Indra Sinha - Animal's People

Bilaval —raga whose scale is almost identical with western C major scale

biryani —a dish of meat in rice

Brahma —in Hinduism the Creator god

burqa —the black head-to-toe robe with eyegrill of some Muslim women

chaar sau bees —420, refers to section 420 of the Indian Penal Code which deals with cheating

cha-hussain —a gullible fool, someone who’s taken for a ride

chai —tea

chai chappa chai —a song from the film HuTu Tu , 1998

chakra —circle

channa —chickpeas

chapaat-zapaat —nonsense phrase made up by Animal to signify excitement

chappati —flat bread, roti

chataka —a kind of swallow, said to drink only raindrops

chuna lagaana —to deceive someone, to make an idiot of them

daal —lentils

dada —godfather, criminal ganglord

dadi —grandmother

daru —crudely distilled liquor

datura —Datura strammonium (Jimson weed), a highly poisonous plant

Deshkar —raga of scale

dhaap —as the sound suggests, a heavy slap

dhaivat —sixth note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “la”

dha pa ga —notes of the Indian system, sa re ga ma pa dha ni sa

dholak —double-ended drum slung round the drummer’s neck

dikhlot —good looking

elaichi —betel nut, see supari

enteena ko strain karo —strain your antenna, i.e., think harder

fataak —bang! crack!

fillum khatam —lit. film over; you’ve missed it

frangipani —Plumeria rubra (indica), fragrant white or pink whorled flowers

galla mandi —vegetable market

gandhara —third note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “mi”

garooli —Animal’s nonsense word for a cigarette

gaya zamaana —past age

ghurr-ghurr —to stare

ghusspuss —usually whispering, but here means the beast with two backs

goonda —thug, heavy, muscle

government-waali —of the government

guftagoo —conversation

gulli —narrow alley

gup, gupshup —shooting the breeze

gutka —perfumed and sweetened chewing tobacco, a speciality of Khaufpur

guttu ghumana —to charm, or cast a spell on someone

guzz —one of Elli’s rare mistakes, she meant ghuss , or squeeze

haathi —elephant

hashish —cannabis resin

hindi mein samjhaun? — Should I tell you in Hindi? i.e., Do I have to spell it out?

holi —Spring festival of colours

imli —tamarind

Inglis —English

Isa —Jesus

Isayi —Christian

ishtoo —stew

itraana —to be a bit too clever, protest too much

jaan —life

jaanvar —animal

jahã jaan hai, jahaan hai —While we have life, we have the world.

jahaan —the world

jarnail —corruption of English “general”

jhadoo —household broom, made of a bundle of long grass stems

jugaad —a great idea; a jugaadu, a genius of good ideas

juloos —demonstration march

jungli —wild

kaané —cross-eyed

kabbadi —a rough game, involving wrestling opponents to the ground

kachambar —cucumber chunks with pepper and lime juice

Kali —Hindu mother goddess, dark goddess of death and destruction

kameez —long loose shirt, usually worn over

shalwar (q.v.)

kankana —ever youthful, full of energy

karnail —corruption of English “colonel”

khã —Khaufpuri term of familiarity like “mate.” See yaar .

khaañsi —a cough

kheer —a milky pudding

khuda hafez —lit. God protect you, in Farsi. Used as a farewell.

kismiss —what English sounds like to non-English speakers

KLPD, khade lund pe dhoka —betrayal of the erect dick, used of disappointments

kulcha —flat breads, thicker than a chappati, not as thick as a naan

kurta —fine embroidered muslin shirt worn by men and women

kushti —wrestling

kutiya ki aulad —son of a bitch

kya main Hindi mein samjhaun — See hindi mein samjhaun?

kyõ khã? —So, friend?

laal imli ka gatagat —tamarind pieces in salt and spices, sold as a chew

laat sahib —a big shot, corruption of English “Lord sahib”

langur —long-tailed monkey

lassi —a yoghurt drink

latkan —a helpmeet, a benefactor, a close mate

look london talk tokyo —a case of a bad squint

Lukhnawi —from Lucknow, a city renowned for its courteous speech

lund —schlong, dick, penis

lund latkayé —with dick dangling

lund pasanda —the dick’s favourite

madhyam —fourth note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “fa”

Mala Sinha —film actress

Malkauns —serious raga of the night

marsiya —a Muharram song about the martyrdom of Imam Hussein

masjid —mosque

maut pade —lit. may you die; means To hell with you; can be a greeting

mazaaq —fun, a fun jape

mehboobi —beloved

mela —fair

miyañ —polite word meaning gentleman, a cultured person

Muharram —Shi’a festival of mourning for the death of Imam Hussein

munsipal —municipal

murgi-ka-panja —Chicken Claw

musaafir —traveller

naala —an open drainage canal

naan —flat unleavened loaf

namaaz —a Muslim’s five-times-daily prayers

naqsheen katora —one whose face is scarred by smallpox

nasha —intoxication

Naya Adalat —the new courthouse, which is two hundred years old

neem —Azadirachta indica tree, bitter and astringent, used in herbal remedies

nishada —seventh note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “ti”

õ —nasal o, identical to the last syllable of French Proudhon

oot pataang —nonsense

ous raat —that night

pancham —fifth note of the Indian scale, equivalent to “sol”

pandu —contemptuous name for a policeman

qasam Khuda ki —by god

raakhee —a token tied by a girl on the wrist of a boy she regards as a brother

raal tapkana —to drool, but in Khaufpur to stare, casting the evil eye

raat-ki-rani —lit. Queen of the Night, night jasmine, cestrum nocturnum

Rajshree —film actress

Rampuri knife —switchblade with serrated edge, synonymous with gangsters

Reshma —film actress

risabha —second note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “re”

romanchik —literally hair-raising, causing tiny hairs to stand on end

roti —flat bread, chappati