Word Meaning
बुत-कदे
but-kade
Meaning
Temple; idol-house; house of idols (oblique form).
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu poetics, 'but-kada' denotes a temple or house of idols, representing a sphere of vibrant aesthetic beauty and devotion outside formal dogma. In this couplet, the night sky brimming with dazzling stars is compared to the unveiling of an illuminated temple sanctum when its door opens. The word appears in its oblique grammatical form before the postposition 'ka'.
Etymology
Persian compound of 'but' (idol) and 'kada' (house, dwelling).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, 'but-kada' is frequently contrasted with the 'kaaba' to juxtapose intense aesthetic passion against conventional piety.
Examples
The illumination inside the idol-house revealed countless wonders.
Leaving the mosque behind, he wandered toward the idol-house.