Word Meaning
अन्क़ा
'anqā
Meaning
A mythical, invisible bird; metaphorical for something rare, nonexistent, or unattainable.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Arabic and Persian myth, the 'Anqa is a legendary bird known only by name, having no physical existence. In Urdu poetics, it serves as an archetype for total absence, rarity, and impossibility. In this couplet, the lament (nāla) is described as an 'Anqa, emphasizing that true longing or utterance cannot physically manifest in the bewildering realm of human existence.
Etymology
Arabic 'anqā' (عَنْقَاء), feminine of a'naq (long-necked), denoting a fabulous bird.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, 'Anqa is frequently used as a metaphor for an unattainable beloved or a phantom-like, nonexistent entity.
Examples
like the 'Anqa, vanishing without a trace
fame of being known only by name, like the 'Anqa