{"id":5068,"date":"2016-09-12T17:25:55","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T17:25:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/?p=5068"},"modified":"2018-07-31T14:16:00","modified_gmt":"2018-07-31T14:16:00","slug":"learning-hindi-through-a-dangerously-addictive-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/learning-hindi-through-a-dangerously-addictive-show\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning Hindi through a Dangerously Addictive Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u0928\u092e\u0938\u094d\u0924\u0947 \u0938\u092c \u0932\u094b\u0917 (Greetings, everyone)! \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0928\u093e\u092e \u0930\u0947\u091a\u0932 \u0939\u0948 (My name is Rachael). \u0906\u091c\u0915\u0932 (these days), I\u2019m a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, and I study modern Hindi-Urdu and Bengali literature. I became enamored with Hindi and Indian culture when I was 13 through watching Hindi films. Of course, I watched plenty of Bollywood, but I also found Hindi (and Indian in general) art cinema to be incredibly compelling. I hope to discuss this wonderful world of Hindi film more with you all in the coming weeks!<\/p>\n

Lagaan<\/em> (\u0932\u0917\u093e\u0928<\/u>) was the first Hindi film that\u00a0made an indelible impression on me. This film takes place during the British colonial rule of India under Queen Victoria (a.k.a. the British Raj). “Lagaan” refers to the tax or rent on land, usually paid through farmers\u2019 surplus crops, that was due to the colonial rulers at regular intervals.<\/p>\n

Indian Summers is a great Raj-era show that is now returning for its second season on Masterpiece Theatre. This show is\u00a0sure to slake the thirst of any Indophile (lover of all things Indian) or Downton Abbey<\/em> fan who is in desperate need of some lush period drama. And, if you\u2019re new to the Hindi scene, Indian Summers<\/em> is an excellent way to dip your feet in. You can watch this show on your local PBS channel or online<\/a>.\u00a0Let\u2019s look at some interesting Hindi words and phrases featured in this show\u2019s first season:<\/p>\n

\u091a\u092e\u091a\u093e, <\/strong>A yes-man\/woman, flatterer<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the main characters, Aafrin, and his sister are arguing about his promotion within the Indian civil service (that is, working directly under the British rulers) during an intense bickering match between siblings that most of us know so well. His sister, Sooni, who believes that India should be free of the British yoke, calls him a \u201c\u091a\u092e\u091a\u093e.” This word literally means a \u201clarge spoon or ladle\u201d but also has the negative connotation of a flatterer. In addition, this slang word is also related to the more standard word for a(n) (ordinary-sized) spoon: \u091a\u092e\u094d\u092e\u091a. Here it is in a sentence:<\/p>\n

\u0938\u0942\u0928\u0940 \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u092d\u093e\u0908 \u0915\u094b \u201c\u091a\u092e\u091a\u093e\u201d \u0915\u0939\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902\u0915\u093f \u0935\u0939 \u0928\u093e\u0930\u093e\u091c\u093c \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0909\u0938\u0915\u093e \u092d\u093e\u0908 \u0905\u0901\u0917\u094d\u0930\u0947\u091c\u093c\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u0938\u093e\u092e\u0928\u0947 \u091a\u093e\u092a\u0932\u0942\u0938\u0940 (<\/strong>flattery)<\/strong> \u0915\u0930\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Sooni calls her brother a \u201cchamcha\u201d because she is angry that her brother flatters the English\/behaves in a flattering way before the English).<\/p>\n

\u0907\u0902\u0915\u093c\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092c \u091c\u093c\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u093e\u092c\u093e\u0926, <\/strong>Long Live the Revolution! <\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The show starts off very dramatically as Sooni is almost caught painting this slogan on a portrait of Queen Victoria that is hanging in a high-level British official\u2019s luxurious bungalow. \u0907\u0902\u0915\u093c\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092c (or \u0907\u0928\u0915\u093c\u0932\u093e\u092c) comes from Arabic and can mean a \u201ctransformation or revolution.\u201d Another word for \u201crevolution\u201d in Hindi is \u0915\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0902\u0924\u093f, which comes from Sanskrit. Lastly, \u091c\u093c\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u093e\u092c\u093e\u0926 is a very useful word as it can be used in virtually any slogan you would wish to chant! See how these words can be used in a sentence:<\/p>\n

