1. Layers of Secrecy: The title "Lihaaf" (quilt) alludes to the layers of secrecy and hidden emotions within the story. Just as a quilt is made up of multiple layers, so too are the characters' desires, fears, and inhibitions concealed beneath the surface of their everyday lives.
2. Metaphor for Female Desire: The quilt can be interpreted as a metaphor for female desire and sensuality. In the story, the young bride's uncontrollable longing for her husband's mistress, Begum Jaan, is hidden and suppressed, much like the forbidden desires that lie beneath the quilt.
3. Symbol of Comfort: The quilt also represents comfort and warmth, which the young bride seeks in her loveless marriage. However, the quilt becomes a symbol of her entrapment and unfulfilled desires, as she finds solace not in her husband's love, but in her emotional connection with Begum Jaan.
4. Revealing the Hidden: The act of uncovering or lifting the quilt exposes the hidden truths and secrets within the story. It signifies the revelation of the young bride's desires, the social hypocrisy surrounding female sexuality, and the subversion of traditional gender roles.
5. Exploration of Taboos: The title highlights the taboo nature of the story's themes. "Lihaaf" suggests the exploration of topics that were considered taboo in the conservative society of Chughtai's time, such as female homosexuality and the expression of female desire outside the confines of marriage.
Through the title "Lihaaf," Ismat Chughtai creates a powerful and evocative symbol that encapsulates the story's central themes of hidden passions, social constraints, and the subversion of societal norms.