dasht-e-tanhaaii
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dasht-e-tanhaaii meN , ai jaan-e-jahaan , larzaaN haiN
terii aavaaz ke saaye tere hoNThoN ke saraab
dasht-e-tanhaaii meN duurii ke xas-o-xaak tale
khil rahe haiN tere pɛhluu ke saman aur gulaab
In the desert of my solitude, oh life of my world, there is a quivering
the shadows of your voice, the mirage of your lips
In the desert of my solitude, beneath the dust and ashes of distance
are blooming the roses and jasmines of your presence
uTh rahii hai kahiiN qurbat se terii saaNs kii aaNch
apnii xushbuu meN sulgtii huii maddham , maddham
duur ufaq paar chamktii huii qatraa , qatraa
gir rahii hai terii dildaar nazar kii shabnam
From somewhere nearby rises the warmth of your breath
smoldering gently, gently in its fragrance.
Far in the horizon, glistening drop by drop,
the dew of your beloved glance is falling.
is qadar pyaar se ai jaan-e-jahaan rakhaa hai
dil ke ruxsaar pe is vaqt terii yaad ne haath
yuuN gumaan hotaa hai garche hai abhii subH-e-firaaq
Dhal gayaa hijr kaa din aa bhii gaii vasl kii raat
In such a lovely fashion, oh life or my world, has set
on the cheek of my heart, this instant, the hand of your memory
that it seems as if, although it is the dawn of our farewell,
the day of separation is fading, and came the night of our union.
About this song
- Singers
- Shilpa Rao, Meesha Shafi, Tina Sani
- Lyrics
- Faiz Ahmad Faiz
- Music
- Mehdi Hasan
dasht-e-tanhaaii (Hindi: दश्त-ए-तन्हाई, Urdu: دَشْتِ~تَنْہائی) "Desert of Loneliness" is a deeply evocative Urdu poem written by the
legendary poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz.
It was first published in 1952 in Pakistan as part of his poetry collection Dast-e-Saba.
The true title of the poem is "Yaad", although it is mostly known for its starting words, "Dasht-e-Tanhai".
The poem is a powerful expression of longing, love, and exile, blending personal and political themes with rich imagery of solitude and remembrance.
One of the most famous musical renditions of Dasht-e-Tanhai was composed by Mehdi Hasan,
the ghazal maestro of the subcontinent.
This composition became iconic, elevating the poem’s melancholic beauty through classical melodies.
Other celebrated singers who have rendered this masterpiece include Iqbal Bano, Tina Sani, Meesha Shafi, and Shilpa Rao.
