Word Meaning
दरबानी
darbaani
hinoun, feminine
Meaning
The duty or act of a doorkeeper; guarding the door, gatekeeping.
Detailed Meaning
Literally refers to the office, vigil, or function of a doorkeeper (darbaan). In classical poetry, it frequently denotes the lover's prolonged and humiliating wait at the threshold for the beloved's arrival. In the cited couplet, the speaker laments that endless anticipation has ironically reduced him to an alert watchman guarding his own house.
Etymology
Persian (dar [door] + bān [keeper/protector] + -ī [abstract noun suffix]).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, darbaani underscores the lover's tireless, obsessive vigil at a portal or street corner.
Examples
The humiliating vigil of guarding the beloved's street
A lifetime spent watching the doorway
Synonyms
चौकीदारीपहरेदारीनिगहबानीपासबानी
Related Words
दरबानदरदेहरीचौखट