बहाने

Meaning

Excuses, pretexts, or evasions made to avoid or delay an encounter.

Detailed Meaning

In classical Urdu poetry, 'bahāna' refers to a pretext or justification offered, typically by the beloved, to evade a meeting or deny affection. In this couplet, it appears in the oblique case ('bahāne ke'), conveying the lover's lament that the beloved chose the lover's dying moments to offer excuses rather than other times. It captures the tragic irony of deceit extending even to the threshold of death.

Etymology

From Persian 'bahāna' (بهانه), meaning pretext, excuse, or sham.

Usage

In the ghazal tradition, 'bahāna' is conventionally linked to the beloved's coquettish cruelty (शोख़ी) and inventive evasions.

Examples

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Related Words