The Taj Mahal in Poetry

The Taj Mahal is a subject of many Urdu poems and film songs, and much to my surprise, they're not all complimentary.

This is the standard line, from a very beautiful song written by Shakeel Badayuni:

"Ek Shahanshaah Ne Banavaa Ke Hasi.N Taajamahal
Saarii Duniyaa Ko Muhabbat Kii Nishaanii Dii Hai"

(In having the beautiful Taj Mahal built, an emperor has given the whole world a token of love"

Here is Sahir Ludhianvi's take:

Ek shahanshah ne bana ke haseen Taj Mahal, hum garibon ki mohabbat ka hai udaya mazak’

"In building the beautiful Taj Mahal, an emperor has made a joke of the love of us poor ones..." (someone please, please translate this more poetically)

More:

http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/nov2002/msg00332.html

taaj tere liye ik mazahar-e-ulfat hii sahii
tum ko is vaadii-e-ra.ngii.n se aqiidat hii sahii

bazm-e-shaahii me.n Gariibo.n kaa guzar kyaa maanii
sabt jis raah pe ho.n satavat-e-shaahii ke nishaa.N
us pe ulfat bharii ruuho.n kaa safar kyaa maanii

merii mahabuub pas-e-pardaa-e-tashhiir-e-vafaa
tuu ne satavat ke nishaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa
murdaa shaaho.n ke maqaabir se bahalnevaalii
apane taariik makaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa

anaginat logo.n ne duniyaa me.n muhabbat kii hai
kaun kahataa hai ki saadiq na the jazbe un ke
lekin un ke liye tashhiir kaa saamaan nahii.n
kyuu.N ke vo log bhii apanii hii tarah mufalis the

ye imaaraat-o-maqaabir ye fasiile.n, ye hisaar
mutal-qulhukm shahanashaaho.n kii azamat ke sutuu.N
daaman-e-dahar pe us ra.ng kii gulakaarii hai
jis me.n shaamil hai tere aur mere ajadaad kaa Kuu.N

merii mahabuub! u.nhe.n bhii to muhabbat hogii
jinakii sannaa_ii ne baKshii hai ise shakl-e-jamiil
un ke pyaaro.n ke maqaabir rahe benaam-o-namuud
aaj tak un pe jalaa_ii na kisii ne qa.ndiil

ye chamanazaar ye jamunaa kaa kinaaraa ye mahal
ye munaqqash dar-o-diivaar, ye maharaab ye taaq
ik shahanashaah ne daulat kaa sahaaraa le kar
ham Gariibo.n kii muhabbat kaa u.Daayaa hai mazaak

mere mahabuub kahii.n aur milaa kar mujhase

Translation (note, I didn't do this--I don't know enough Urdu, and if I had, I wouldn't have forced rhyme on it):

A symbol of love is Taj for you,
A place of fun, frolic for you.

But my dear, for my sake,
Meet me at another place.

Not for poor this palace
Royal grandeur fills this place.

How can young innocent hearts
Be at peace in these parts?

These are tombs of kings long dead,
Charm though over you they spread.

Alas! behind advertisement
Of faithfulness, endearment;

You can’t see I think, my dear,
Ugly wealth displayed, I fear.

While enchanted by these tombs,
Why forget dark our homes?

Countless people loved before,
Theirs too were hearts so pure.

But they loved without much fuss
They were poor too, like us.

Palaces, tombs and forts
Bear testimony of sorts.

Kings wealthy and arrogant
Left behind these monuments;

Whose colourful engravings
Give rise to misgivings.

Behind beautiful colours
Is blood of our ancestors.

They too must have loved in full
Whose hands made it beautiful.

Graves of their beloved
Lie today but neglected.

Palace, garden, river’s shore,
Decorated walls and doors;

This display of treasure trove,
What a joke on poor’s love.

So, my dear for my sake,
Meet me at another place.

Evidently (though I can't find the link now) Sahir Ludhianvi wanted to write poems calling the Taj a huge blot on the face of the earth but the progressive movement thought that would be disrespectful to the laborers who built it.