चलन

Meaning

Custom, tradition, prevailing practice, or manner of conduct.

Detailed Meaning

In classical Hindustani and Urdu poetry, 'chalan' denotes an established custom, habit, or standard mode of behavior. In this couplet, it refers specifically to the paradoxical convention of the marketplace of love, where lovers surrender their heads without asking for a price. It contrasts the commercial transactions of the world with the self-sacrificing norms of true passion.

Etymology

Derived from Sanskrit 'चलना' (calanā, moving/flowing), evolving through Prakrit into Hindustani to signify currency, practice, and moral conduct.

Usage

Frequently used in the ghazal to critique worldly norms or to describe the unconventional codes of conduct in the realm of passion.

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Related Words