khak udti hai kharidar kahan kho gae hain
jin se thi raunaq-e-bazar kahan kho gae hain

sab ki peshaniyan sajdon se munawwar hain yahan
ai khuda tere gunahgar kahan kho gae hain

sar-nigun baithe hain sab zill-e-ilahi ke huzur
kya hue sahib-e-dastar kahan kho gae hain

jin ke daman mein duaon ke khazane the bahut
wo sakhawat ke alam-dar kahan kho gae hain

aisa ehsas-e-ziyan to kabhi guzra hi na tha
dost kya hue aghyar kahan kho gae hain

dhundhti phirti hai pagal ki tarah sham-e-awadh
lucknow tere trahdar kahan kho gae hain

khana-e-jaan mein andhera hi andhera hai tamam
wo farozan dar-o-diwar kahan kho gae hain

manzilen jin ki qadam-bosi pe nazan thin bahut
wo jari qafila-salar kahan kho gae hain

dhundta phirta hun darwesh o qalandar 'akhtar'
sab ke sab aaina-kirdar kahan kho gae hain