Written and translated by J. William Howard, Jr.*
In Urdu poetry, one finds numerous references to images such as rose, bird, garden, mirror, sword, and religious symbols. One of the more interesting of these is the mirror. Upon examining couplets in which the poet makes reference to mirrors, we see certain themes based around criticism and examination of the self (خودی, ख़ुदी), for which the mirror is a metaphor. In other instances, poets use the mirror as a device with which to make indirect observations about human foibles, just as the mirror itself reflects indirect images. However it is used by the poets, the various messages contained in these couplets give us something upon which to pause and reflect.
The word reflections in the English title of this essay can be interpreted in two ways. It can mean either musings or images. Maybe this reflection is the reality of what others see rather than what we perceive ourselves to be. Do the poets who wrote these couplets suggest that we should reflect on our own reflection, on what our true self is? If so, we must be sure that the surface of the mirror is not distorted. When we look into the mirror, how do we see ourselves? The answer may be found in the following couplets, which reflect upon the issues of vanity, criticism, and reality.
While the primary function of a mirror is utilitarian in that it allows us to see how we look, for some, as Nijam Shampuri points out, it is more reflective of our vanities. It is doubly useful since while we are absorbed in looking at ourselves, it allows us the see that others are not watching us while we are engrossed in our vain behavior.
While she is observing her mannerisms in the mirror,
She is also looking to see that no one is watching her.
- Nizam Shampuri -
انداز اپنے دیکھتے ہیں آئینہ میں وہ
اور یہ بھی دیکھتے ہیں کہ کوئ دیکھتا نہ ہو
- نظام شام پوری -
अंदाज़ अपने देखते हैं आईने में वो
और ये भी देखते हैं कि कोई देखता न हो।
- निज़ाम शमपुरी -
In the most direct way, the mirror represents our narcissism. It can be alluring to the point of obsession and self-adoration.
Remove the mirror from in front of you,
So that you might not fall in love with yourself
- Fana Bulandshahri -
آئینہ اپنے سامنے سے ہٹا
یہ نہ ہو خود سے پیار ہو جائے
- فنا بلند شہری -
आईना अपने सामने से हटा
यह न हो ख़ुद से प्यार हो जाये
- फ़ना बुलन्दशहरी -
For some, however, the desired result of their vain observations may be disappointing when the reflection refutes the image they want to see.
From whatever position I look at this mirror
I look so much older than my age
- Rauf Amir -
یہ آئینہ مجھے کس رخ پڑا نظر آیا
میں اپنی عمر سے کتنا بڑا نظر آیا
- رؤف امیر -
यह आईना मझे किस रुख़ पङ़ा नज़र आया
मैं अपनी उम्र से कितना बङ़ा नज़र आया
- रौफ़ अमीर -
Sometimes the poet portrays his own vanity, perhaps unintentionally, as in this anonymous couplet. While the poet is perhaps alluding to his ability to reflect upon his subject’s beauty in her honor, he is, at the same time, paying great honor to his own compositional skills.
When she did not have a mirror in hand
She smiled and requested my poem.
- Anonymous -
آئینہ جب نہ انکے ہاتھـ آیا
مسکرا کے میری غزل مانگی
- گمنام -
आईना जब न उनके हाथ आया
मुस्कुरा के मेरी ग़ज़ल माँगी
- गुमनाम -
“Vanitas vanitatis…Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity,” as it is written in the Old Testament of the Bible. (Ecclesiastes 1:2) How easy it is to fall into the pool of vanity in the looking glass.
Other poets, however, have found the mirror useful for reflecting on the human propensity for criticizing others. They may express it delicately as Ishrat Afreen does:
It is so easy to paint a portrait of others,
But it is so difficult to stand near a mirror.
- Ishrat Afreen -
کتنا آسان ہے تصویر بنانا اونوں کی
خود کو پاس آئینہ رکھنا کتنا مشکل ہے
- عشرت آفرین -
कितना आसान है तस्वीर बनाना औरों की
ख़ुद को पास-ए-आईना रखना कितना मुश्किल है
- इश्रत आफ़रीन -
Nida Fazli, on the other hand, just gives unmistakably direct advice:
Whenever you have a complaint about someone,
Put a mirror in front of yourself.
- Nida Fazli -
جب کسی سے کوئ گلہ رکھتا
سامنے اپنے آئینہ رکھتا
- ندا فاضلی -
जब किसी से कोई गिला रखना
सामने अपने आईना रखना
- निदा फ़ाज़ली -
Criticism is, however, a two-way street. Not only can one criticize, but one can also be criticized. This has not escaped the Urdu poets as the next two couplets demonstrate.
How difficult it is keep one's passions alive,
How difficult it is to keep a mirror in the midst of stones!
- Ishrat Afreen -
اپنی آگ کو زندہ رکھنا کتنا مشکل ہے
پتھر بیچ آئینہ رکھنا کتنا مشکل ہے
- عشرت آفرین -
अपनी आग को ज़िन्दा रखना कितना मुश्किल है
पत्थर बीच आईना रखना कितना मुश्किल है
- इश्रत आफ़रीन -
* * * * *
The sorrows of the all the world are before us and here we are alone.
Hundreds of stones and one mirror, for how long, for how long?
