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5 Urdu couplets and shers with aahista

aahista: slow, deliberate

Description of aahista: The Urdu word aahista means slowly, gently, or gradually, conveying a sense of unhurried movement or progression. It describes actions performed with care and deliberation, often implying tenderness or softness in execution. Unlike the English word "slow," which merely indicates reduced speed, aahista carries emotional and aesthetic dimensions suggesting grace and thoughtfulness. Differs from "dhire," another Hindi term for slowness, as aahista emphasizes gentleness and delicacy rather than mere temporal

1 / 5: aahista

inquilaab aayega raftaar se mayoos na ho

bahut aahista nahin hai

jo bahut tez nahin

the revolution will come soon

don’t be despondent

it doesn’t come too slowly

not does it come too fast

Ali Sardar Jafri (6)

1997: Jnanpith Award

1967: Padma Shri

inquilaab (m) (7)

revolution

raftaar (f) (3)

fast, speed

aahista (5)

slow, deliberate

tez (5)

fast, speed, quick

Theme: Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (62)

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2 / 5: aahista

sar par zameen le ke hawaaon ke saath jaa

aahista chalne vaale ki

baari na aaegi

carry the earth on your head

and run with the wind

those who tread slowly

will never get their turn

Bashir Badr (20)

1999: Sahitya Akademi

1999: Padma Shri

sar (m) (9)

front, top, head

par (22)

wings / upon / however

zameen (m) (14)

ground, earth, land

hawaaon (m) (3)

winds

aahista (5)

slow, deliberate

baari (f) (2)

turn

Theme: Grit, Resilience, & Courage (61)

3 / 5: aahista

aahista baat kar ki hawaa tez hai bahut

aisaa na ho

ki saaraa nagar bolne lage

speak softly

for the wind is strong

lest it happen the whole city

begins to gossip

Wazir Agha (Wazir Agha) (1)

aahista (5)

slow, deliberate

tez (5)

fast, speed, quick

nagar (m) (3)

city

Theme: Friends, Family, & Community (148)

4 / 5: aahista

bana husn-e-takallum husn-e-zan aahista aahista

bahar-surat khula

ek kam-sukhan aahista aahista

the beauty of eloquence turned into

beauty of insight, slowly, slowly

the reticent one opened up

in every way, slowly, slowly

Shaz Tamkanat (3)

husn (m) (21)

beauty

takallum (m) (6)

speech, eloquence

aahista (5)

slow, deliberate

bahar-surat (f) (1)

in all forms

kam-sukhan (m) (1)

reserved, reticent

Theme: Voice, Expression, & Language (82)

5 / 5: aahista

dekh raftaar-e-inquilaab 'firaq'

kitni aahista

aur kitni tez

watch

the pace of revolution, firaq

how deliberate

and, yet, how swift

Firaq Gorakphuri (Raghupati Sahay) (13)

1969: Jnanpith

1997: India Commemorative Stamp

raftaar (f) (3)

fast, speed

inquilaab (m) (7)

revolution

aahista (5)

slow, deliberate

tez (5)

fast, speed, quick

Theme: Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (62)

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Featured Themes

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (73)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (40)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (122)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (66)

Love, Passion, and Longing (121)

Home, Country, & Belonging (32)

Friends, Family, & Community (148)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (38)

Miscellany (44)

Nature, World & Universe (52)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (56)

Voice, Expression, & Language (82)

Beauty, Charm, & Union (115)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (61)

Time, Life & Learning (133)

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (62)

Alfaaz Ki Mehfil is a curated space for timeless poetry celebrating words, emotions, and the enduring beauty of expression. From classic Urdu couplets to modern reflections, it brings together generations of poetic voices that speak of love, longing, hope, and the human soul.

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aahista: slow, deliberate

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