Word Meaning
बे-गाह
be-gāh
Meaning
untimely; unseasonable; inopportunely; late or odd hours.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning out of season or at an untimely moment, it functions adverbially or adjectivally to describe an odd hour or inappropriate occasion. In the phrase 'gah-o-be-gah' found in the couplet, it combines with 'gah' (time/season) to mean 'at all times', 'in season and out of season', or 'constantly without regard to hour'. It emphasizes perpetual presence and relentless attachment to the beloved.
Etymology
Persian: 'be-' (negative prefix, without) + 'gāh' (time, season, place).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, 'be-gah' is most frequently paired with 'gah' in the compound 'gah-o-be-gah' to signify unrestrained permanence and constant longing.
Examples
He knocked upon the door at an untimely hour (be-gah).
Gah-o-be-gah: thinking of you at all hours, seasonable or unseasonable.