Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Aligarh Tarana

Aligarh Tarana is to Aligarh Muslim University(AMU) what any college song is to a college. When I was at Aligarh, I used to hear a story behind the Aligarh Tarana that went like this....

When Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Aligarh Muslim University, he enquired the students and authorities about their college song or something like it. Having got no concrete answer, he expressed his surprise by saying, "It is very strange that a prestigious university as AMU doesn't have its own college song. " These remarks put a student to unrest and he spent a restless night on this idea. The very next morning, he was ready with a masterpiece which went on to be reckoned as AMU Tarana after being sung at the Strachey Hall for the first time. What a tribute from a disciple to his Alma Mater !!! What a face saving act !!! That great student was Majaz Lakhnawi - the poet.

Edit (Nov 2017): Please read the following article by Inam Abidi saheb posted on Aligarians.com if you are looking for information that is backed by references too.

http://aligarians.com/category/poets/majaz-lucknawi/


The lyrics of Tarana are here for you to relish. The urdu is impeccable but when sung in chorus with all the vigour, it can move mountains and create waves in the most placid lakes.

I thank Mohib Ahmad - the owner of Aligarians.com for the Tarana Lyrics in Roman Script.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ye mera chaman hai mera chaman, main apne chaman ka bulbul hun
Sar-shaar-e-nigah-e-nargis hun, paa-basta-e-gesu-e-sumbul hun


(chaman: garden; bulbul: nightingale; sarshaar: overflowing, soaked; nigaah: sight; nargis: flower, Narcissus; paa-bastaa: embedded; gesuu: tresses; sumbul:  a plant with a plesant scent)

Ye mera chaman hai mera chaman, ye mera chaman hai mera chaman
Main apne chaman ka bulbul hun


Jo taaq-e-haram mein roshan hai, wo shama yahan bhi jalti hai
Is dasht ke goshe goshe se, ek joo-e-hayat ubalti hai
Ye dasht-e-junoon deewanon ka, ye bazm-e-wafa parwanon ki
Ye shahr-e-tarab roomanon ka, ye khuld-e-bareen armanon ki
Fitrat ne sikhai hai ham ko, uftaad yahan parwaaz yahan
Gaaye hain wafa ke geet yahan, chheda hai junoon ka saaz yahan


(taaq-e-haram: a niche in the sacred Kaaba in Mecca; roshan: glowing; shamaa: candle;
dasht: wilderness, desert; goshaa: corner; juu-e-hayaat: stream of life; junuuN: frenzy;
bazm: gathering; vafaa: faithfulness; shahr-e-tarab: city of mirth; Khuld-e-bariiN: sublime paradise; armaan: hopes; fitrat: nature; uftaad: beginning of life; parvaaz: flight; saaz: song on an instrument)

Ye mera chaman hai mera chaman, main apne chaman ka bulbul hun

Is bazm meiN taigheiN khencheen hain, is bazm meiN saghar tode hain
Is bazm meiN aankh bichhai hai, is bazm meiN dil tak jode hain
Har shaam hai shaam-e-Misr yahan, har shab hai shab-e-Sheeraz yahan
Hai saare jahan ka soz yahan aur saare jahan ka saaz yahan
Zarraat ka bosa lene ko, sau baar jhuka aakaash yahan
Khud aankh se ham ne dekhi hai, batil ki shikast-e-faash yahan


(teGh: sword; saGhar: goblet; shaam-e-Misr: evenings of Egpyt; shab-e-Sheeraz: nights of Sheeraz, a famous city of Iran; soz: pain; zarraat: dust particles; bosaa: kiss; baatil: evil; shikast-e-faash: clear defeat)

Ye mera chaman hai mera chaman, ye mera chaman hai mera chaman
Main apne chaman ka bulbul hun


Jo abr yahan se uthega, wo saare jahan par barsega
Har joo-e-rawan par barsega, har koh-e-garan par barsega
Har sard-o-saman par barsega, har dasht-o-daman par barsega
Khud apne chaman par barsega, ghairon ke chaman par barsega
Har shahr-e-tarab par garjega, har qasr-e-tarab par kadkega

(abr: cloud; juu-e-ravaan: flowing streams; koh-e-garaaN: big mountains; sard-o-saman: open and shelter; dasht-o-daman: wild and subdued; qasr-e-tarab: citadel of joy)

Ye abr hamesha barsa hai, ye abr hamesha barsega
Ye abr hamesha barsa hai, ye abr hamesha barsega
Ye abr hamesha barsa hai, ye abr hamesha barsega
Barsegaa, Barsegaa, Barsegaaa...

~ Majaz Lakhnawi

~ Listen to Aligarh Tarana

~ Nazr-e-Aligarh - The complete nazm of which the Aligarh Tarana is an abridged version.

