Word Meaning
मय-कशों
may-kashon
Meaning
Wine drinkers, imbibers, or drunkards (oblique plural).
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'may-kash' refers to one who drinks wine, often serving as a metaphor for spiritual seekers intoxicated with divine love. In this couplet, 'may-kashon' appears in the plural oblique case alongside 'rindon' and 'bankon', evoking a circle of disheveled, carefree revelers. The poet uses it ironically to question whether the seemingly pious Sheikh has slipped into the ranks of the drunken free-thinkers.
Etymology
Persian: compound of 'may' (wine) and 'kash' (from kashīdan, to pull/drink).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, the 'may-kash' is celebrated as a sincere seeker of truth, frequently contrasted with the hypocritical ascetic or Sheikh.
Examples
The gathering of wine-drinkers remained lost in ecstasy.
What would the sober ascetic know of the state of wine-drinkers?