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shisham
baba

Glossary entry

Urdu term or phrase:

अगर उस तुररा ए पुरपेचोख़म का पेचोख़म निकले

English translation:

If 'corrugations' of starched top of your turban straighten.

Added to glossary by Mrudula Tambe
Sep 7, 2008 01:53
15 yrs ago
Urdu term

अगर उस तुररा ए पुरपेचोख़म का पेचोख़म निकले

Urdu to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature Ghalib
Respected All,

I was just looking for the translation of Ghalib's Ghazal "Hazaaron Khwahishe Aisi". I found that almost every one stumbles at this line. So I decided to ask it here. The full stanza is -

भरम खुल जाए ज़ालिम तेरे क़ामत की दराज़ी का
अगर उस तुररा ए पुरपेचोख़म का पेचोख़म निकले

Kindly translate it either in Hindi / English (Please do not write Urdu script as I do not understand it). Will you?

Thanks in advance.
Proposed translations (English)
5 +2 If 'corrugations' of starched top of your turban straighten.
4 The secret of your high stature, would become exposed, o cruel one

Discussion

chaman4723 Sep 8, 2008:
Symbol of status Turban being a symbol of status lowers on crumbling of starchy stiffness. In India and elsewhere turban is still regarded as a symbol of respect. I fsomebody's turban is touched with evil intention or anything said about it or anything humiliating done to it it is considered as a mark of great disrespect and humiliation.
Mrudula Tambe (asker) Sep 8, 2008:
Significance? Now, the question is why Ghalib says that your (poor) status will be open to all when your Turban is displaced? What does the social value? And how the Turban gets displaced?
Mrudula Tambe (asker) Sep 8, 2008:
Courtesy - Hon. Mr. Chamanji -> >> Barham khul jayega zualim tere qaamat ki darzi ka
Agar is turrae pur paich-o-kham se Pecho kham nikley
Qudsia Lone Sep 8, 2008:
Could you please transliterate this in Roman Urdu because I cannot understand the script you have used to write this?

Proposed translations

+2
2 hrs
Selected

If 'corrugations' of starched top of your turban straighten.

In India and elsewhere in south Asia rich and mighty wore turbans with one flap, sticking out of it and sort of corrugated upwards. This was called 'turra' as many of us must have seen among Pathans and some Punjabis as well. By stiffening it using starch and with the help of corrugations this remained up and aloft. The total effect was that the person wearing it looked tall and impressive. Ghalib who was a non conformist says" Oh cruel person! the illusion of your height will disappear if the corrugations of the top flap of your turban are gone, because its strength will crumble." But there is another version of the couplet. In which the word 'kakul' meaning curled up hair has been used. If this version is taken into consideration then clearly it is addressed to a proud damsel and I leave it to you to figure out the rest.

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2008-09-08 05:22:31 GMT)
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To Qudsia Lone: The couplet reads in urdu as under:
Barham khul jayega zualim tere qaamat ki darzi ka
Agar is turrae pur paich-o-kham se Pecho kham nikley
Example sentence:

भरम खुल जाए ज़ालिम तेरे क़ामत की दराज़ी का/अगर उस तुररा ए पुरपेचोख़म का पेचोख़म निकले

Peer comment(s):
agree Ramesh Bhatt : "your" needs to be replaced by "that". If the 'corrugations' of the top/plume/crest of that starched turban get straightened! can be an improved version.
52 mins
Thank you dear.
agree Sajjad Hamadani
14 hrs
Thanks alot.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you for translation and discussion as well."
3 days 12 hrs

The secret of your high stature, would become exposed, o cruel one

(Thank you for transliterating the term for me!)

Translation of the couplet:
The secret of your high stature, would become exposed, o cruel one
Should the elaborate folds of your turban’s crest begin to unravel!

Explanation:
I have taken Chaman Sahib’s translation and interpretation as the starting point for my own understanding of this verse. This is my interpretation:

As pointed out by Chaman sahib, a turra is the starched, fan-shaped, crest of a particular style of turban that sticks out on the top giving the illusion of greater height to the person wearing it. I believe Mirza Ghalib is saying that,

‘Just as a turban with a high crest gives the false illusion of height to a person, likewise, o cruel person, your respect and honor among people is based on superficiality and deception. Should the many lies that have given you false honor, begin to be exposed before the people one after the other, it will become known that you are completely without substance. Should your real conduct, hidden behind layers of deception, actually become exposed to people, they would recognize you for the heartless person that you are!’


Note from asker:
Thank you Qudsia Lone for further explanation in simple English. Your help is really appreciative.
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