Word Meaning
बस्ती
basti
Meaning
A settlement, populated place, town, or inhabited locality.
Detailed Meaning
Basti denotes an inhabited area, town, or community bustling with human presence. In the given couplet, it refers to the thriving city of beauties (shahar-e-khoobañ), serving as a stark spatial contrast to the speaker's singular, desolate house. The motif highlights internal alienation within an otherwise vibrant settlement.
Etymology
Sanskrit 'वसति' (vasati - dwelling, residence), developing into Prakrit and modern Hindustani 'बस्ती'.
Usage
In Urdu poetry, 'basti' commonly symbolizes civilization, companionship, or the inner state of the heart, frequently contrasted with 'veeraana' (wilderness).
Examples
The settlement of the heart has long turned desolate.
Far from the settlement lies the quiet wilderness.