46 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I didn't knew the story behind the tarana, thanks for this post.

And I can be called, at best, administrator of Aligarians.com, It belongs to all Aligs.

:-)

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Absolute raw talent..hats off

Tuesday, February 06, 2007 2:20:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

its the sweetest sound to my ears, and will always remain so. even today, listening to it makes me so proud to be part of the cultural milestone called AMU.

shabana

Monday, June 09, 2008 12:15:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

this is the best work of majaz lakhnawi .i m proud to be an aligarian .

Tuesday, December 23, 2008 7:40:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks to Mr. Majaz Lakhnawi -to write this Sweet tarana, usually i sing it and every time it make me feel Proud and part of Prestigious University(AMU)and this feling become more strong when i sing this sweet Tarana.
Its Awesome!!!!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 2:29:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I alwayz feel water in my eyes whenever i use to listen my(AMU) tarana.....proud to b aligarian.

Sunday, October 18, 2009 9:34:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Much said & could be said for the respected Tarana but a line to be added is Old Student when starts forgetting about past about his student life then one line of this Tarana has power to take him back at the first day of his Joining to the last of leaving ....
Hats off to all the concerns......

Monday, November 09, 2009 6:44:00 PM  
Blogger Tanvir said...

wat is the english meaning of the tarana???i don know urdu.....

Friday, December 04, 2009 3:33:00 PM  
Blogger ranjan said...

jo tarannum me gaya jaye, use tarana kahte hain

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 10:25:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

For the Nth time, i feel my eyes moist when listening to this Tarana

Thursday, February 18, 2010 12:15:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This TARANA is supperbbbbbbbbbbbb
i think it is the best tarana

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 8:24:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Aligarians,
As Salam Alaykum,

Pure Saal, 17 Oct. ka Intezar rahta hai. Ki us din hamen hamara pyara TARANA sunne ka hi nahin, Gane ka bhi mauqa milta hai aur ham apni awaz\, alap, sur wa tal se beneyaz hokar, jhoom jhoom kar gate hain. Aur Yadon ke ashk ankhon se bahte hain magar lub muskurate hai.

Asif Sayeed
Proud to be an Aligarian.
Gorakhpur (U.P.)
Mob. No. 0 94 550 85 299
email : asayeed0786@gmail.com

Sunday, August 29, 2010 10:04:00 PM  
Anonymous Shafiq ur Rahman Natnoo said...

It's a masterpiece by Mejaz Lakhnawi ! Really very beautiful....

Sunday, October 17, 2010 3:19:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

this is the best in the word its the sweetest sound to my ears I alwayz feel water in my eyes whenever i use to listen my(AMU) tarana.....proud to b aligarian.
be i am Aligarhin YE MERA CHAMAN HAI MERA CHAMAN

AHMAD
MUMBAI

Friday, October 29, 2010 3:57:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Blog Creator,

I want to thank you for your wonderful blog and for making the world of Aligarh available on the web.

You have no idea how much happiness you bring to some people.

The "Tarana" as it is known in our household is very close to our hearts (inherited from our mum). We live in Pakistan and she is quite old but her memories of Aligarh are very precious and as fresh as yesterday. She is seriously ill now and tonight it brought her amazing happiness when i read out some stuff from your blog and when she heard the tarana. In fact she sung along.

Oh and i did the "M" quiz with her and she knew it all...!! so i guess it applies through the ages.. and then she told me the importance of Marris Road! :) (I am so obviously not an Aligarian!! Apologies)

I don't have the words to thank you. Although it will not translate into what i what i am feeling but Thank you. Thank you for bringing happiness into an old woman's heart and life and for relighting the lamp in the world of her Aligarh memories. May God Bless You.

Sunday, June 26, 2011 1:03:00 AM  
Blogger Qais Mujeeb said...

The feeling that my blog could bring a smile or some happiness to someone, is exhilarating. Please convey my salaam to your mom and my loving "Get well soon" wishes to a senior Aligarian :)

Sunday, June 26, 2011 12:02:00 PM  
Blogger shaban nafees said...

Assalamualaikum wa rehmatullah,
its really amazing and never heared, but i want to say somthin for our brothers and sister's knowledge for i am the junior member of g.e.c. Music club. Its completely based on seven tones like 'jan gar man' but yet very amazing what reaches to the heart core. When i heared the tarana first time it begun tear in ma eyes and whenever i listen tarana it brings back tear in ma eyes thanks a lot to 'majaz lakhnawi' for such awesome poetry. Mashallah !!
And especially to ma brother Qais for making such beautiful, laboured,
lusterious blog. Mashallah !!

Monday, February 06, 2012 3:35:00 AM  
Blogger Arif Ali said...

