*back to section 1a*
(we're now on page *jiim , continued*)

Umrao Jan: (the moment she saw me) By God, Mirza Sahib, you've forgotten us entirely!
I: Who knew in which 'Mount Qaf' you've been pleased to live?
Umrao Jan: Well, I've often heard your voice, but I never had the courage to send for you. But today your ghazal made me restless. Uncontrollably, 'vah' emerged from my mouth; while some sahib said, 'please come here'. For my part, I myself was embarrassed. It occurred to me to remain silent, but then my heart didn't consent. Finally, for the sake of former associations, I put you to the trouble of coming. Please pardon me. Indeed, just please recite that verse again.
I: There will be no pardon, nor will I recite the verse. If you are an enthusiast, then please graciously come over there.

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=='Mount Qaf' is the legendary land of Paris and Devs, well-known from the Dastan-e Amir Hamzah and other such Persian and Urdu romances. Here of course it suggests that Umrao Jan had been out of touch with her friends.
umraa))o jaan :: ( dekhte hii ) all;aah mirzaa .saa;hib aap to hame;N bhuul hii ga))e _
mai;N :: yih ma((luum kise thaa kih aap kis koh-e qaaf me;N tashriif rakhtii hai;N _
umraa))o jaan :: yuu;N to mai;N ak;sar aap kii aavaaz sunaa kartii thii _ magar kabhii bulaane kii jur:at nah hu))ii _ magar aaj aap kii ;Gazal ne be-chain kar diyaa _ be-saa;xtah mu;Nh se vaah vaa nikal gayaa _ udhar kisii .saa;hib ne kahaa _ yahaa;N aa))iye _ mai;N apnii jagah par aap hii sharmindah hu))ii _jii me;N aayaa _ chup ho rahuu;N _ magar phir dil nah maanaa _ aa;xir aglii ;xa.suu.siyato;N ke li;haa:z se aap ko takliif dii _ mu((aaf kiijiyegaa _ haa;N vuh shi((r ;zaraa phir pa;Rh diijiye _
mai;N :: ma((f to kuchh bhii nah hogaa _ aur nah mai;N shi((r sunaa))uu;Ngaa _ agar aap ko shauq ho to vuhii;N tashriif le chaliye _

Umrao Jan: I have no objection to going, but I fear that perhaps my going might not be pleasing to the owner of the room, or to some other gentleman.
I: Are you in your senses? As if I would invite you to such a place! It's an informal gathering, your going there will increase the enjoyment.
Umrao: That's true, but let there not somehow be too much informality.
I: No ma'm, there nobody can treat you informally except me!
umraa))o jaan :: mujhe chalne me;N ko))ii ((u;zr nahii;N _ magar yih ;xiyaal hai kih .saa;hib-e ;xaanah yaa aur kisii .saa;hib ko meraa jaanaa naa-gavaar nah ho _
mai;N :: aap ke ;havaas durust hai;N ? bhalaa aisii jagah mai;N aap ko chalne ke liye kyuu;N kahtaa _ be-takalluf .su;hbat hai _ aap ke jaane se aur lu:tf hogaa _
umraa))o :: yih to sach hai magar kahii;N ziyaadah be-takallufii nah ho _
mai;N :: jii nahii;N _ vahaa;N sivaa mere ko))ii aap se be-takalluf nahii;N ho saktaa _

Umrao: All right then, I'll come tomorrow.
I: Why don't you come along right now?
Umrao: Oh no, not now! Just look at the state I'm in!
I: There's no need for a 'performance' there, it's an informal group-- come right along.
Umrao: Oh dear, Mirza Sahib, you're a peerless persuader! All right, you go along; I'm just coming.
I rose and came away. After a little while Umrao Jan Sahibah, having arranged her hair and such, and changed her clothes, came along.
In a few words I had acquainted my companions with her taste for poetry and her excellence in musical skill and so on. People had become eager to see her. When she came, then it was decided that everyone would recite his own poetry, and she too would recite. In short, a very enjoyable gathering took place.

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==A mujraa is a professional performance by a courtesan.
==The verb pa;Rhnaa literally means 'to read', but the emphasis here is on oral recitation; the poet may or may not actually be reading from a written notebook.
umraa))o :: achchhaa to kal aa))uu;Ngii _
mai;N :: abhii kyuu;N nahii;N chaltii;N _
umraa))o :: ay hai abhii _ dekhiye to kis ;hai;siyat se bai;Thii huu;N _
mai;N :: vahaa;N ko))ii mujraa to nahii;N hai _ be-takalluf .su;hbat hai , chale chaliye _
umraa))o :: uuhii mirzaa .saa;hib aap kii to baate;N laajavaab hotii hai;N _ achchhaa , chaliye mai;N aatii huu;N _
mai;N u;Th ke chalaa aayaa _ tho;Rii der ke ba((d umraa))o jaan .saa;hibah ;zaraa kanghii-vanghii kar ke kap;Re badal ke aa))ii;N _
mai;N ne a;hbaab se chand alfaa:z me;N un ke ma;zaaq-e shi((r-o-su;xan aur kamaal-e fan-e mausiiqii va;Gairah kii ta((riif kar dii thii _ log mushtaaq ho ga))e the _jab vuh tashriif laa))ii;N _ to yih ;Thahrii kih sab .saa;hib apnaa apnaa kalaam pa;Rhe;N _ aur vuh bhii pa;Rhe;N _ ;xilaa.sah yih kih ba;Re [*jiim*] lu:tf kaa jalsah hu))aa _

From that day, usually Umrao Jan came in the evening. For hours together the session would continue. Sometimes there was a gathering for poetry recitation, sometimes she sang something. The friends were delighted. The mood of one such gathering we here record. In those mushairahs no rhyming-pattern was fixed, nor were pledges [of participation] taken from many people. Only close friends gathered together, and recited their freshly composed ghazals.

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==No rhyming-pattern was fixed: that is, people could recite any ghazal they wanted, without having its formal qualities prescribed by a pre-set 'pattern line' [mi.sra((-e :tar;h] to which all ghazals had to conform, as in an official 'tarahi' mushairah.
us din se umraa))o jaan ak;sar shaam ko chalii aatii thii;N _ gha;N;Tah dar-gha;N;Tah tak nishist rahtii thii _ kabhii shi((r shaa((irii kaa jalsah hu))aa _ kabhii unho;N ne kuchh gaayaa _ a;hbaab ma;h:zuu:z hu))e _ aisii hii ek jalse kii kaifiyat ham yahaa;N likhe dete hai;N _ in mushaa((iro;N me;N ko))ii :tara;h nahii;N muqarrar kii jaatii thii _ aur nah bahut se logo;N se va((de liye jaate the _ .sirf be-takalluf a;hbaab jam((a ho jaate the _ aur apnii apnii taazah ta.sniif ;Gazale;N pa;Rhte the _
  *on to section 2a*

 
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