"... and back-to-back with them sat Lata and Malati--both dressed in salwaar-kameez..." (p. 25)
Salwaar-kameez is traditional clothing that has been worn by both men and women in South Asia for at least 2000 years. In India the garment is only worn by women.
Salwaars (or salwars, or shalwars) are pajama-like pants that are wider at the top and narrow near the bottom of the leg.
Kameez is a long shirt with side seems often left open below the waste for ease of movement.
The garment was originally only worn in the North of India, but it has become popular across the country as it provides a convenient alternative to a sari and flatters most body types.
References:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Bulbul
"... 'You have a nice voice. Like a bulbul.' ..." (p. 25)
The word “bulbul” may come from Persian or Turkish word for "nightingale". Bulbuls are a family of songbirds that includes approximately 130 species. Most of bulbuls live in Africa and tropical Asia. These birds are short-necked and slender, with long tails and short rounded wings. Their plumage colors vary widely between the species. Bulbuls are highly vocal, but their calls may be deemed unattractive, sometimes described as “nasal” or “gravelly.” Some species, such as Red-whiskered Bulbul and Red-vented Bulbul, were once popular cage birds in parts of India.
References:
The word “bulbul” may come from Persian or Turkish word for "nightingale". Bulbuls are a family of songbirds that includes approximately 130 species. Most of bulbuls live in Africa and tropical Asia. These birds are short-necked and slender, with long tails and short rounded wings. Their plumage colors vary widely between the species. Bulbuls are highly vocal, but their calls may be deemed unattractive, sometimes described as “nasal” or “gravelly.” Some species, such as Red-whiskered Bulbul and Red-vented Bulbul, were once popular cage birds in parts of India.
References:
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tonga and Tonga-wallah
The tonga clip-clopped along the road, and the tonga-wallah sang... (p. 25)
Tonga, or tanga, is a horse-drawn carriage commonly used for transportation in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Tonga-wallah is a person who "drives" the tonga. More generally, the suffix -wallah or -wala refers to a person who is involved in a specific activity.
References:
Tonga, or tanga, is a horse-drawn carriage commonly used for transportation in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Tonga-wallah is a person who "drives" the tonga. More generally, the suffix -wallah or -wala refers to a person who is involved in a specific activity.
References:
- Tonga on Wikipedia
- Wallah on Wikipedia (see the 3rd bullet)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Tuberose
"Presumably [the nuptial room] would be fragrant with tuberoses;..." (p. 24)
Tuberose is a perennial plant native to Central America. It is night-blooming, and produces clusters of fragrant white flowers. The plant’s extracts are often used in perfumery.
Tuberose often appears in Indian culture and mythology, and its flowers are widely used in weddings and other traditional rituals. In some cultures, tuberose is thought to possess aphrodisiac powers as well as healing qualities.
References:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Paan
... the guests, some chewing paan, were departing at the gate; ... (p. 23)
Paan refers to Betel leaves usually filled with areca nuts. Other ingredients such as spices or tobacco may be used to make the paan filling. In South and South East Asia, people chew paan to cleanse their palates and to freshen their breath.
Chewing Betel leaves with areca nuts is an extremely old tradition in South and South East Asia. In India, paan is often served at the end of meals and ceremonies, such as weddings.
References:
Paan refers to Betel leaves usually filled with areca nuts. Other ingredients such as spices or tobacco may be used to make the paan filling. In South and South East Asia, people chew paan to cleanse their palates and to freshen their breath.
Chewing Betel leaves with areca nuts is an extremely old tradition in South and South East Asia. In India, paan is often served at the end of meals and ceremonies, such as weddings.
References:
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Ghalib
Some of the early editions of Ghalib can't be traced now; ... (p. 22)
Ghalib was a classical poet of India, who lived in the 19th century and wrote in Persian and Urdu. The poet's real name was Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, while "Ghalib" is the penname he adopted following the tradition of classical Urdu poets. Ghalib is most famous for his ghazals, which he wrote in Urdu, supposedly before the age of 19.
References:
Ghalib was a classical poet of India, who lived in the 19th century and wrote in Persian and Urdu. The poet's real name was Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, while "Ghalib" is the penname he adopted following the tradition of classical Urdu poets. Ghalib is most famous for his ghazals, which he wrote in Urdu, supposedly before the age of 19.
References:
Monday, January 26, 2009
Ghazal
Maan quoted a couplet from an Urdu ghazal to the effect that the hunter could turn into the hunted, ... (p. 21)
A ghazal is a form of poetry that consists of five or more rhyming couplets and a refrain. This poetic form originated in the pre-Islamic Arabic verse, and became prominent in the 13th and 14th century partially due to the Persian poets Rufi and Hafiz.
Traditionally a ghazal deals with unattainable love, both physical and spiritual. Although, it is mostly a form of Urdu poetry, the ghazal today can be found in poetry of many languages.
