Word Meaning
ग़म्ज़ा
ghamza
Meaning
An amorous or coquettish glance; a seductive wink or eye-signal.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, 'ghamza' refers to the alluring, often lethal sidelong glance or wink of the beloved. In this couplet, it evokes the ruthless tyranny of the blue-eyed beloved (or the callous blue sky) whose flirtatious cruelty leaves the lover trampled and ruined. It captures the paradoxical interplay of seductive charm and destructive power.
Etymology
Arabic root gh-m-z (غمز), meaning to wink, hint, or make a sign with the eyes; adopted into Persian and Urdu poetry as a conventional romantic trope.
Usage
Conventionally paired with 'ishva' (coyness) and 'ada' (graceful charms), 'ghamza' in the ghazal is typically metaphorized as a piercing dagger or arrow shot from the eye.
Examples
wounded by the deadly arrow of her glance
the subtle ghamza that bewildered the assembly