- Kashif Indori -
سامنے دنیا بھر کے غم ہیں اور ادھراک تنہا ہم ہیں
سیکڑوں پتھر اور اک آئینہ کب تک آخر کب تک آخر
- کاشف اندوری -
सामने दुनिया भर के ग़म हैं और इधर इक तन्हा हम हैं
सैकड़ों पत्थर और इक आईना कब तक आखिर आखिर कब तक
- काशिफ़ इन्दोरी -
The second line in each couplet is reminiscent of the saying in English that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, meaning that people should not criticize other people for faults that they have themselves. There seem to be so many stones, however, that the mirrors (or glass houses) are in perpetual danger.
This also brings to mind the concept of a house of mirrors. The anonymous poet uses it powerfully in the following couplet to convey the sense of disappointment when one’s vanity is not reflected.
She came into the house of mirrors with great pride
And was ashamed when her face was nowhere to be found.
- Anonymous -
آئینہ خانے میں آئے تھے بڑے فخر کے ساتھـ
آنکھـ نیچی ہے آپنا چہرہ کہیں ہی نہیں
- گمنام -
आईनाख़ाने में आये थे बड़े फ़ख़्र के सोथ
आँख नीची है कि अपना कहीं चेहरा ही नहीं
- गुमनाम -
Mirrors are also used to reflect upon reality. We may look into a mirror with a preconception of what we want to see only to see what really is. Maybe this reflection is the reality of what others see rather than what we perceive ourselves to be. The reality is a confrontation with our true selves.
This is a mirror. It will only tell the truth.
Why are you slinking away from your own reality?
- Saeed Rahi -
یہ آئینہ ہے یہ تو سچ ہی کہے گا
کیوں اپنی حقیقت سے کترا رہے ہو
- سید راہی -
यह आईना है यह तो सच ही कहेगा
क्यों अपनी हक़ीक़त से कतरा रहे हो
- सईद राही -
* * * * *
My face seemed strange
Whenever I looked in a mirror
-Sudarshan Fakir -
اپنی صورت لگی پرائی سی
جب کبھی ہم نے آئینہ دیکھا
- سدرشن فاکر -
अपनी सूरत लगी परायी सी
जब कभी हमने आईना देका
- सुदर्शन फ़ाकिर -
Firaq Gorakhpuri is unambiguous in this sense when he equates his poetry to the mirror that reflects the face of reality:
My poem is the mirror in which is manifested
The face of reality glowing with secret passions
- Firaq Gorakhpuri -
غزل میری وہ آئینہ ہے جس میں جلوہ گر ہو کر
حقیقت کا بھی چہرہ سوزِ پنہاں سے دمکتا ہے
- فراق گورکھپوری -
ग़ज़ल मेरी वो आईना है जस में जलवागर हो कर
हक़ीक़त का भी चेहरा सोज़-ए-पिंहां से दमकता है
- फ़िराक़ गोरखपुरी -
Firaq’s mirror also reflects his own vanity in this couplet by expressing his sense of self-righteousness in the interpretation of reality and the artistry of his poetry. There is, however, truth in mirrors and despite our efforts to make things appear as we wish they were, the mirror does not lie. This is especially true when we would like to present a situation in the best way possible, especially if it reflects on us.
Whether you put it in a silver or a gold frame,
The mirror really does not lie.
- Krishna Bihari ‘Noor’ -
جڑ دو چاندی چاہے سونے میں
آئینہ جھوٹ بولتا ہی نہیں
- کرشن بہاری نور -
जड़ दो चाँदी से चाहे सोने में
आईना झूठ बोलता ही नहीं
- कृष्ण बिहारी 'नूर' -
As far as the reflection in the mirror, even if it has no frame at all, what you see is what you get. Noor presents an unequivocal reality. Mirrors are windows into ourselves and if we wish to obtain the best image, we want to maintain the luster of the mirror, which leads to another way of considering their use in poetry.
The above musings have all been based upon the English title of this essay and the different interpretations of the word reflections. An equally appropriate Urdu title might be Aab-e-Aaina (آبِ آئینہ, आब-ए-आईना), The Luster of the Mirror, which just as in the English title, without further context, can have a double meaning. In Urdu, if the gender of the word aab (آب, आब) is feminine, it means luster or brightness. If its gender, however, is masculine, it means water. When I think of the phrase aab-e-aaina, to me it is a metaphor drawing on the different meanings of aab. I get a picture in my mind of the reflections off of the smooth surface of a pond with its banks formed by the frame of the mirror. Perhaps Firaq Gorakpuri sees this possibility as well when he writes:
A look that descends this way into the mirror of the heart.
What can one say? Like moon beams reflecting on the water.
- Firaq Gorakhpuri -
دل کے آئینہ میں اس طرح اترتی ہے نگاہ
جیسے پانی میں لچک جائے کرن کیا کہنا
- فراق گورکھپوری -
दिल के आईने में इस तरह उतरती है निगाह
जैसे पानी में लचक जाये किरण क्या कहना
- फ़िराक़ गोरखपुरी -
Nevertheless, however we interpret the meaning of “reflection” or “luster,” we should be careful to polish our mirrors. When we see a blemish in our image, we should always verify that it is a spot on the glass and not on what is reflected.
* J. William Howard, Jr. also goes by the name Bill Howard and the pen name “Faanuus / फ़ानूस /فانوس .”
© 2006 by J. William Howard, Jr.
