Word Meaning
टोकरी
ṭokarī
Meaning
A basket; metaphorically, a vessel or bearer of an earthly burden.
Detailed Meaning
Literally denoting a woven basket or vessel used for carrying goods, the word here serves as a potent metaphor for the mortal human form. In the context of the couplet, 'ek tokrī miṭṭī' reduces the physical body to merely a small, burdensome basket of clay that the weary soul must carry. It highlights the fleeting, heavy, and trivial nature of worldly existence compared to the spiritual essence.
Etymology
Sanskrit 'टोक्कर' (ṭokkara) / Deshya origin, evolving into Prakrit and modern Indo-Aryan languages like Hindi and Urdu.
Usage
In ghazal poetry, everyday vernacular objects like 'tokrī' are occasionally invoked to vividly stress the mundane burden and fragile transience of the physical body.
Examples
A basket of flowers for the garden
Carrying a basket of dust upon the head