\u090f\u0915 \u0926\u093f\u0928 \u0938\u0942\u0928\u0940 \u0928\u0947 <\/strong>Queen Victoria <\/strong>\u0915\u0947 \u091a\u093f\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u092a\u0930 \u0932\u093e\u0932 \u092a\u0947\u0902\u091f \u0938\u0947 \u201c\u0907\u0902\u0915\u093c\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092c \u091c\u093c\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u093e\u092c\u093e\u0926\u201d \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0932\u0917\u093e\u092f\u093e (<\/strong>paint)<\/strong>; \u0932\u0947\u0915\u093f\u0928, \u091c\u092c \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0932\u094b\u0917\u094b\u0902 \u0928\u0947 \u092f\u0939<\/strong> \u0928\u093e\u0930\u093e (<\/strong>slogan)<\/strong> \u0926\u0947\u0916\u093e, \u0909\u0928\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u0935\u0939 \u0905\u091c\u0940\u092c \u0932\u0917\u093e \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902\u0915\u093f \u0909\u0928\u0915\u0947<\/strong> \u0916\u093c\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0932 \u0938\u0947<\/strong> (in their opinion)<\/strong> \u201c\u0915\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0902\u0924\u093f\u201d \u091c\u093c\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0926\u093e \u0906\u092e \u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926 \u0939\u0948 \u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n

(One day, Sooni painted \u201cInkilab Zindabad\u201d on a picture of Queen Victoria with red paint; but, when some people saw this slogan, they found it odd because, in their opinion, \u201ckranti\u201d was a more common word).<\/p>\n

\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938 <\/strong>vs. <\/strong>\u0936\u0948\u0924\u093e\u0928<\/strong>, demon, devil<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another dramatic moment in the show occurs when the private secretary to the Viceroy (the head honcho\u2019s right hand man) is almost shot by a man who seems to be involved in the Independence Movement. The shooter calls the private secretary \u201c\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938\u201d or demon, which is a term used often in the renowned Hindu epic, the Ramayana (\u0930\u093e\u092e\u093e\u092f\u0923), to refer to the main villain (who is a king) and his subjects. Another, more common, word for a demonic or devilish person is \u0936\u0948\u0924\u093e\u0928. See how these words can be used in a sentence:<\/p>\n

\u0906\u0926\u092e\u0940 \u091c\u094b \u0905\u0901\u0917\u094d\u0930\u0947\u091c\u093c \u0915\u094b \u0917\u094b\u0932\u0940 \u092e\u093e\u0930 \u0926\u0940 <\/strong>(shoot)<\/strong>, \u0935\u0939 \u0909\u0938\u0938\u0947 \u092a\u0939\u0932\u0947 \u0909\u0938\u0915\u094b \u201c\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938\u201d \u091a\u093f\u0932\u094d\u0932\u093e \u0926\u093f\u092f\u093e<\/strong> \u0925\u093e<\/strong> (to shout\/scream)<\/strong>\u0964<\/strong> \u0905\u0901\u0917\u094d\u0930\u0947\u091c\u093c \u0915\u094b \u0932\u0917\u093e \u0915\u093f \u0935\u093e\u0938\u094d\u0924\u0935 \u092e\u0947\u0902 (<\/strong>in fact)<\/strong> \u0909\u0938\u0940 \u0906\u0926\u092e\u0940 \u0915\u0947 \u0938\u093f\u0930 \u092a\u0930 \u0936\u0948\u0924\u093e\u0928 \u091a\u0922\u093c \u0917\u092f\u093e<\/strong> (for the devil to get into one\u2019s head, to be possessed)<\/strong>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The man who shot the Englishman had, before this, shouted \u201crakhsas\u201d at him. To the Englishman it seemed that, in fact, the devil had possessed that man alone (the shooter)!<\/p>\n

I hope you enjoyed this week\u2019s blog! I can\u2019t wait to discuss a new topic with you next week \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u0928\u092e\u0938\u094d\u0924\u0947 \u0938\u092c \u0932\u094b\u0917 (Greetings, everyone)! \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0928\u093e\u092e \u0930\u0947\u091a\u0932 \u0939\u0948 (My name is Rachael). \u0906\u091c\u0915\u0932 (these days), I\u2019m a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, and I study modern Hindi-Urdu and Bengali literature. I became enamored with Hindi and Indian culture when I was 13 through watching Hindi films. Of course, I watched plenty…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3792],"tags":[309390,309394,309353,3834,309395,309389,309396],"class_list":["post-5068","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-hindi-language","tag-aamir-khan","tag-british-raj","tag-hindi-language","tag-hindi-vocabulary","tag-indian-summers","tag-lagaan","tag-masterpiece-theater"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t