Word Meaning
गलियाँ
galiyan
Meaning
Lanes, alleys, or narrow streets, often denoting the beloved's neighborhood.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'galiyan' (plural of 'gali') refers to narrow streets or alleys, especially the lover's pilgrimage site—the neighborhood of the beloved. In this couplet, it represents the thoroughfares filled with the helpless victims smitten by the beloved's intoxicating tresses. The poet warns the breeze not to disturb those fragrant curls, lest the casualties in the alleys increase even further.
Etymology
From Sanskrit 'gali' (lane/path) via Prakrit into Old Hindi and Urdu.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, the 'gali' or street of the beloved represents both sacred sanctuary and a perilous site of trial and demise for the lover.
Examples
wandering through the desolate lanes of longing
the fragrant lanes around the beloved's abode