Word Meaning
पज़मुर्दगाँ
pazmurdagāñ
Meaning
The withered ones, the dejected, downcast, or despondent people.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu verse, it denotes souls who have wilted like flowers under the weight of grief or disappointment. In this couplet, Ghalib compares his smile to that of the dejected, which is merely a formal, superficial veneer masking inner melancholy. It captures an existential state of emotional fatigue and suppressed anguish.
Etymology
Persian, from the verb 'pazmurdan' (to wither, droop) yielding the participle 'pazmurda' combined with the Persian plural suffix '-ān'.
Usage
Frequently deployed in the ghazal to portray long-suffering lovers whose vital spirits and joy have withered away.
Examples
A faint breath to revive the withered ones
A hollow smile upon the lips of the dejected