Reading "A Suitable Boy"

Salwaar-Kameez

2009-06-23T23:12:00.000-04:00

"... 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:

Bulbul

2009-06-08T20:35:00.000-04:00

"... '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:

Tonga and Tonga-wallah

2009-05-11T21:30:00.000-04:00

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 on Wikipedia
Wallah on Wikipedia (see the 3rd bullet)

Tuberose

2009-04-03T23:39:00.002-04:00

"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:

Paan

2009-03-10T22:48:00.003-04:00

... 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:

Ghalib

2009-03-05T22:47:00.003-05:00

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:

Mirza Ghalib on Wikipedia

Ghazal

2009-01-26T22:20:00.004-05:00

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:

Zamindars and the Zamindari System

2009-01-20T21:29:00.000-05:00

" '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:

Pyjamas and Jutis

2009-01-17T11:08:00.007-05:00

... 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:

Harsingar Tree

2009-01-10T19:45:00.001-05:00

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

Shehnai

2009-01-04T20:58:00.003-05:00

...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:

Pitthu

2009-01-04T00:03:00.002-05:00

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 on India Parent Network

Kachauri, Laddu, Barfi

2008-12-30T23:40:00.003-05:00

Servants ... brought around fruit jice and tea and coffee and snacks to those who were standing in the garden: samosas, kachauris, laddus, gulab-jamuns, barfis and gajak and ice-cream were consumed and replenished along with puris and six kinds of vegetables. (p. 15)

Kachauri, or kachori, is a spicy fried snack. It is usually a round or flattened ball of flour dough stuffed with baked yellow moong dal mixed with other ingredients and spices.

Laddu, or laddoo, is an Indian sweet. Dough made from flour and other ingredients is shaped into balls and dipped in sugar syrup. Many variations exist.

Barfi, a traditional sweet in Northern India, is made by cooking condensed milk and sugar until the mixture solidifies. It is often flavored or garnished by nuts such as cashews, pistachios, or almonds. Many varieties of flavors exist.

You can find my notes on gulab-jamuns and gajak in this old post.

References:

Bangle Ceremony

2008-11-28T21:39:00.007-05:00

Mrs Rupa Mehra's brother, whom the family very rarely met, had earlier in the day taken charge of the bangle ceremony. (p. 14)

The bangle ceremony is one of Indian wedding rituals that often takes place the day before the wedding. During the ceremony, the bride's maternal uncle puts red and white bangles, the churha (also spelled "choora" or "chura"), on the bride's wrists. Then the bride's female friends and relatives tie ornaments of beaten gold and silver, the kalira, to the bangles.

References:

Ayah

2008-11-15T18:37:00.003-05:00

'...Precious, you have smut on your nose,' she [Meenakshi] added to Aparna, half looking around to tell an imaginary ayah to wipe it off with a handkerchief. (p.12)

Ayah is a female domestic servant in India, usually a maid and a nanny.

References:

Bhai

2008-11-13T21:24:00.003-05:00

And what would you know about bounding, Arun Bhai? thought Lata to herself. (p. 11)

Bhai means "brother" in Hindi.

References:

Discussion about "Bhai" on forum.wordreference.com

Choli

2008-11-12T20:08:00.000-05:00

She [Meenakshi] herself was wearing a green-and-gold sari of Banaras silk, with a green choli that exposed more of her midriff than Brahmpur society was normally privileged or prepared to see. (p. 10)

A choli is short-sleeve, midriff-baring blouse usually worn with a sari.

References:

Choli on Wikipedia

Banaras Silk Sari

2008-11-11T21:49:00.003-05:00

She [Meenakshi] herself was wearing a green-and-gold sari of Banaras silk... (p. 10)

Banaras, also known as Benares and Varanasi, is an ancient city situated on the River Ganges in the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is considered holy in Hinduism. It is also the home of the Banaras Hindu University. Banaras is sometimes referred to as the "culture capital of India".

The city is also famous for its saris and silk. Banarasi saris maybe the finest saris in India.

References:

Daadi

2008-11-10T22:18:00.004-05:00

'I went to find Daadi,' began Aparna. (p. 10)

Daadi means "grandmother" in Urdu.

References:

The above references differentiate between Urdu and Roman Urdu. I was curious what the difference was. A quick web search revealed that Roman Urdu is the name by which people refer to the Urdu language written in the Roman alphabet. Roman Urdu is commonly used on the internet due to limitations in the technology for using the Urdu script.

Achkan

2008-11-08T10:13:00.004-05:00

'Well,' said Maan, flicking a rose-petal off his beautiful tight white achkan, 'you're not laughing at me, are you?' (p. 8)

Achkan is a long jacket, that originated in India and is now commonly worn in South Asia. This long-sleeved knee length jacket represents a westernized form of traditional clothing.

References:

Achkan on Wikipedia

The Congress Party

2008-11-02T19:47:00.005-05:00

'And he [Mahesh Kapoor] greeted, before he had walked ten steps a professor of literature...; two influential members of the state legislature from the Congress Party...' (p. 7)

The Congress Party, better known as the Indian National Congress (INC), is the major political party of India. Founded in 1885, it led Indian Independence Movement against the British rule.

At this time in the novel, Jawaharlal Nehru is at the head of the Congress Party.

References:

Indian National Congress on Wikipedia

Baoji

2008-11-02T11:02:00.003-05:00

'Yes, Baoji,' said Maan... (p. 6)

Maan repeatedly addresses his father "Baoji". Later in the book, Mrs Rupa Mehra starts a letter to her father with "Dearest Baoji" (p. 44).