This is the best tarana in world.I m proud to be an aligarian.I request all aligarh to add me on facebook.My email is aliarif97@gmail.com

Friday, March 02, 2012 11:15:00 PM  
Anonymous JUNAID ASHRAF ALIG said...

AMU TARANA Aligarians ke dil ki awaz hai jise sunne aur gane ko dil machal uthta hai. I LOVE AMU AND MAJAZ LAHNAWI. I can be reached junaidashraf72@yahoo.com

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 2:04:00 AM  
Anonymous ahmar said...

simply marvellous......makes me cry......proud to be an alig

Tuesday, October 16, 2012 3:51:00 AM  
Blogger Nadeem akhtar ({:;;;:"""Never Beleive In "L"o"v"e" said...

When i listen AMU Tarana alwzzz i back to 1993 when i joined AMU...

Love you..... Alg.....

Nadeem Akhtar

Friday, January 18, 2013 9:02:00 AM  
Blogger AFROZ ALAM said...

what a wonderful sweet song/tarana, i listen it to get inspiration many times and will continue...this tarana is so much close to my heart, it is much more important to me than our national anthem which i respect very much also. i am proud to be an Aligarian.

Friday, May 17, 2013 8:36:00 PM  
Blogger Qazi Jahangeer said...

this is the best song in the world.....jo tare haram me roshan hai wo shama yah bhi jalti hai......

Monday, August 05, 2013 12:20:00 PM  
Blogger Qazi Jahangeer said...

this is the best song in the world.....jo tare haram me roshan hai wo shama yah bhi jalti hai......

Monday, August 05, 2013 12:22:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

This is the best poetry ever written any by anyone for any educational organisation which touches all corners of "HEART".
It really differentiate us from others & gives opportunity to feel the "Proud".
Naseem Abbas

Tuesday, August 20, 2013 12:31:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Assalamu Alaikum Aligarians & AMU Lovers...
I am not a of an AMU student ot ex-student. But still I love this tarana very much. It gives me a different feeling by hearing. Thank you AMU. I wish to be there at AMU.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013 10:38:00 PM  
Blogger Saira Bano said...

i am really interested to listen Aligarh nama if any one has mp3 file please send me a Khanns5ster@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 02, 2014 1:58:00 PM  
Blogger Saira Bano said...

can anyone please send me my tarana , i ned it mp3 file i am in pakistan

Wednesday, April 02, 2014 2:00:00 PM  
Blogger Intesar Hasan said...

Whenever i listen this awesome tarana my eyes become wet. Simply i have no words to say anything about this tarana bcoz i dont think any word in d dictionary is made for this superbbbb tarana hatts off to Marhoom MAJAZ Sb. Proud to be an alig

Friday, May 30, 2014 2:10:00 AM  
Blogger Intesar Hasan said...

Whenever i listen this awesome tarana my eyes get wet. Simply its d best tarana in d world who remind our precious time spent in d beloved university. Simply i hv no words to praise about d tarana n i dont thnk even oxford dictionary hv any word to express how beatifull is this tarana. Hatts off to Marhoom ASRARUL HAQ MAJAZ Sb. ALLAH unhe jannatul firdaus naseeb faramaiy AMEEN. Proud to be an alig.

Friday, May 30, 2014 2:15:00 AM  
Anonymous zubair.ansari988@gmail.com said...

plz yeh batao ki tarana ki hindi lyric kis site par milengi mail us @zubair.ansari988@gmail.com

Sunday, January 04, 2015 11:07:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The partition of India created a huge gorge to which a great part of our culture, heritage and talent was lost.
I just am speechless how someone would feel when they can't be somewhere just because the governments are to arrogant and selfish to mend their relationship and unable to think about the Masses who wants peace.
Many people like your mother are lost link to our university' s past and can help us in relishing the essence of our chaman the reason of its existence something which is being lost to "modernization" by the youngesters of today.
May Allah bless you all.!

Wednesday, May 20, 2015 11:12:00 PM  
Blogger Mohammed Imran said...

Asslamualikum Dear Aligs. AMU Tarana is not only a tarana but a time machine. Because whenever I used listen it, it brings me back into the golden times of 2000. AMU is ultimate life experience. Long live AMU, If anyone of you want to have AMU tarana Lyrics in Hindi or want to listen it in Mp3 then click the following link:-
http://whatsappguru.blogspot.in/2015/10/amu-tarana-lyrics-and-mp3-in-hindi.html

Monday, October 05, 2015 6:18:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Feel tempted to listen this tarana...on nd on...such a melodious song ever listen...gives the feelings not only aligarian bt gives the feeling of the part of such a diversed culture country..."INDIA"...hats off..

