shadiyan hoti thin jab pahle kisi dehat mein
chand hathi bhi mangae jate the baraat mein

taki kuchh saraatiyon par roab samdhi ka pade
aur us ke nam ka atraf mein jhanda gade

hathiyon ko dekh kar atraf mein hoti thi dhum
gher leta tha unhen ahl-e-tamasha ka hujum

un ki khurish par magar hoti thi kharch itni raqam
sahab-khana bichaare ka nikal jata tha dam

gadiyon bargad ke patte ek man pukhta anaj
ek hathi ko mila karta tha rozana khiraj

jab adam-abaad ki jaanib zamin-dari gai
rafta rafta hathiyon ki garm-bazari gai

aur ab un ke ewaz har ganw har dehat mein
na-khudayan-e-siysasat jate hain baraat mein

aaj-kal shobha badhane ke liye baraat ki
har lagan mein mang hoti hai inhin hazraat ki

un ki aamad se bhi mach jati hai chaaron samt dhum
gher leta hai unhen bhi ganw walon ka hujum

mezban ke ghar ki raunaq shan-o-shaukat roab-dab
dafatan badhte hain be-payan o be-hadd-o-hisab

ek hathi par jo pahle kharch hoti thi raqam
ek neta par wahi hoti hai sarf ab besh-o-kam

farq sirf ye hai ki wo khata tha galla ye pulaw
us ka hissa ek man tha in ka hissa tin paw

us ke aage tokra tha in ke aage khas-dan
wo chaba jata tha patte ye chaba jate the pan

panch mein milta tha pahle ek man galle ka dher
sainkadon ki ab chapat hai murgh-o-mahi-o-bater

mangte hain dawat-e-shadi mein sab har bar murgh
ab hisab is ka laga lo ek neta chaar murgh

is taraazu mein barabar hain wo neta hun ki fil
khate hain janta ka hissa bhi ye janta ke wakil

khwah neta ho ki hathi nam baraati ka hai
al-gharaz diwaliya har haalat mein saraati ka hai