Word Meaning
नौहा
nauha
Meaning
A lamentation, dirge, elegy, or mournful wailing.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'nauha' refers to a mournful lamentation or an elegiac outcry expressing deep grief. In this verse, 'shor-e-nauha' denotes the intense wailing and commotion of mourning awakened by love, turning the once-peaceful heart into a house of bereavement. Beyond the ghazal, it is also a well-known genre of elegy recited during Muharram.
Etymology
Arabic (nawḥah), from the root n-w-ḥ, meaning wailing or lamenting loudly for the deceased.
Usage
In the ghazal, it commonly describes the lover's weeping over separation or heartbreak, evoking imagery associated with grief and mourning assemblies.
Examples
The lamentation of the broken heart echoed across the night.
There is nothing left in this desolate house except grief and a dirge.