Word Meaning
दरबाँ
darbāñ
hinoun
Meaning
A doorkeeper, gatekeeper, or sentinel guarding an entrance.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'darbāñ' refers to the gatekeeper stationed at the threshold of the beloved. In this couplet, it represents an antagonistic barrier before whom the desperate lover is willing to bow down and endure humiliation simply to remain near the beloved's house.
Etymology
Persian (dar 'door' + bān 'keeper, guardian').
Usage
A classic trope in the ghazal representing the petty rival or gatekeeping tyrant whose favor the abject lover must seek.
Examples
Enduring the bitter rebukes of the cruel doorkeeper.
The gatekeeper denied entry to the helpless lover.
Synonyms
दरबानद्वारपालपहरेदारहाजिब
Related Words
दरचौखटपास्बाँआस्ताना