Word Meaning
शबिस्ताँ
shabistaan
hinoun
Meaning
A bedchamber, sleeping quarters, or private night chamber.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and Urdu poetry, 'shabistan' refers to a nocturnal retreat, bedroom, or inner sanctum. In this couplet, it represents the desolate, pitch-dark chamber of the sorrowful lover, completely immersed in gloom. The darkness of the sanctuary is contrasted with outside light to highlight utter despair.
Etymology
Persian: compound of 'shab' (night) and the suffix '-istan' (place/abode).
Usage
In the ghazal, it is commonly used to depict either a setting of romantic union or a dark space of tragic solitude.
Examples
The flickering lamp could not illuminate the cold bedchamber.
Her absence turned the night-chamber into a tomb of memories.
Synonyms
ख़्वाबगाहशयनकक्षख़ल्वत-कदा
Related Words
शबख़्वाबगाहकाशानाहुजरा