Word Meaning
ख़ानक़ाह
khanqah
Meaning
A Sufi hospice, monastery, or spiritual retreat.
Detailed Meaning
A Khanqah is an institutional center where Sufi dervishes and spiritual teachers reside, hold gatherings, and practice contemplation. In this couplet, it represents the formal seat of religious authority and ostensible piety associated with the Sheikh. Disillusioned by the lack of genuine human compassion in the Sheikh, the poet vows to abandon this monastic threshold altogether.
Etymology
Persian (خانقاہ / xānaqāh, derived from xāna meaning 'house/place' and gāh meaning 'place/seat').
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, the khanqah is often contrasted with the maikhana (tavern) to satirize religious orthodoxy and moral hypocrisy.
Examples
Leaving the cold Khanqah behind, the seeker headed to the tavern.
What value has the Khanqah without love and warmth?