In India and Pakistan, classical ghazals were set to music and sung.
References:
A ghazal is a form of poetry that consists of five or more rhyming couplets and a refrain. This poetic form originated in the pre-Islamic Arabic verse, and became prominent in the 13th and 14th century partially due to the Persian poets Rufi and Hafiz.
Traditionally a ghazal deals with unattainable love, both physical and spiritual. Although, it is mostly a form of Urdu poetry, the ghazal today can be found in poetry of many languages.
In India and Pakistan, classical ghazals were set to music and sung.
References:
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Zamindars and the Zamindari System
" 'After your Zamindari Abolition Bill goes through, you will become a hero throughout the countryside.' " (p. 19)
Zamindar literally means a “landowner”, and comes from the Persian words, "zamin" meaning land and "dar" meaning holder.
In British Colonial India, zamindars were landlords and tax collectors. They paid taxes directly to the British authorities while keeping a portion for themselves. This system, the Zamindari system, for collecting taxes from peasants began during the Mughal Era, and is similar to feudalism in Medieval Europe.
The Zamindari system was mostly abolished in India after it became independent.
References:
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Pyjamas and Jutis
... the handsome black achkan he was wearing, the tight off-white pyjamas, and the brilliantly embroidered white jutis with their upturned toes would present an incongruous picture in a rice field. (p. 19)
Pyjamas, or pajamas, refer to nightwear in most English speaking countries, but Mahesh Kapoor certainly did not wear a night gown to his son's wedding. The word, pyjama, comes from the Persian word, payjama, meaning leg garment. In South and West Asia, pyjamas refer to pants fitted with a drawstring waistband and worn by both men and women. Men often wear their pyjamas with a loose overshirt, called a kurta.
Jutis, or juttis, are traditional Indian footwear worn by both men and women. They are usually made of leather and heavily decorated with embroidery, sequin and beads. The shoes usually have pointed toes and a flat sole. They can have an open or a closed heel, and the left and right foot shoes are the same.
Here is the link to my older post on achkan.
References:
Pyjamas, or pajamas, refer to nightwear in most English speaking countries, but Mahesh Kapoor certainly did not wear a night gown to his son's wedding. The word, pyjama, comes from the Persian word, payjama, meaning leg garment. In South and West Asia, pyjamas refer to pants fitted with a drawstring waistband and worn by both men and women. Men often wear their pyjamas with a loose overshirt, called a kurta.
Jutis, or juttis, are traditional Indian footwear worn by both men and women. They are usually made of leather and heavily decorated with embroidery, sequin and beads. The shoes usually have pointed toes and a flat sole. They can have an open or a closed heel, and the left and right foot shoes are the same.
Here is the link to my older post on achkan.
References:
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Harsingar Tree
The newly-weds were escorted to a flower-shrouded bench near a sweet-smelling, rough-leafed harsingar tree in white and orange bloom;... (p. 18)
A harsingar tree (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) is a large shrub or a small tree, native to southern Asian, that blooms at night. Its fragrant flowers are white with bright orange centers, and grow in clusters.
Other common names for the tree are Har Singar, Harsinghar, Tree of Sorrow, Night-flowering Jasmine.
References
A harsingar tree (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) is a large shrub or a small tree, native to southern Asian, that blooms at night. Its fragrant flowers are white with bright orange centers, and grow in clusters.
Other common names for the tree are Har Singar, Harsinghar, Tree of Sorrow, Night-flowering Jasmine.
References
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Shehnai
...the plaintive, festive music of the shehnai had now ceased... (p. 15)
Shehnai is a woodwind instrument similar to an oboe, widely used in Northern India for wedding ceremonies and processions. The instrument employs two sets of double reeds.
References:
Shehnai is a woodwind instrument similar to an oboe, widely used in Northern India for wedding ceremonies and processions. The instrument employs two sets of double reeds.
References:
Pitthu
The barbaric children from rustic Rudhia ran around yelling as if they were playing pitthu on the farm. (p. 15)
Pitthu is a popular game in Northern India. Members of two teams take turns trying to break a pyramid of 7 marble/stones (the pitthu) by throwing a tennis ball at it. When the pyramid is broken, one team members try to rebuild the pyramid while dodging the tennis ball, which members of the other team throw at them. If a player is hit by the tennis ball, he or she is out of the play. The team that rebuilds the most pitthus wins the game.
References:
Pitthu is a popular game in Northern India. Members of two teams take turns trying to break a pyramid of 7 marble/stones (the pitthu) by throwing a tennis ball at it. When the pyramid is broken, one team members try to rebuild the pyramid while dodging the tennis ball, which members of the other team throw at them. If a player is hit by the tennis ball, he or she is out of the play. The team that rebuilds the most pitthus wins the game.
References:
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