Railiyan hi railiyan

ye hamara shahr jo shahr-e-'kalim'-o-'shad' hai
dost is ka aaj-kal charKH-e-sitam-ijad hai

ek zamana tha ki ganga ka ye ham-saya nagar
sher-o-hikmat ke liye tha dars-gah-e-mo'tabar

bhai-chaara aur rawa-dari ka tha har-su riwaj
apne apne shughl mein masruf rahta tha samaj

shaeran-e-KHush-nawa din raat aate the nazar
gungunate sher kahte har gali ke moD par

aise be-fikron ko jin ki taba mauzun hi na thi
shauq tha kankawwe-bazi ka, bajae-shaeri

mulk mein tahrik-e-azadi ka aaya daur jab
mashghale tafrih ke, DhunDe gae kuchh aur tab

thi kabhi to bhuk-haDtal strike, mar-dhaD
aur kabhi thi nare-bazi dhar ise us ko pichhaD

baad-e-azadi nai masrufiyat ka dar khula
nim to hai nim hi us par karaila bhi chaDha

ek nai tahrik aai le ke kuchh tabdiliyan
yani ab tafrih ka saman-e-nau hain railiyan

jis tarah hon khetiyon par hamla-awar TiDDiyan
yunhi ahl-e-shahr ke haq mein hain lanat railiyan

kursiyon se jo siyasat-zad-gan mahrum hain
railiyan un ke liye ba-maqsad o mafhum hain

rang-daron ko mila kar bhiD ikaTThi ki gai
chappa chappa par gali-kuchon ke jo qabiz hui

dafatan mafluj ho kar rah gaya har kaam-kaj
shahr mein chalta raha kuchh der tak rawan ka raj

ittifaqan gar koi dukan khuli pai gai
KHub ji bhar ke wo luTi aur jalwai gai

har dar-o-diwar ke niche khaTalon ki qatar
bich saDkon par maweshi aur ghalazat ki bahaar

aur is manzar ke pichhe raili-bazon ka hujum
tujh ko le aaya kahan ai shahr tera baKHt-e-shum