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Date: 6-Mar-2000
Word of the Day: 'aKhtar'

Meaning:
aKhtar - star

I don't know of any ashaar which uses 'aKhtar'. If you
do, please let me know. There are numerous poets who
use 'aKhtar' as their 'taKhallus' or pen-name. Example:
Jan Nissar Akhtar, Akhtar Sheerani, Akhtar Ansari, etc.

Associated word:
aKhtar_shumaarii - to count stars (sleeplessness)

beKhudii kaa buraa ho subah hu_ii
phir bhii aKhtar_shumaariyaa.N na ga_ii.n


Please note that 'Kh' is different from 'kh' used in words 
like khel, khilanaa, etc. 'Kh' is specific to Urdu and does 
not occur in the Hindi script and is written as 'kh' but 
with a 'bindi'/'nuktaa' below it. 

Other such letters are:

'j' - jaal (net)
'z' - zaKhm (wound)
'g' - gol (round)
'G' - Gam - sorrow
'p' - paanii (water)
'f' - faasale (distance)

'G' and 'Kh' are difficult to pronounce, if one does not know 
how. Please ask one of your Urdu speaking friends to help
you out with the correct pronunciation.