Din ko daftar mein akela, shab bhar ghar mein akela.

Mein k eek aks-e-muntashir, ek ek manzar mein akela.

(Alone, throughout the day at the office, alone, throughout the night at home.

Alone, not just me, but also my scattered reflection in all the scenes around.)

He tried explaining the meaning of ‘scattered reflection’ to Hina. Hina had nearly grasped the same meaning that Asrar had just explained. Birds flew towards their right while the red light of the setting sun engulfed the sea. Asrar recited another couplet:

Ud chal o, ek juda khaka liye sar mein akela.

Subha ka pahla parinda asman bhar mein akela.

(It flew away with a new draft in its head.

The early morning bird, alone, in the entire sky.)

Asrar tried explaining those lines too, but Hina said that she knew that much of Urdu and that the lines sketched a new morning. She said that the sad scene of the evening could also be captured in a sher. Hina’s seriousness towards the ghazal gave Asrar more power. He recited the third couplet. While reciting it, his tone was filled with despair:

Us ko tanha kar gai karwat koe pichle pahar ki.

Phir uda, bhaga o sara din, nagar bhar mein akela.

(A turning from the past saddened him.

He then roved in the entire city, alone.)

When he had read this couplet for the first time, he could feel as if it was an elegy for not just his stay in Mumbai but also for others who lived with him in the kholi. He continued to recite further:

Hubahu meri tarha chupchap, mujh ko dekhta hai.

Ek larzta, khubsurat aks, saghar mein akela.

(Exactly like me, it silently stares back.

A lonely reflection from the goblet.)

‘Exactly like me.’ After saying this, he paused for a moment to look at Hina. Hina looked away at the last rays of the sun melting into the ocean but her heart was still under the effect of his words—‘exactly like me … It silently stares back … silently’. Hina could not stop herself from turning towards him. She could feel the suppressed spark in Asrar’s heart which if kept hidden for long could turn into internal grief. Asrar tried smiling. Hina joined in to make it a collective attempt. There was a faint smile on their lips. Asrar completed the couplet with a smile on his face, ‘Exactly like me, it silently stares back.’ Hina could feel the influence of those lines on her heart at that time. He completed the couplet and started looking at the sea. The last yellowish-red line of the sun had also vanished from the horizon.