Vikram Chandra - Sacred Games

Bali, SugreevCharacters from the Ramayana . They are both monkeys, and are brothers. Bali has usurped the monkey kingdom from Sugreev and kidnapped Sugreev's wife. Rama befriends Sugreev and ambushes Bali and kills him. Sugreev, as ruler of the monkeys, then becomes an ally of Rama's in the great war against Ravana.

banA very large vessel or pot, made out of metal, to store and heat water.

bandhLiterally, 'closed'. A closing down of a city or locality, a strike. Often called by a political party, and sometimes enforced with violence.

bandhgallaLiterally, 'closed neck'. Used for any jacket or coat that has a round, closed collar, such as the Nehru jacket.

bandobastPractical arrangements, logistics.

baniaTrader, shopkeeper.

banianUndershirt.

bar-balasBar-girls, women who work in bars.

basEnough, stop.

Bas khwab itna sa hai These are lines from a song from the Hindi film Yes, Boss (1997):

Bas khwab itna sa hai

Bas itna sa khwab hai…

shaan se rahoon sada…

Bas itna sa khwab hai…

Haseenayein bhi dil hon khotin,

dil ka ye kamal khile…

Sone ka mahal mile,

barasne lagein heere moti

Which translate as:

I have only this little dream

That I forever live forever in luxury

That beautiful women lose their hearts

May this dream of mine flower.

That I gain a palace of gold,

That pearls and diamonds fall from the sky.

bastaSchoolbag.

bastiLiterally 'settlement' or 'town'. The term is often used for low-income areas or slums.

Bataa re. Kaad rela.'Tell me. Spill it'.

batashaDrops of candied sugar.

batata-wadaA fried snack made from potatoes and chickpea flour.

besanChickpea flour.

bevdaA drunk.

BhabhiA respectful term for one's brother's wife.

bhadwaya, bhadwaPimp.

bhadwiFeminine form of 'bhadwa', pimp. Therefore, 'Madam'.

BhaiLiterally, 'brother'. In Bombay it also means 'gangster', meaning a member of an organized crime 'company'. 'Bhai' is roughly equivalent to the American 'made guy'. A Bhai is what a tapori wants to become.

bhaigiriThe act of acting like a bhai.

bhajanA devotional song.

bhajiyasA fried snack.

bhakriA flat, round, unleavened bread that has traditionally been eaten by farmers.

bhaktDevotee, follower.

bhangA derivative of cannabis, made from the leaf and flower of the female plant. Can be smoked, or is used in drinks.

bhangadProblems, a mess, a mix-up.

bhangiSweeper.

bhangraAn energetic and lively dance native to Punjab, and also the music that accompanies this dance. Bhangra music has been modernized and crossbred with many influences, and is now popular as dance music in clubs around the world.

bhashanLecture.

bhatRice.

BhavaniA goddess. She is the fierce aspect of Shakti or Devi, but she is also the giver of life, and 'Karunaswaroopini', the very form of mercy.

bhejaBrain.

bhelpuriA spicy snack typical of Bombay. Bhelpuri is often sold from carts on streets and beaches.

bhenchodSister-fucker.

bhenjiA respectful way of addressing one's older sister: 'Respected Sister'.

bhiduBuddy, pal.

bhindiOkra. Lady's Finger.

bhonduFool.

bhootGhost.

Bhumro bhumro A line from a song from the Hindi film Mission Kashmir (2000): 'Bumblebee, o bumblebee…'

bibiA respectful term of address for a woman. Something like 'Miss'.

bidiIndian cigarette made out of tobacco rolled in a leaf. Bidis are very cheap, and are usually smoked by poor people, or those in rural areas.

bighaA unit used to measure land. The actual size of the land indicated by the unit varies from region to region, from about a third of an acre to an acre.

bissiBissi is actually free food provided by the jail, and the term also applies to where it is prepared—the kitchen.

BMCBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

bola na'I told you…'

Bole to voh edkum danger aadmi hai'He's an absolutely dangerous man'.

bolo'Tell', or 'talk'. In this context, the black-marketeer is asking people who want tickets at his price to speak up.

BSESBrihanmumbai Suburban Electric Supply.

budhau, budhdhaAn old man, an old coot—the word 'budhau' is a gently patronizing way to talk about someone. 'Old timer'.

bundalBad, substandard.

burfiA sweet dish made from thickened milk.

carromA board game, perhaps of subcontinental origin.

CBIThe Criminal Bureau of Investigation.

chaasA refreshing drink made from buttermilk.

chaaviGirlfriend.

chabbisLiterally, 'twenty-six'. Bombay slang for a beautiful girl.

chacha, chachuUncle—father's brother.

Chainya Chainya A line from a song from the Hindi film Dil Se ('From the Heart', 1998): 'The shadow, in the shadow…'

chakkarWhirl.

Chala jaata hoon kisi ki A line from a song from the Hindi film Mere Jeevan Sathi ('My Lifelong Companion', 1972): 'I walk to the rhythm of a certain person…'

chalo'Let's go'. Another meaning is in the sense of 'then' in the sentence, 'Okay, then, I will see you in Bombay'. So you could say, 'All right, chalo, we'll meet tomorrow morning'.

cham-cham A sweet-dish made from cheese.

champiHead-rub.

channaChickpeas.

chappan-churiA wily prostitute. After a famous courtesan of Allahbad who survived fifty-six knife wounds inflicted by a lover. Literally, 'fifty-six knife-marks'.

charasHashish.

charbiFat.

charpaiA traditional cot or bed. Sturdy cloth tape or rope is strung across a wooden frame to make the sleeping surface. Charpais are nowadays used by the poor, or in smaller towns and villages.

chaser-panniA chaser-panni, or 'kesarpanni', is a small packet or wrapper which contains some powder—in this case the powder is 'brown sugar', heroin. On the streets, there are other phrases and words for chaser-panni: 'Shakkar ki pudi' (twist of sugar), 'pudi' (twist), powder, packet, and 'namak' (salt).

chashmu'Chashma' is Hindi for 'spectacles'. So 'chashmu' is a mocking term for someone who wears spectacles, something like 'four eyes'.

chaskaAn obsessive liking for something, a taste for it.

chataiA floor mat, made from fine bamboo or wicker.

chaunkaKitchen.

chawlTenement building. The inhabitants of each floor share common toilets and bathrooms.

cheezThing.

chelaFollower, student. A guru has chelas.