Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Noor Jahan

The Light of the World ... So Jahangir named her. But, I am not writing about this. I was just reminded of a sher my Grandfather used to tell me about ... This is the epitaph on Noor Jahan's Maqbara ...

Bar mazar-i-ma ghareeban, nay chiraage nay gule,
Nay par-e-parvana sozad, nay sada-e-bulbule

Translated:

On the grave of the poor woman, do not light any lamps, nor shower flowers ...
No moths to burn themselves in the fir of the lamp, and no nightingale shall announce her Death!

There ... But I think a lot of the meaning is lost in the translation. But, of course, the beauty remains ...

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