Indra Sinha - Animal's People

sa re ga —equivalent of do re mi in the Indian scale

saala, saalé —used like English “bloody” (literally brother in law)

sadak chhaap —street-stamped, used of street kids, hardened by that life

Sadda Miyã ki tond —the belly of Sadda Miyã, a self-important person

sadhu —a Hindu ascetic, one who has renounced the world

sahib —title of respect, signifying a chief or boss

santoor —large zither

Saraswati —Hindu goddess of music and literature

sarauta —nutcracker

sardarji —a Sikh man

sargam —the Indian solfège, sa re ga ma pa dha ni sa

shabaash —well done

shadja —first note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “do”

shalwar —a pair of light loose trousers fitting closely round the ankles

shalwar kameez —long loose shirt worn over a pyjama, with a scarf

shamiana —a marquee tent, usually bright and heavily decorated

Shammi Kapoor —film actor

Shatrugan —Shatrugan Sinha, well known film villain

shayiri —poetry, typically in a recital or contest

sherwani —a fancy embroidered tunic

Siva —Hindu god of dance, music, etc.; he is also the great destroyer

supari —small pieces of betel nut, sweetened, used to freshen the breath

taal —lake

talaiyya —pond

tamaasha —hoohah, spectacle

tapori —a loafer, a spiv

tauba tauba tauba —prayer to Allah meaning “forgive”

thook —a spit

topi pehnana —to make a dickhead of someone

utar dena —to make someone else pay

Vilayat —Europe

vintage car —an older person who likes hanging around with the young

wah wah —wow, bravo, bravissimo

wali saheb —used of one who is simple-minded

Waqar and Wasim —Waqar Younis & Wasim Akram, Pakistani swing bowlers

X-ray —skeletal, how Zafar and Farouq looked during the hunger strike

yaar —friend, chum, used like the English “mate”

Yavanapuri —morning raga

yoga sutras —classical treatises on yoga, the most famous is Patanjali’s

zabri —prick, Lebanese slang Animal picked up who knows where

zapaat —long and thin, like Zafar’s nose, a kingsize conk

zari-work —intricate embroidery with gold and silver thread

INDRA SINHA was born in Bombay in 1950, the son of an Indian naval officer and an English writer. After attending schools in India and England, and reading English Literature at Cambridge, Sinha worked as an advertising copywriter in London before eventually leaving to write full time. His work of nonfiction, The Cybergypsies, and his first novel, The Death of Mr. Love, met with widespread critical acclaim. Sinha has for fifteen years raised funds for the medical relief of victims of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, the events of which inspired Animal’s People. To learn more about Indra Sinha visit his Web site at http://www.indrasinha.com/.