The terminology “Koka” or “coka” became famous after the song COKA by Alankrita Sahai, Jaani and Arvind Khaira and other songs such as “Koka Tera Kuch Kuch” and “Koka Karke Dhokha Ni Di Le Gaya”– being a non-Punjabi speaker, you may be unaware about the actual meaning of the koka. Anyways in this, post we would be learning the meaning of Koka, and we will also find out what it does mean in other languages spoken in India. In Punjabi, Koka means, “nose pin” in English and in Hindi “naak ka pin” (नाक का पिन) or “keel” (कील) is an ornament or jewellery worn by most of the Indian girls, mainly teenagers.
If you’re interested in delving deeper into the Punjabi language and culture, now might be the perfect time to learn Punjabi. There are various resources available online that can help you get started on your journey to understanding this vibrant and rich language.
The nose pins come in a variety of designs made up of gold, diamond, silver, platinum and artificial metals such as stainless steel. Sometimes, Koka may also be referred to as “Koke” or “Coke” depending upon the sentencing.
In other languages such as Awadhi, Marathi, Bundeli Koka is known as “Nathini” (नथनी), “Nath” (नाथ), “Nathuniya” (नथुनिया), “Nathiya” (नथिया) and “bunda” (बूंदा); Punjabi is not the only language in which nose pin used as the part of the attraction, but there are many other languages in which nose pin used as the main attraction of the songs.
Popular songs based on nose pin (koka) in regional languages in India:
- Bundeli: Nathini Ko Nag vako (नथनी को नग वॉको)
- Bhojpuri: Naak Ke Nathuniya (नाक के नथुनिया)
- Bhojpuri: Naak Ke Nathiya (नाक के नथिया) by Manoj Tiwari
- Chhattisgarhi: Tor Naak Ma Nathni (तोर नाक माँ नथिनी)
