apsara o apsara!
shahazaadee o shahazaadee!
vinsent kee goree!
tum sach kyon nahin banatee?
yah kaisa husn aur kaisa ishq!
aur too kaisee abhisaarika!
apane kisee mahaboob kee
too aavaaz kyon nahin sunatee?
dil mein ek chinagaaree daalakar
jab koee saans leta hai
kitane angaare sulag uthate hain,
too unhen kyon nahin ginatee?
yah kaisa hunar aur kaisee kala?
jeene ka ek bahaana hai
yah takhayyal ka saagar hai
too kabhee kyon nahin naapatee?
apsara o apsara!
shahazaahee o shahazaadee!
tera khayaal na aar deta hai
na paar deta hai
sooraj roz dhoondhata hai
munh kaheen nahin dikhata hai
tera munh, jo raat ko
iqaraar deta hai
tadap kise kahate hain,
too yah nahin jaanatee
kisee par koee apanee
zindagee kyon nisaar karata hai
apane donon jahaan
koee daanv par lagaata hai
naamuraad hansata hai
aur haar jaata hai
apsara o apsara!
shahazaahee o shahazaadee!
is tarah laakhon khyaal
aayenge, chale jaayenge
tera yah surkh zahar
koee roz pee lega
aur tere naqsh har roz
jaadoo kar jaayenge
teree kalpana hansegee,
koee raat-bhar tadapega
aur baras ke baras
is tarah beet jaayenge
hunar bhookha hai, ai rotee!
pyaar bhookha hai, ai goree!
tere kitane vaanagog
is tarah mar jaayenge?
apsara o apsara!
shahazaahee o shahazaadee!
husn kaisa khel hai
ki ishq jeet nahin paata
raat jaane kitanee kaalee hai –
umr ko bhee jala ke dekh liya
chaand-sooraj kaise chiraag hain
koee jal nahin paata
ai apsara! tumhaara but
aur gehoon kee ek baalee
vah kaisee dharatiyaan hain
kuchh bhee nahin ug paata
hunar bhookha hai, ai rotee!
pyaar bhookha hai, ai goree!
nizaam ka ped kaisa hai.
jisamen koee phal nahin aata…
maaya