Persian · noun · Nation, Faith & Society
Karwan / Qafila
कारवाँ / क़ाफ़िला
said kaar-WAAN / QAA-fi-la
also written: qafila, qaafila, karvan
Meaning
Caravan — a travelling company crossing the wilderness.
How Iqbal uses it
His image of a people moving through history. The caravan needs a leader (mir-e-karvan) of high vision, and must not be lulled by the false comfort of arrival — “the caravan is deceived by the journey's end; the joy of travelling outweighs the rest of the destination.”
See it in the verse
Karwan / Qafila in Iqbal’s couplets
Manzil-e-rahrawan door bhi hai dushwar bhi hai
Koi is qaafle mein qaafla-saalaar bhi hai
Koi is qaafle mein qaafla-saalaar bhi hai
The travellers' destination is both far away and hard to reach — yet somewhere in this caravan there is also a leader of the caravan.
Leadership · Hope · Aspiration
Ai aab-e-rud-e-Ganga wo din hai yaad tujh ko
Utra tere kinare jab karwan hamara
Utra tere kinare jab karwan hamara
O waters of the river Ganga, do you remember those days — when our caravan first halted upon your banks?
Unity · Love
Tahi zindagi se nahin ye fazayen
Yahan saikron karwan aur bhi hain
Yahan saikron karwan aur bhi hain
These open skies are not empty of life — here there are hundreds of other caravans as well.
Hope · Aspiration · Unity
Fareb-khurda-e-manzil hai karwan warna
Ziyada rahat-e-manzil se hai nashat-e-rahil
Ziyada rahat-e-manzil se hai nashat-e-rahil
The caravan is deceived by the idea of a destination — otherwise, the joy of setting out is greater than the comfort of arrival.
Restlessness · Aspiration · Action