Urdu began its prominence in 17th Century and reaches it apex around partition time. During those centuries, use of Farsi slowly declined and Urdu rose as a language of elite and masses. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, and Christian writers wrote volumes in Urdu.
Even Portuguese and British literary wrote Urdu poems and took part in poetic assemblies called Mushaeras. Then, Urdu was language of Indian courts, especially in North India and Hyderabad. During these Urdu centuries, newspapers and periodicals ran love story serials. These stories were written in a poetic form, called Masnavi or narrative poems, as is the case with poet Mir Hasan. In those days, his fairy tale love story of Prince Badar Munir and Princess Be-Nazeer was the talk of the town. The poet Mir Hasan 1728-1787, titled this Masnavi Sahr ul-bayan (Magic of describing). The readers of the time eagerly waited for the next installment of the story.
For full Masnavi and its translation
Here are few verses Mir Hasan that have became very famous
He describes the condition of fragile army of Mughals
Jo payade hain, so dare sar mundate naee se
Foot solders were afraid of barbers for a head-shave
savaar gir paDeN, sone meiN, charpaee se
The riders were plunging from beds in sleep
He describes the rulers and Rajas engrossed in fun
Sharab-o-kabab-o-bahar-o-nigar
Wine, kebab, spring, and damsel
Jawni-o-masti-o-bos-o-kinar
Youth, lust, kisses, and intimacy
Do it while you can
Gaya waqt phir haat aata nahiN
Once lost, time cannot be clasped
Sada aish, doraN dikhata nahiN
Time never showers luxuries, forever
Do not lose time in formalities
KaTi raat harf-o- hikayat meiN
Night slipped away in formalities
Sahar ho ga-ee bat ki bat meiN
Day broke, telling stories in story
Wealth is momentary
Kisi pas dolat yeh rehti nahiN
The wealth does not stay with any forever
Sada naw kaghaz ki behti nahiN
A paper boat does not float forever
Flowering time of life
Bars pandrah, ya ke sola ka sin
Teens of fifteen or age of sixteen
Javani ki rateN, muradoN ke din
These are nights of youth and days of fulfillments
Intimacy at supreme
laboN se mile lab dahan se dahan
Lips met lips and mouth met mouth
dilon se myle dil, badan se badan
heart met heart and chest met chest
(Submitted by Asghar Vasanwala who can be reached at asgharf@att.net)