Sickness casts a long shadow, its icy fingers etching pain onto flesh and spirit. In the hushed realm of illness, Urdu poetry becomes a poignant companion, a chorus of whispered verses echoing the aches of fevered brows and weary limbs. For centuries, poets have navigated the labyrinthine alleys of bemaari, their words a tapestry woven with empathy, resilience, and even a touch of dark humor.
Best Urdu Poetry on Sickness
ishq hai to ishq kaa iz.haar honaa chaahiye
aap ko chehre se bhii biimaar honaa chaahiye
MUNAWWAR RANA
pa.Diye gar biimaar to ko.ii na ho tiimaardaar
aur agar mar jaa.iye to nauha-KHvaa.n ko.ii na ho
MIRZA GHALIB
un ke dekhe se jo aa jaatii hai mu.nh par raunaq
vo samajhte hai.n ki biimaar kaa haal achchhaa hai
MIRZA GHALIB
aap the jis ke chaara-gar vo javaa.n
saKHt biimaar hai du.aa kiije
JAUN ELIYA
biimaar ko maraz kii davaa denii chaahiye
mai.n piinaa chaahtaa huu.n pilaa denii chaahiye
RAHAT INDORI
Urdu Shayari about Sick / Ill Person
is re.ngtii hayaat kaa kab tak uThaa.e.n baar
biimaar ab ulajhne lage hai.n tabiib se
SAHIR LUDHIANVI
kisii din merii rusvaa.ii kaa ye kaaran na ban jaa.e
tumhaaraa shahr se jaanaa miraa biimaar ho jaanaa
MUNAWWAR RANA
itnaa biimaar ki saa.nso.n se dhu.aa.n uThtaa hai
aa tujhe dekh luu.n aur dekh ke achchhaa ho jaa.uu.n
SHAKEEL AZMI
chaarasaazo.n kii aziyyat nahii.n dekhii jaatii
tere biimaar kii haalat nahii.n dekhii jaatii
PARVEEN SHAKIR
aur ab kyuu.n bain karte aa ga.e ho.n
kahaa thaa naa bahut biimaar huu.n mai.n
REHMAN FARIS
Bemaar Admi in Urdu Ghazal
More than mere verses, Urdu poetry about sickness holds a mirror to the human experience. Two lines, like brushstrokes on canvas, can capture the stark contrast between vibrant health and the fragility of disease. Imagine Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poignant observation: “Hum rahe, woh chale gaye, ye zindagi hai kya sahara?” (We remain, they departed, what solace does this life offer?) applied not to death, but to the temporary departure of health, leaving the body a hollow shell. Even Ghalib’s playful banter, “Ishq mein har gam hai khushi se behtar, woh dard hi kya jo na ho beemar sa?” (In love, every pain is better than happiness, what is that suffering which doesn’t resemble illness?) takes on a new shade when read through the lens of physical ailment.
Bukhar in Nazm o Ghazal
Beyond personal experience, Urdu poetry delves into the societal fabric of illness. Consider Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib’s lament, “Dard e dil ke waste har ik shafa ho gaya hai fana, kash koi dard e sar ka bhi ilaaj aa gaya hota!” (Every remedy has perished for the pain of the heart, O that there were a cure for even the pain of the head!) His words resonate with the millions across the subcontinent who navigate the complex healthcare landscape, where access to basic treatment can be as elusive as a desert mirage. This echoes a sentiment shared by the Pakistani poet Munir Niazi, who wrote, “Beemar jis ko bhi samjhoge tum, duniya samjh aayegi, us ke aansuon mein hai duniya ki sari kahaniyan.” (If you understand anyone who is sick, you will understand the world, for in their tears are all the stories of the world.)
Conclusion
Even in the bleakest corners of suffering, Urdu poetry finds glimmers of hope. Mir Taqi Mir’s timeless verse, “Kya bataun kis se dard e dil, har shafa bekar hai, yahi dua hai bas ki zindagi ki sham sahi ho.” (Whom should I tell the pain of my heart? Every remedy is useless. My only wish is that the evening of life be beautiful.) offers a quiet acceptance, a gentle sigh in the face of adversity. Similarly, the contemporary Kashmiri poet Agha Shahid Ali’s lines, “Har ghari jism badalta hai, har nfas zindagi badalti hai, phir ye mausam bhi badlega, ye bemaari bhi badlegi.” (Every moment the body changes, every breath life changes, then this season too will change, this illness too will change.) remind us of the inherent transience of all things, including suffering.
Ultimately, Urdu poetry on sickness is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience. It offers a safe space to navigate the labyrinthine alleys of pain, to whisper fears and frustrations, and to find solace in shared experience. From the whispered verses of a bedside vigil to the defiant cries of protest against systemic inequities, Urdu poetry weaves a tapestry of empathy, reminding us that even in the darkest nights, the embers of hope still glow.