Archive for December, 2016
नये वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ। Posted by Nitya on Dec 30, 2016
Naye varsh ki shubh-kaamnaaen. Best wishes for the new year. Over the past 4 months, we have read of different situations in daily Indian life, heard conversations around them, and learned related words and vocabulary. We learned to introduce ourselves अपना परिचय देना (apna parichay dena) as well ask for directions, go to the doctor, or appreciate…
Christmas in Calcutta Posted by Rachael on Dec 26, 2016
One of the most unforgettable Christmases I’ve ever spent was in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal. To my surprise, Kolkatans seemed more enthusiastic about the holiday than most people I’ve seen in the United States. While wandering the city for the day, I noticed countless young people wearing Santa hats to celebrate, especially in Millennium…
Daakiya Daak Laaya Posted by Nitya on Dec 23, 2016
December is upon us and another year साल (saal) draws to an end अंत (unth). This month महीना (maheena) usually sees a hubbub of activity हलचल (hul-chul) with people shopping खरीदी (khareedi) for the holidays छुट्टियॉं (chhuttiyaan) or others taking advantage फायदा (faayda) of the year-end discounts छूट (chhoot). At this time of the year, the postal service in the United States shifts into high gear and…
A Question of Caste Posted by Rachael on Dec 20, 2016
In a recent Hindi movie called NH10, two characters, one a highly educated advertising executive named Meera who is originally from Bangalore, and the other a rural policeman based in the largely agrarian North Indian state of Haryana, have a compelling exchange: Policeman (पोलिस वाला): चलो, आप अपनी caste बताओ । (Chalo, aap apni caste…
Holy Cow Posted by Nitya on Dec 16, 2016
Quite literally. Sitting at street corners नुक्कड़ (nukkad), sauntering on sidewalks फुटपाथ (footpath), moving in herds झुंड (jhoond) alongside vehicular traffic गाड़ियाँ (gaadiyaan) … . I never fail to get amused by visitors’ accounts of the omnipresent cow गाय (gaay) in the most unexpected locations जगह (jug-uh) in India. However, to those who have grown up in India…
Two Americans in India Posted by Rachael on Dec 12, 2016
While talking to my mom on the phone the other day, she and I began reminiscing about our hilarious and, at times, perilous adventures in India. She came to visit me for two weeks in the Spring of 2013 while I was living in Jaipur studying Hindi. As an American, traveling to India for the…
Chor! Thief! Posted by Nitya on Dec 9, 2016
I was the victim (shikaar) of a robbery (chori) today, and to say the least, it was a stressful experience (anubhav). Theft (chori) does not always mean loss of valuables (keemati cheezayn). Quite often it involves loss of objects dear (pyaaray) to us for the memories (yaadein) they hold. In my case it was things given to me…