“The Women Who Lit Our World” – Meaning Explained
It means:
Lighting up homes — by cooking, offering prayers, nurturing children, and caring for guests, they spread warmth and light everywhere.
Lighting up hearts — not just physical light, but through their love, patience, and values, they gave every heart peace, hope, and comfort.
A shining light in silent times — even though they are no longer with us, their memories and influence continue to illuminate our world.
This title gives both honor and tenderness — recognizing how these women, through their small daily efforts and love, lit up the entire world around them.
In a more poetic, descriptive way:
“The women who brought light to every home, every neighborhood, and every heart;
whose smiles, prayers, and hard work illuminated our world — this title is dedicated to them.”
What kind of women were they —
who kindled stoves with dampened wood,
who ground red peppers on stone,
and cooked their curries slow and good;
who toiled from dawn till setting sun,
yet smiled as if their work were done.
and come with modest, gentle grace.
They waved the fan with patient hands,
and chewed their betel, red and grand.
They lingered long beside the door,
to honor rituals old and pure.
They spread neat rugs on wooden frames,
and placed fine sheets with quiet aims.
They’d urge the guests to take their place,
with soft insistence, full of grace.
And if the heat grew fierce and wild,
they served Ruh Afza — sweet and mild.
how threads of love in wool could breathe.
They stitched through fasts and weary days,
with humming hearts and whispered praise.
They filled large plates with iftar’s share,
and laid them out with tender care.
and framed them up in wood’s design.
They blew their prayers on sleeping heads,
then folded mats beside their beds.
If some poor soul should knock one night,
they’d feed him warm, with sheer delight.
and share what little they held dear.
They spoke of ties — of ways to mend,
of how to keep each bond, each friend.
If someone died, they wept sincere,
their tears a tribute, soft and clear.
And when a festival appeared,
they joined in joy — together, near.
Oh, what kind of women were they...
in idle hours, in drifting rain,
I search for them — from lane to lane,
in houses old, in hearts humane;
in milads, in prayer-beads worn,
in silken covers frayed and torn,
in courtyards where the sunlight plays,
in kitchens filled with spice and haze...
their age, their scent, their gentle sway.
All gathered now beneath the loam,
they sleep — together, all at home.
Shakiluddin Ansari
..............
Poetic Qualities Included:
Evocative Imagery: visual scenes of daily life — cooking, prayer, sewing, motherly care.
Rhyme & Rhythm: soft couplets (aa, bb) to retain flow and lyrical grace.
Alliteration & Assonance: “soft and sincere,” “spice and haze,” “dawn till setting sun.”
Emotional Resonance: nostalgia and reverence for womanhood and tradition.
Unity: consistent tone, theme, and structure from start to end.
Conciseness with Depth: emotional worlds expressed in compact lyrical lines.
Original yet Faithful: English diction, but essence preserved completely.
Story Summary: “The Women Who Kept the World Warm”
1.There was once a generation of women whose quiet hands held entire households together. They did not speak much of strength, yet strength was all they knew. From early morning until the close of day, they moved like gentle shadows through their homes — kindling damp firewood to coax reluctant flames to life, grinding crimson chillies on stone until their eyes watered, and serving simple meals that somehow carried the taste of care itself.
2.They lived without complaint. Even beneath the harsh afternoon sun, they would draw a scarf over their heads, smile through the heat, and step out to greet a neighbour or attend a family gathering. There was dignity in every gesture — in the way they spread a clean sheet upon a bed, or insisted a guest sit and share a glass of Ruh Afza, that sweet rose-coloured drink that seemed to cool not only the body but the spirit too.
3.Their lives were measured not in possessions but in service. They taught their daughters to knit and to mend, to sew through long fasts without breaking their patience. At sunset they prepared generous platters for iftar, making sure that no one went hungry. On quiet evenings, they embroidered verses of faith upon cloth, framed them neatly in wood, and blew gentle prayers over the foreheads of their sleeping children before turning their own prayer mats into pillows.
4.If a stranger knocked at the door, they offered food before asking questions. If a neighbour was in need, they gave what little they could — sometimes sugar, sometimes comfort, always warmth. They knew how to maintain the delicate fabric of human bonds: a visit to the sick, tears for the dead, laughter shared at festivals. Their lives were woven of small courtesies, performed without display but rich in grace.
