Husn ke samajhne ko umr chahiye jaanaan,
Do ghadi ki chaahat mein ladkiyan nahin khultin.
About Parveen Shakir
Late 20th Century (Feminine Voice of the Ghazal) · The woman who gave the ghazal a second voiceParveen Shakir (1952–1994) redefined the Urdu love poem by writing from a woman's point of view. Her debut collection Khushbu (1976) made her a household name; she died in a road accident at 42, leaving behind some of the most quoted verses in contemporary Urdu.
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Wo to khushboo hai hawaaon mein bikhar jaayega,
Masla phool ka hai phool kidhar jaayega.
“He is a fragrance and will scatter in the winds — the real question is where the flower will go.”
Main sach kahungi magar phir bhi haar jaaungi,
Wo jhoot bolega aur laajawab kar dega.
Kamaal-e-zabt ko khud bhi to aazmaungi main,
Apne haath se uski dulhan sajaungi main.
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Reading Parveen Shakir: where this sher fits
Themes to watch for: women's inner life, fragrance and memory, dignified self-assertion, love as negotiation, quiet independence. Begin with Khushbu and read the ghazals aloud; her rhythms are subtle and easy to miss on a quick read.
Worth knowing: She was one of the first major Urdu poets to write openly about love from a woman's perspective without borrowing a masculine voice.