Word Meaning
दुंबाला
dumbaala
Meaning
Tail, rear part, or following behind in pursuit.
Detailed Meaning
Literally refers to a tail, appendage, or the trailing rear section of something. In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, it frequently denotes trailing behind or pursuing a moving caravan, as in 'dumbaala-e-mahmil' (trailing behind the beloved's camel-litter). In this couplet, it evokes the tragic persistence of an unfulfilled desire following vainly after the beloved.
Etymology
Persian (دنبالہ - dumbāla), derived from دنبال (dumbāl, meaning 'behind', 'tail', or 'rear').
Usage
Frequently used in the izafat construction 'dumbaala-e-mahmil' to symbolize the lover trailing desolately behind the departing beloved.
Examples
Trailing behind the beloved's camel-litter in grief
Dust rising in the rear of the departing caravan