5.Now, the poet returns to her childhood home and finds the rooms strangely hollow. The streets are quieter; the courtyards where those women once sat are empty. She searches for them in every corner — in the kitchen where spices still cling to the air, in the cupboards where prayer beads lie tangled, in the faint smell of old perfumes. Yet they are gone, taking their age and their gentleness with them.
6.And so she realises, with a tender ache, that those women belonged to another time — a time of patience, simplicity, and faith. The world still turns, but it feels colder without them. Somewhere, beneath the earth they rest together, the keepers of a vanished warmth — the women who kept the world human.
Shakiluddin Ansari
Vocabulary
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — kindled stoves
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Lit or started a fire
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Women lighting cooking fires with wood; symbolizes their hard domestic work.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — dampened wood
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Wet or moist wood
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Shows the difficulty of their work — making fire even with wet wood.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — ground red peppers on stone
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Crushed red chilies on a stone grinder
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Traditional cooking method showing patience and effort.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — curries slow and good
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Cooked food slowly with care
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Reflects love and perfection in their cooking.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — toiled
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Worked very hard
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Shows women’s endless effort throughout the day.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — setting sun
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Evening time
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Symbol of the end of a long working day.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — grace
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Beauty, politeness, calmness
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — How they moved or behaved with dignity and humility.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — betel
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — A leaf chewed with areca nut (paan)
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Symbol of simple pleasure and old-fashioned tradition.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — linger(ed)
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Stayed for a while, did not leave quickly
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Shows their polite patience while talking or meeting someone.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — rituals
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Traditional customs or habits
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Refers to cultural manners, like greeting, serving, and showing respect.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — neat rugs
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Clean carpets
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Represents their sense of cleanliness and beauty in the house.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — frames
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Wooden structures (like a bed frame)
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — The base on which rugs or sheets were placed.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — soft insistence
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Gentle urging
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — They politely requested guests to sit or eat.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — Ruh Afza
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — A sweet rose-flavored drink
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — A symbol of hospitality and care in South Asian homes.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — weave
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — To make something by crossing threads
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Teaching daughters to knit or make sweaters.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — threads of love in wool could breathe
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Love and care woven into knitting
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Shows affection hidden in their handmade work.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — stitched
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Sewed using a needle and thread
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Represents women sewing clothes with patience.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — fasts
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Days when people don’t eat (like in Ramadan)
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Shows devotion — working even while fasting.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — iftar
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Evening meal after fasting
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Cultural moment of sharing and togetherness.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — divine words
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Holy or religious words
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Qur’anic verses embroidered or written beautifully.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — framed them up
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Put them inside wooden frames
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Hanging those verses on walls — a sign of faith.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — blew their prayers
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Whispered or breathed prayers softly
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Mothers praying over their children lovingly.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — mats
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Prayer rugs
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — The cloth used for praying (ja-namaz).
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — delight
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Great happiness
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — The joy of giving food to someone in need.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — held dear
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Loved or valued deeply
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — The small things or belongings they cherished.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — ties
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Relationships
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Symbol of family, kinship, and friendship.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — mend
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Repair or fix
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — To heal or maintain relationships.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — bond
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Connection between people
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Represents unity and togetherness.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — tribute
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — A show of respect or honor
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Their tears for someone’s death.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — festival appeared
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Celebration day came
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Religious or cultural gathering where all joined happily.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — lane to lane
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — From one street to another
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Searching through memories and old neighborhoods.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — milads
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Religious gatherings where praise of the Prophet is recited
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Represents their faith and community participation.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — prayer-beads worn
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Used tasbih or beads for prayers
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Symbol of spirituality and devotion.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — silken covers frayed
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Old soft cloth covers torn at edges
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Shows age, memory, and time passing.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — courtyards
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Open space in the center of a house
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Traditional home area for daily life and family time.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — spice and haze
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Smell and steam of cooking
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Creates nostalgic imagery of old kitchens.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — carried time away
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Took the old time along with them
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Means those women belonged to a past era that is gone now.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — sway
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Graceful movement
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Their unique charm and presence.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — beneath the loam
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Under the soil
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — A poetic way to say they are buried in graves.
