhte the ki dilli mein na hoga aasman

dil-lagi ke waste dehli mein hai matiya-mahal kaun jawe khak udane mulk-e-bikaner ko

yun bhi dilli mein log rahte hain jaise diwan-e-mir chaak shuda