ASAD [2]

[A few weeks ago]*, there was a small discussion on RMIM about the word "har-suu", and as was correctly explained, it means "everywhere". But there is more to it. "suu" is an independent word meaning "direction" or "towards".

Here is a very touching sh'er by 'Adeem' Hashmi which can explain the meaning clearly.

वो केः ख़ुश्बू की तरह फैला था मेरे चार सू
मैं उसे महसूस कर सकता था, छू सकता न था
woh ke Khushboo ki tarah, phaila tha mere chaar suu
maiN use mehsoos kar sakta thaa, chhoo saktaa na thaa

चार सू: चारों ओर, चारों तरफ़
chaar suu: har suu, all around (everywhere)

Sounds like Gulzar, a little bit, doesn't it?

- Abhay.
ASAD _also_ stands for "A Sher A Day" !

[(c) Abhay Avachat. Editor: U.V. Ravindra]

---

EDITORIAL COMMENTS

[1] "A few weeks ago" refers to a few weeks before the date of the original posting of this article on RMIM: March 1995.

[2] The sh'er presented in this article is from a Ghazal made famous by Ghulam Ali:

फ़ासले ऐसे भी होंगे ये कभी सोचा न था
सामने बैठा था मेरे, और वो मेरा न था
faasle aise bhi hoNge yeh kabhi sochaa na thaa
saamne baiThaa thaa mere, aur woh meraa na thaa

[3] Another sh'er which uses the word 'suu' with telling effect is the following by Faiz Ahmed 'Faiz' from his Ghazal guloN meN rang bhare, which has also been sung beautifully by Mehdi Hassan:

मक़ाम 'फ़ैज़' कोई राह में जचा ही नहीं
जो कू-ए-यार से निकले, तो सू-ए-दार चले!
maqaam 'Faiz' koi raah meN jachaa hi naheeN
jo koo-e-yaar se nikle, to soo-e-daar chale

कू-ए-यार = यार (प्रियतम/प्रियतमा) की गली
सू-ए-दार = मौत की तरफ़ (दार = सूली)
koo-e-yaar = the street where the beloved lives
soo-e-daar = towards Death (daar = gallows)