I was unable to find anything about the word "Baoji," but a friend of mine from Mumbai assures me that "Baoji" is the word for "father" in Punjabi.

Jaymala

2008-10-26T11:53:00.003-04:00

'They were supposed to come out from opposite ends of the house and meet here for the jaymala five minutes ago.' (p. 7)

Jaymala is one of the ceremonies performed during an Indian wedding. The bride and groom exchange garlands that signify their acceptance of one another as husband and wife. The garlands are the "jaymala." They are made mainly with roses, but are usually also decorated with other flowers and a variety of other objects.

The word "jaymala" can also be spelled as "jaimala" or "jay mala", and the words "varmala" and "var mala" have the same meaning.

References:

Bua

2008-10-20T21:50:00.002-04:00

'Aparna, you must stay with your Mummy or with Lata Bua,...' (p. 5)

Bua means aunt, father's sister to be more specific.

Pandit

2008-10-17T19:39:00.003-04:00

‘... the time that the pandits have given is coming up, and there is no sign of either bride or groom!’ (p. 4)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a “pandit” as “a wise or learned man of India,” but the word can also refer to a religious figure, a Hindu who has studies the Vedas, and knows their corresponding melodies and rhythms. Often pandits also study astrology. In India, religion and astrology often mix. So it is common to consult with a pandit before making an important decision, such as choosing the best day and time for a wedding.

References:

Indian Sweets

2008-10-13T23:01:00.003-04:00

‘…they have made such delicitious gulab-jamuns, but owing to my diabetes I cannot eat them even after the ceremonies. I am not even allowed gajak, which is so difficult to resist in winter.’ (p. 4)

Gulab-jamun is a popular Indian dessert. Fried balls of reduced milk and flour are soaked in sugar syrup flavored with rosewater or saffron. The sweet is often eaten at festivals and celebrations, so it is not surprising that it is being offered at Savita’s and Pran’s wedding.

Gajak is another Indian sweet, usually made with sesame seeds. There are a variety of gajak recipes available on the web, but not many descriptions. So I am still looking for information on why this dessert appeals so much more during the winter months as opposed to other seasons.

References:

Forms of Address

2008-10-09T19:37:00.001-04:00

'The Minister Sahib has been very kind to us.' (p. 4)

Sahib, a term of respect, can mean sir, mister, master, or lord. It is used in several languages including Hindi, while the word itself comes from Arabic meaning "friend" or "companion." The word can also be used as an additional title for members of aristocracy.

I interpret the use of the word “Sahib” in the above quote to mean “mister,” as in ‘Mr. Minister has been very kind to us.’

Further in the novel you will encounter the feminine form of the word, “Sahiba.” You will also encounter another way to address a woman respectfully, though perhaps less formally—“Memsahib.”

'Burri Memsahib?' he called, knocking at the door of Mrs Rupa Mehra's room. (p. 36)

I initially and for no good reason thought that the word was somehow related to the French word “meme.” Though I could not exactly explain to myself the meaning behind word combinations such as “even sahib,” “even sir” or “even mister.” It turns out that “Memsahib” is the product of British influence, where the twisted version of Enligh “ma’am” was added to the word “sahib.”

The word "burri" means elder, or of higher authority.

References:

Khatri

2008-10-03T22:23:00.006-04:00

'Pran is a good, decent, cultured khatri boy.' (p. 4)

Khatri is an Indian caste. In the Punjabi language, "Khatri" is the word for "Kshatriya," the warrior caste. Traditionally the Khatri were members of the Hindu military order, and held positions in civil administration. Over time, the Khatri also expanded into other occupations.

Namasté

2008-10-03T19:24:00.001-04:00

Several guests were indeed doing namasté to Mrs Rupa Mehra and smiling at her... (p. 3)

Namasté is a spoken greeting commonly used in Indian and Nepali culture. The word also refers to a gesture performed with hands pressed together in front of the chest.

Tissue-Patola Sari

2008-10-02T22:01:00.009-04:00

'I could have warn the tissue-patola sari I wore for my own wedding,' sighed Mrs Rupa Mehra. (p. 3)

Patola is a type of silk, originating in the Gujarati region of western India. To produce this fabric, the warp and the weft yarns are tied separately and dyed prior to weaving. The dyeing process is also known as Bandhani work. Patola fabrics have no reverse side.

Notes for Part 1

2008-10-01T21:52:00.030-04:00

Section 1.1
tissue-patola sari (3), namasté (3), khatri (4), Sahib (4), gulab-jamuns (4), gajak (4), pandit (4), Bua (5)

Section 1.2
baoji (6), jaymala (7) , Congress Party (7)

Section 1.3
achkan (8)

Section 1.4
Daadi (10) , Banaras Silk Sari (10) , choli (10) , Bhai (11), ayah (12)

Section 1.5
bangle ceremony (14), kachauri (15), laddu (15), barfi (15), pitthu (15), shehnai (15), harsingar tree (18)

Section 1.6
pyjamas (19), jutis (19), zamindari (19), zamindars (20)

Section 1.7
ghazal (21)

Section 1.8
Ghalib (22)

Section 1.9
paan (23), tuberose (24)

Section 1.10
tonga (25), tonga-wallah (25), bulbul (25), salwaar-kameez (25)

Section 1.13
Burri Memsahib (36)