Teri Tasveer (Traditional Ghazal by Jaidev & Rafi)

The lyrics for this very traditional, classical ghazal were written by Nyay Sharma. I could not find much about his work, except that he had written songs for select few films, one of which was Kinare Kinare. He has written a few other non-filmi ghazals, which have been sung by Mohd. Rafi and Asha Bhosle.

The music by Jaidev in this ghazal is spot on. Background music is minimal - sarangi, flute, tabla and santoor only - with all the magic woven by Rafi and the santoor at times in between. The lyrics for this ghazal are beautiful and I feel they are somewhat along the lines of "Jo baat tujh mein hai" penned by Sahir. Anyways, here are the lyrics (and their english translation):

Teri tasveer bhi tujh jaisi haseen hai lekin,
(Your portrait is as beautiful as you but)
Ispe qurbaan meri jaan-e-azeen hai lekin,
(I could give up my precious life for it but)
Yeh meri zakhmi umangon ka madawa to nahi...
(But that is not the solution to my hurt aspirations...)

Haal-e-dil is but-e-kaafir ko sunaaun kaise,
(How do I state my feelings to this portrait of my sweetheart)
Iske ruqhsaaron ki shadabi ko chhedun kyunkar
(Why should I excite the beauty of its face)
Iske hothon ke tabbassum jagaun kaise,
(How do I arouse its lips to smile)
Teri tasveer bhi tujh jaisi haseen hai lekin...
(Your portrait is as beautiful as you but...)

Zabt ki taab na kehne ka saleeqa mujh ko,
(I don't have the decency of not expressing my suppressed grief)
Uspe yeh zulm ke khamosh hai tasveer teri,
(On top of that, the pain that your portrait is quiet)
Ghut ke mar jaun magar isko khabar tak bhi na ho,
(If I die of this suffocation, it might not even know)
Kaisi chattan se takrai hai taqdeer meri...
(What mountain (obstacle) has my luck hit against...)

Yehi tasveer tasavvur mein utar jaane par,
(When this portrait slips into my imagination)
Chand ki kiranon se go badh ke nikhal jaati hai,
(Moon light enhances the her beauty)
Dard palkon se lipat jata hai aansoo ban kar,
(My pain clings to my eyelids as tears)
Mere ehsaas ki duniya hi bikhar jaati hai,
(My world of emotions come crashing down)
Isliye tere tasavvur se nahi, khud tujhe se,
(That is why I ask you yourself and not my imagination of you)
Iltija karta hoon bas itna bata de mujhko,
(I request you just tell me this:)
Kya mere dil ki tadap ka tujhe ehsaas bhi hai,
Kya mere dil ki tadap ka tujhe ehsaas bhi hai,
(Are you even aware of my heart's turmoil)
Warna phir meri hi veheshat mein sula de mujhko...
(Otherwise, just let me sleep in my solitude...)

Teri tasveer bhi tujh jaisi haseen hai lekin,
(Your portrait is as beautiful as you but)
Ispe qurbaan meri jaan-e-azeen hai lekin,
(I could give up my precious life for it but)
Yeh meri zakhmi umangon ka madawa to nahi...
(But that is not the solution to my hurt aspirations...)

Simply beautiful IMHO!! Here is the link to the video. One more thing to note, this song is picturised on Chetan Anand, Dev Anand's elder brother (who is also in the movie), singing to Meena Kumari's portrait. He was a very successful producer/director. This is one of the few movies in which he acted as well.