Word Meaning
चुवाने
chuwaane
Meaning
To cause to drip, drop, or administer water to a dying person.
Detailed Meaning
The word 'चुवाने' is the oblique infinitive form of the causative verb 'चुवाना', meaning to cause liquid to trickle or drip. In traditional South Asian culture and classical poetry, 'पानी चुवाना' specifically refers to the compassionate ritual of dropping water into the mouth of a person at the point of death. In this couplet, the poet laments that no one arrived in the lover's final moments even to drip water from tearful eyes upon their parched lips.
Etymology
Derived from Prakrit / Sanskrit 'cyu' (to drop, trickle, fall) via Hindustani 'चूना' (to drip).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, the idiom 'पानी चुवाना' is conventionally paired with deathbed scenes ('दम-ए-नज़अ') to emphasize complete isolation and tragedy.
Examples
dam-e-aakhir lab-e-tishna par paani chuwaane koi na aaya
chashm-e-girya se paani chuwaane ki hasrat rahi