My elder sister in Karachi wished me a happy birthday over the phone in May 2024 when I turned seventy-six. I composed this qitah and shared it with her on WhatsApp. It caused her some vexation, but she extended generous laurels over my poetic abilities. Let me, therefore, share my qitah with the readers:
Khuwab e ghaflat bhi hum sai chheen liya,
Us pai umr e Khizar ata ker di,
Na hi martay hain na hi jeetay hain,
Hum nay aisi bhi kya khata ker di
Urdu poetry, with its majestic beauty, often inspires my thoughts and imagination. I find myself drawn to the ethereal verses of Ghalib, and today’s reflection is no exception. The title, ‘The Galloping Horse of Age’, is a translation of a famous verse that captures the swift, unyielding pace of time — an apt metaphor for the journey of age.
“Rau mai hai rakhs-e-umr kahan dekhiyai thamay, nai haath baag pe hai na pa hai rakaab mai” — the steed of life runs unchecked, with neither hand on the reins nor foot in the stirrup.
A birthday in the later years, it is said, is but an elaborate performance, a wily deception of the self. Is it a moment to savour or a quiet reminder of time’s relentless gallop? The candles are lit, the cake is sliced, yet the heart stands uncertain, wondering whether to celebrate or feel emotionally burdensome.
As I ponder these milestones, I am reminded of the poignant words of Rabindranath Tagore: “The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” In the twilight of our years, we are compelled to confront the fleeting nature of life. Each birthday feels like a paradox — joy intertwined with the soft whisper of mortality and revealing the worth and value of existence.
And so, with each passing year, we mount this metaphorical horse of age, a symbol of both pride and humility, bearing us forward even as it subtly urges us to look back.
Let me also end my discourse with a beautiful reflection from Ghalib: “Koi din gar zindagani aur hai, hum nai apnay jee mai thani aur hai” — if life yet holds another day, I am resolved anew in spirit.
HAROON RASHID SIDDIQI
MILTON, CANADA
