Archive for November, 2018
Ethnic Lac Jewelry Posted by Nitya on Nov 30, 2018
If you have made a trip or two to India, you’ve probably noticed that there are as many crafting traditions (शिल्प की परंपरा/shilp ki parampara) as there are states in the country. Rajasthan is famous the world over for its sandy dunes, historical palace residences and vibrant folk attire. However, Rajasthan is also a haven…
South Asia Shines on The Great British Bake Off Posted by Rachael on Nov 26, 2018
Some of you may be familiar with the wildly popular (लोकप्रिय/lokpriya, adj) British show, The Great British Bake Off (or, as it’s known in North America, The Great British Baking Show), which has achieved even greater fame (प्रसिद्धि/prasiddhi, fem. or शोहरत/shohrat, fem.) since it was released in the US and Canada. Unlike most “reality competition” shows…
Indirect Verb Constructions, Revisited Posted by Rachael on Nov 21, 2018
I thought I would take this opportunity to revisit indirect verb constructions in Hindi, which are particularly useful in this language as they are so plentiful. In fact, if you learn other South Asian languages as well, you will find that this type of verb construction is extremely prevalent. Now, what do I mean by…
Mud Fort Building — A Unique Diwali Tradition Posted by Nitya on Nov 20, 2018
This November is a season (ritu/ऋतु) of many festivals (tyohar/त्योहार) including Diwali and Thanksgiving. Members of the Indian diaspora around the world celebrates Diwali with the same fervor as in their home country. Traditions and rituals (parampara aur anushthaan/परंपरा और अनुष्ठान) may vary from region to region, however the essential significance (mool mahatva/मूल महत्व) of…
At the Forefront of Rajasthani Folk Music – Mame Khan Posted by Rachael on Nov 14, 2018
As you may know from my previous post on the topic, I’m a big fan (प्रशंसक/prashansak) of Coke Studio. I especially enjoy folk music (लोक संगीत/lok sangeet) as it is performed on the show and recently came across a folk artist from Rajasthan, Mame Khan (ममे खान), who is remarkable for his talent, unabashed dedication to…
India’s Statue of Unity Posted by Nitya on Nov 12, 2018
India’s newest claim to fame is the Statue of Unity which was unveiled and inaugurated (udghaatan karna/उद्घाटन करना) by Prime Minister (pradhaan mantri/प्रधान मंत्री) Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018. The Statue of Unity is a statue (pratima/प्रतिमा) of Vallabhbhai Patel, who hailed from India’s western state of Gujarat. Vallabhbhai Patel was a barrister (vakeel/वकील)…
The Many Names of India Posted by Rachael on Nov 8, 2018
Most, if not all, countries (देश/desh, masc.) in the world have multiple names (विभिन्न नाम/vibhinn naam, masc.) depending on which language (भाषा/bhaashaa, fem. or ज़बान/zabaan, fem.) you are using: for example, Deutschland vs. Germany, España vs. Spain and Éireann vs. Ireland, etc. Similarly, the story of India’s many coexisting names is fascinating and complex in…