The Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

accha:okay, all right

ake, dho, theen: one, two, three

akelee: alone

aloo gobi subji: potato-cauliflower curried vegetable

aloo parantha: potato-filled flatbread

aloo tikki: fried potato patty

Amreeka: America, pronounced in Indian-English

angrezi: English

anna: small coin, like a penny

ara-garra-nathu-kara: a nobody

arré: Hey! Come on!

ayah: nanny

baat suno: Listen!

bahut accha: Very good!

baingan bharta: eggplant and onion vegetable

baksheesh: bribe

basmati: a type of rice

beedis: cheap Indian cigarettes

behenji: sister, respectful address for older female

besan laddus: chickpea-flour sweets

bevakoopf: fool, idiot

Bhagwan: God

bhai: brother, friendly term for a male friend

bheta/bheti: son/daughter

bibi: wife

bonjour: hello in French

brahmi: plant used in Ayurvedic medicine

building-walla: person who builds

bukwas: nonsense

burfi: cooked sweet made from milk

bush-shirt: T-shirt

chaat: general term for fried snack food

chai: Indian tea

chai-walla: person who sells chai

champaca: sweet-smelling flower

chapatti: whole wheat flatbread

chappals: sandals

chemali: tropical flower

chillum: a hookah, for smoking tobacco

chinta mat karo: don’t worry

chole subji: garbanzo curried vegetable

chowkidar: gateman

chunni: woman’s fabric head covering

cousin-sister or cousin-brother: someone not related by blood but close to you

dal: spicy lentil dish

dhobi: man who washes clothes for a living

dhoti: 4 to 7 yards of white cotton wrapped into a loose pant for men

dibba: box

doctrini: female doctor

ghee: clarified butter

goondas: bad men, gangsters

gore: white people

gulab jamun: dessert made with deep-fried paneer in a sugar syrup

gupshup: gossip

hahn-nah: Right? Isn’t that so?

Hai Ram: My God!

jharus: long-whiskered broom

jhumka: bell-like earrings

Ji: respectful address for women and men

joie de vivre: zest for life

kachori: deep-fried bread

kajal: black eyeliner

kheer: rice cooked in milk/cream dessert

khus-khus: handheld fan made of vetiver grass

koi baat nahee: It’s no big deal

kundan: type of jewelry with uncut gems

kurta: long-sleeved loose cotton top

lakin: but, except

lassi: cool buttermilk drink, sometimes sweetened with mango

lauki: type of squash

Maa: mother

maaf kar dijiye: please forgive me

mahoot: elephant trainer

mandala: circular design created for ceremonies

masala lauki: spicy zucchini squash curry

meena: type of jewelry with enameling

meenakaris: artisans who create enameled jewelry

MemSahib: madam

moong dal: type of lentil

Mummi: mother (anglicized version)

nag kesar: a type of tree in the Himalayas

nahee-nahee: no

namaste: hello and goodbye

nazar: evil eye, jinx

nimbu pani: sweet lemon-lime water

om: the universal vibration, a symbol of peace and harmony

paan: snack for adults with sweet masala and tobacco

padha-likha: educated (literally “read-write”)

pagal: crazy

paise: coins

pakoras: vegetables dipped in chickpea batter and fried

palak paneer: spinach and cheese vegetable

pallu: decorated end of a sari usually draped over the shoulder

pandit: priest

panipuri: a savory snack

parantha: stuffed whole wheat flatbread

patal: sharp knife used by shepherds

peepal: type of tree with large, flat leaves

pritam, priya: lover (male), lover (female)

puri: fried whole wheat flatbread

pyjama: the bottom half of a traditional man’s kurta-pyjama outfit

Pukkah Sahib: gentleman

rajai: quilt

rasmalai: a sweet milky dessert

rath ki rani: queen-of-the-night flower, gives off scent only at night

rickshaw-walla: one who pedals a rickshaw

rogan josh: a lamb curry

roti: whole wheat flatbread

saas: mother-in-law

Sahib: sir, mister

salwar kameez: woman’s tunic and loose pants

samaj-jao: Understand?

samosa: a fried snack with a spicy potato/pea filling

sari: woman’s clothing, five yards long

semai ki kheer: sweet milk dessert made with vermicelli noodles

sev puri: type of fried snack food

shabash: Bravo!

sik: tribal dish served to pregnant women

s’il te plait: please (informal, in French)

sona: gold

suno: Listen!

tante: aunt (in French)

theek hai: that’s fine

tickety-boo: fine, in good order

tikka: forehead jewelry

tonga: horse-drawn carriage

topa: close-fitting head covering

trousseau: what a bride collects for her marriage (in French)

tumara naam batao: tell them your name

waa: Wow!

yar: yes

zaroor: absolutely