239. Ode to Humanity

In 1958, Sahir Ludhianvi in a poem titled Mere ahd ke haseeno (Beauties of my generation), presented the event as a success of humanity over nature. Taking aim at those who saw their futures as astrally determined, Sahir saw in the event another sign that humanity had trumped nature. Which event?

Wo buland-baam taare, wo falak-maqaam taare
Jo nishaan de ke apna, rahe be-nashaan hamesha
Wo haseen, wo noor-zaade, wo qilaa ke shaahzaade
Jo hamaari qismaton par rahe hukmraan hamesha

Mere ahd ke haseeno, wo nazar-nawaaz taare
Mera daur e ishq parwar tumhe nazr de rahaa hai
Wo junoon jo aab o aatish ko aseer kar chuka hai
Wo qilaa ki vus-aton se bhi qiraaj le rahaa hai

Mere paas rehne waalo, mere baad aane waalo
Mere daur ka ye tohfa, tumhe saazgaar aaye
Kabhi tum qala se guzro kisi seem-tan ke qatir
Kabhi tum ko dil mein rakh kar koi gul-o-zaar aaye