Monday, October 19, 2015 6:32:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yesterday I presented amu tarana in an amu alumini meet in my city visiting this page only I could recall as I have forgotten some of its lyrics... Thanks for posting it..i even was not aware of the circumstantial origin of tarana by majaz sahab.... And the urdu meanings you have put along with it is also worth reading again n again

Sunday, December 06, 2015 10:34:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

This Tarana and history should be written at a prominent place in AMU.My father,uncle,myself was student of AMU but not knowing the history of Tarana.This Tarana is very emotional and powerful.My tribute to the Great writer.

Thursday, December 24, 2015 7:32:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

succinctly written lines, whenever this tarana strikes the ears it makes the mood happier and ignite a fire of encouragement.
I take a bow to this man who had written this beautiful tarana. Proud to be a member of AMU family.

Sunday, January 01, 2017 11:31:00 AM  
Blogger Abdul Hadi Alig said...

The feeling that my blog could bring a smile or some happiness to someone, is exhilarating. Please convey my salaam to your mom and my loving "Get well soon" wishes to a senior Aligarian :)

Wednesday, March 08, 2017 8:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

when ever i listen that tarana i feel so proud and honour to be a part of this precious university AMU some time it makes me cry that i am no more a part of this university

Thursday, September 07, 2017 6:49:00 PM  
Anonymous Namma Mirza said...

M Nt an Aligarian...but then also m feeling dat m proud to b an Aligarian..I don't know y

Saturday, October 07, 2017 5:30:00 PM  
Blogger Qais Mujeeb said...

Dear Namma, Jo Apna lagey... wohi apna hota hai. It's not necessary to be an Alig to love AMU. There must have been many who helped AMU become what it is today without studying there. Hope this makes sense. :-)

Saturday, October 07, 2017 5:44:00 PM  
Blogger Arshia said...

The poem nazr e aligarh which went on to become the tarana was written by majaz in 1935-36..and he left the univ by 1936
I wud like to know when did nehru visit the univ.. with supportin proof as well ..if possible ..
Becoz as far as ive read this poem became a tarana in 1954 long after majaz had left the univ

Friday, November 03, 2017 4:48:00 PM  
Blogger Qais Mujeeb said...

Dear Arshia, Pt. Nehru visited AMU in 1948 when he presided over the Annual Convocation. (Ref: http://awaam.net/archives/942) You are absolutely correct that Majaz left AMU in 1936. But there is likelihood that his popular poem was read out to Pt Nehru. The Tarana did come into being later in 1955 (Ref: Inam Abidi saheb's article posted on Aligarians.com).
I admit that this blog may not serve as an academic work based on any research. Rather it is just based on verbal accounts passed on to me by my seniors when I was at Aligarh. When I wrote it, I never knew, a day would come when people would question the accuracy of information. However, it is surely good to be accurate when talking of History, especially in these turbulent times. I have found a better article (written by Inam Abidi saheb) that narrates the story with sound references and you may read it at: http://aligarians.com/category/poets/majaz-lucknawi/

Hope this helps!

Wednesday, November 15, 2017 1:17:00 PM  
Anonymous BADRUDDIN KHAN said...

Assalamualaikum
Indeed Aligarians in general and AMU Tarana in particular have no parallels not only in the country but also in the world, in many aspects and respects but all aligarians need to have ponderance over their indebtedness and reciprocation to their great and respected Alma Mater.
If Asrarul Haque Majaz merhoom wrote this novel Tarana and Ishtiaque Mohammed Khan Saheb gave it music after 6 months of hard and rigerous practice as their lovely gifts to their Alma Mater then every Aligarians can follow their footsteps and enrich their Alma Mater in one way or the other.
The best way would be to strive for availability of quality education for all that can be done by having out own institutions and funding the existing ones, if any.
Only Tarana and SS Day dinner or celebrations are not sufficient. Undoubtedly, they have symbolic importance and significance but no solutions except void inspiration.
I do hope, my revered brethren will mind to mean it.
Due regards to all, senior and junior Aligarians.

Monday, January 15, 2018 12:49:00 PM  
Blogger M Irfan F Siddiqui said...

The best Anthem an university can have, in rating others will be behind by light year away.

Thursday, January 25, 2018 9:38:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

AMU Struggle Taraana – over the present crisis, never-ending troubles but an everlasting charm surrounding Aligarh Muslim University. Written by Anwar Jamal Faiz, an AMU Alumni (BTech Engineering)

You can watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byX3dRXBfUQ

For my Alma mater – My chaman and the nourishing and bountiful mother. We are together in our struggle and demands in the most democratic, constitutional and ethical ways. We are together to resist the efforts of keeping our educational institutions blazed in the flames of evil designed communal politics. We are together to help develop compassion in the society, end oppression and win accolades for our nation India. Jai Hind.

Thursday, May 17, 2018 5:58:00 PM  

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