Word Meaning
बे-मेहरी
be-mehri
Meaning
Unkindness, lack of affection, coldness, or apathy from loved ones.
Detailed Meaning
The term refers to an absence of warmth, compassion, or love, describing a cold and indifferent attitude. In this couplet, Ghalib recalls the callous indifference shown by former companions in his homeland, which makes the hardships of foreign exile seem pale in comparison. It conveys the bitter emotional wound of betrayal or neglect by those who were expected to offer solace.
Etymology
Persian: compound of the negative prefix 'be-' (without) and 'mehr' (affection, sunlight, kindness) with the abstract noun suffix '-i'.
Usage
In classical ghazal, the motif of 'be-mehri' is frequently invoked to lament the indifference of the beloved or the callous betrayal of false friends.
Examples
The lover suffered more from the beloved's coldness than from separation.
Companions turned away in times of hardship with utter unkindness.