Word Meaning
निहाली
nihālī
hinoun, feminine
Meaning
A young sapling or plant; also a thin quilted mattress or cushion.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu, 'nihālī' primarily denotes a tender young plant or sapling, and secondarily a soft quilted mattress. In this couplet, it evokes both the fragile, thorn-laden shape of a young shoot and the quilted texture of a pierced, shredded garment. The poet contrasts the bodily suffering of desire with this delicate vegetal or quilted form.
Etymology
Persian, from 'nihāl' (sapling, young shoot) with the diminutive or attributive suffix '-ī'.
Usage
In the ghazal, it is employed both as an emblem of youthful fragility and as an allusion to a quilted bed or cushion.
Examples
a delicate sapling swaying in the garden
garment stitched like a quilted cushion
Synonyms
पौधानौनिहालतोशकगद्दा
Related Words
निहालनख़्लगुलशनपौधा