Word Meaning
कुलफ़त
kulfat
Meaning
Trouble, distress, hardship, affliction, or vexation.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'kulfat' denotes hardship, suffering, distress, or inconvenience that weighs upon the soul. In the provided couplet, it functions alongside pain (dard), blemish (daagh), and sorrow (ranj) as the inescapable reality of the realm of love, contrasting sharply with any expectation of comfort or relief. It represents the inherent travails and emotional weariness that a true lover must endure.
Etymology
From Arabic 'kulfah' (كلفة), signifying hardship, trouble, or an arduous burden.
Usage
Frequently paired in classical ghazals with 'ranj' or 'alam' to illustrate the enduring grief and testing ordeals of unrequited love.
Examples
Enduring endless hardship in the alley of longing
The heart found no relief from persistent affliction