Word Meaning
बम
bam
Meaning
The bass note or low-pitched string in music; lower tone.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and Urdu musical terminology, 'bam' denotes the deepest, lowest pitch or the thickest bass string of a musical instrument. It is most famously used in combination with 'zer' (the highest pitch) to form the compound 'zer-o-bam', symbolizing the full musical scale as well as the vicissitudes and rhythms of life. In this couplet by Iqbal, it evokes the complete harmonious melody that love instills within the melody of human existence.
Etymology
Persian (بم - bam), originally denoting the bass string of a lute or a low musical tone.
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, 'bam' almost exclusively appears paired with 'zer' to express the totality of music or life's contrasting states.
Examples
The melody's deep lows and highs (zer-o-bam).
Hidden secrets within the notes of zer and bam.