Ishq: A Linguistic Lesson in Love
The word Ishq has been derived from its Arabic cognate ‘Ashiqa (عشقه) which is a kind of ivy or Bel, as we refer to in Hindi. But this is not just any creeper growing around. This clinging plant is actually a parasitic plant – similar to the mistletoe – that actually wraps up around another plant and eventually dries it out completely, to the extent that the original plant dies and only the passion-vine (ivy) remains.