Word Meaning
कोहना-ख़राबे
kohna-kharaabe
Meaning
An ancient ruin; old desolate place; metaphorically, the transient world.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'kohna-kharaba' denotes an ancient ruin or decaying dwelling, frequently used as a metaphor for the transient, mortal world. In this couplet, it represents the world as an inherently ruined space where material investments and worldly settlements are futile, since all past splendors have already crumbled into wilderness.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'kuhnah' (old, ancient) and 'kharābah' (ruin, desolation, from Arabic 'kharāb').
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, this compound commonly symbolizes the ephemeral nature of worldly existence and the inevitable decay of temporal glory.
Examples
Seeking permanence in this ancient ruin is mere folly.
Wandering through the ancient ruins of an illusionary world.