1️⃣ Word / Phrase — at home
2️⃣ Simple Meaning (in plain English) — Resting place (metaphorical)
3️⃣ Meaning in Poem (Poetic sense) — Their final peace in the afterlife — their eternal “home.”
.....
वो औरतें जिन्होंने हमारी दुनिया में रोशनी जलाई
The Women Who Lit Our World
“वो औरतें जिन्होंने हमारी दुनिया में रोशनी जलाई”
मतलब ये है कि:
घर-आँगन में उजाला फैलाने वाली — खाना बनाकर, दुआएँ पढ़कर, बच्चों को पालकर और मेहमानों का ख्याल रखकर उन्होंने हर जगह गरमाहट और रोशनी डाली।
दिलों में उजाला करने वाली — सिर्फ़ फिज़िकल रोशनी ही नहीं, बल्कि अपने प्यार, अपने सब्र, और अपने संस्कारों से हर दिल को सुकून और उम्मीद दी।
समय की खामोशी में चमकती रौशनी — भले ही अब वो हमारे बीच नहीं हैं, उनकी यादें और असर हमारी दुनिया को रोशन बनाए रखता है।
ये टाइटल सम्मान और नज़ाकत दोनों देता है — जैसे वो महिलाएं, अपनी छोटी-छोटी मेहनत और मोहब्बत से पूरी दुनिया को रोशन करती थीं।
लोकल अंदाज़ में कहें तो:
“वो औरतें, जो हर घर, हर मोहल्ला और हर दिल में अपनी रौशनी फैला देती थीं,
जिनकी मुस्कान, दुआ और मेहनत हमारी दुनिया को रोशन करती थी — बस उन्हीं के नाम ये टाइटल रखा गया है।”
*वो कैसी औरतें थीं*What Kind of Women Were The
जो गीली लकड़ियों को फूँक कर चूल्हा जलाती थीं
जो सिल पर सुरख़ मिर्चें पीस कर सालन पकाती थीं
सुबह से शाम तक मशरूफ़, लेकिन मुस्कुराती थीं
भरी दोपहर में सर अपना ढक कर मिलने आती थीं
जो पंखे हाथ के झलती थीं और बस पान खाती थीं
जो दरवाज़े पे रुक कर देर तक रस्में निभाती थीं
पलंगों पर नफ़ासत से दरी चादर बिछाती थीं
बसद इसरार मेहमानों को सरहाने बिठाती थीं
अगर गर्मी ज़्यादा हो तो रूह अफ़ज़ा पिलाती थीं
जो अपनी बेटियों को स्वेटर बुनना सिखाती थीं
सिलाई की मशीनों पर कड़े रोज़े बिताती थीं
बड़ी प्लेटों में जो इफ़्तार के हिस्से बनाती थीं
जो कलमे काढ़ कर लकड़ी के फ्रेमों में सजाती थीं
दुआएँ फूँक कर बच्चों को बिस्तर पर सुलाती थीं
और अपनी जा-नमाज़ें मोड़ कर तकिया लगाती थीं
कोई साइल जो दस्तक दे उसे खाना खिलाती थीं
पड़ोसन माँग ले कुछ, बाखुशी देती दिलाती थीं
जो रिश्तों को बरतने के कई नुस्ख़े बताती थीं
मोहल्ले में कोई मर जाए तो आँसू बहाती थीं
कोई बीमार पड़ जाए तो उसके पास जाती थीं
कोई तहवार हो तो खूब मिलजुल कर मनाती थीं
`वो कैसी औरतें थीं`
मैं जब घर अपने जाती हूँ तो फ़ुरसत के ज़मानों में,
उन्हीं को ढूँढती फिरती हूँ गलियों और मकानों में,
किसी मीलाद में, जज़दान में, तस्बीहदानों में,
किसी बरामदे के ताक़ पर, बावर्चीख़ानों में,
मगर अपना ज़माना साथ लेकर खो गई हैं वो,
किसी एक क़ब्र में सारी की सारी सो गई हैं वो...
