{"id":5308,"date":"2016-11-03T02:45:29","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T02:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/?p=5308"},"modified":"2018-07-31T13:48:52","modified_gmt":"2018-07-31T13:48:52","slug":"kiraana-shops-and-buying-groceries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/kiraana-shops-and-buying-groceries\/","title":{"rendered":"Kiraana Shops and Buying Groceries"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the good old days (as I like to think of them) before mall and supermarket shopping became all the rage in India, small mom-and-pop shops called kiraana<\/em>\u00a0(\u0915\u093f\u0930\u093e\u0928\u093e) or\u00a0baniya ke dookaan<\/em>\u00a0(\u092c\u0928\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0915\u0947 \u0926\u0942\u0915\u093e\u0928) were the only places where one could purchase day-to-day groceries. In these stores, the shop\/store owner and his store helpers were the only ones who would handle, measure\/weigh and pack the groceries.<\/p>\n

Unlike supermarkets, there were no display shelves from where you could pick up, inspect, consider, and replace any item. Instead, goods\/supplies were packed tightly into a small square footage–packaged\/boxed items like toothpaste, soaps, toothbrushes, etc. were displayed in glass cases behind the long counter that separated the customer from the store hands. “Loose” goods or groceries that were sold by weight, like rice (un-aaj\/ \u0905\u0928\u093e\u091c), wheat (gay-hoo\/ \u0917\u0947\u0939\u0942\u0901), sugar (chee-nee\/ \u091a\u0940\u0928\u0940), lentils (daal\/ \u0926\u093e\u0932), were stored in large burlap sacks.<\/p>\n

As children, we would often stop by at the store on our way home from school and deliver the grocery list to the shopkeeper. He in turn would assemble the items in the list, and have an errand boy deliver the goods on a bicycle. The boy could deliver to no more two houses at one time since he could only hang one giant, bulging tote on each side of the bicycle handlebar.<\/p>\n

Quite often, the head of the household would make a trip on a two-wheeler to bring home larger items like oil, etc. These stores are still widely present all around India, and in smaller towns and cities where the local population is unable to afford the high cost of groceries sold in supermarkets where items are typically marked up to offset the operational costs.<\/p>\n

Both, supermarkets and kiraana<\/em>\u00a0(\u0915\u093f\u0930\u093e\u0928\u093e) \u00a0shops serve their purpose in the areas where they exist. Given India’s economically diverse population, it’s unlikely that either will completely disappear in the near future.<\/p>\n

\nConversation:<\/strong><\/span>\n

Let us listen to this conversation between a husband and wife. The husband is leaving for work in the morning and his wife asks him to buy some groceries from the kiraana store on his way back home.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Wife:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u0938\u0941\u0928\u093f\u092f\u0947, \u0924\u0947\u0932 \u0959\u0924\u092e \u0939\u094b \u0917\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948\u0964
\nSuniye,\u00a0tel\u00a0khatam ho gaya hai.
\n<\/em>(Listen, the oil is finished.\/There is no more oil.)<\/p>\n

Husband:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e \u092e\u0948\u0902 \u0936\u093e\u092e \u0915\u094b \u0930\u093e\u0938\u094d\u0924\u0947 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0932\u0947 \u0906\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0942\u0901\u0964
\nAccha main shaam ko raaste mein le aata hoon.
\n<\/em>(OK, I\u2019ll get some on my way back in the evening.)<\/p>\n

Wife:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0920\u0940\u0915 \u0939\u0948. \u0968 \u0932\u0940\u091f\u0930 \u092e\u0942\u0901\u0917\u092b\u0932\u0940 \u0915\u093e \u0924\u0947\u0932 \u0932\u0947 \u0906\u0928\u093e\u0964 \u0914\u0930 \u096b \u0915\u093f\u0932\u094b \u0917\u0947\u0939\u0942\u0901\u0964
\nTheek hai. 2 liter moongfalli tel le aana. Aur 5 kilo gehoon.
\n<\/em>(OK. Get 2 liters of peanut oil. And also 5 kilograms of wheat.)<\/p>\n

Husband:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0920\u0940\u0915 \u0939\u0948\u0964
\nTheek hai.
\n<\/em>(OK.)<\/p>\n

Wife:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0914\u0930 \u0939\u093e\u0901, \u0968 \u0915\u093f\u0932\u094b \u091a\u0940\u0928\u0940\u0964
\nAur haan, 2 kilo cheeni.
\n<\/em>(And oh, 2 kilograms of sugar.)<\/p>\n

Husband (getting irritated):\u00a0<\/strong>\u0939\u093e\u0901, \u0939\u093e\u0901, \u0935\u0939 \u092d\u0940 \u0932\u0947 \u0906\u090a\u0901\u0917\u093e\u0964
\nHaan, \u00a0haan, woh bhi le aaoonga.
\n<\/em>(Yes, yes, I\u2019ll get those too.)<\/p>\n

Wife:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0914\u0930 … \u096b\u0966\u0966 \u0917\u094d\u0930\u093e\u092e \u092c\u093e\u0926\u093e\u092e, \u0967 \u0928\u093e\u0930\u093f\u092f\u0932, \u0914\u0930 \u0967 \u092a\u0948\u0915\u0947\u091f \u0905\u0917\u0930\u092c\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0940\u0964
\nAur … 500 gm badaam, 1 nariyal, aur 1 packet agarbatti.
\n<\/em>(And \u2026 500 grams of almonds, 1 coconut, and 1 packet of incense sticks.)<\/p>\n

Husband:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0909\u092b\u094d\u095e\u0964 \u0924\u0941\u092e \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0938\u093e\u092e\u093e\u0928 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u0942\u091a\u0940 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0926\u0947\u0924\u0940? \u0935\u0930\u094d\u0928\u093e \u092e\u0948\u0902 \u095b\u0930\u0942\u0930 \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092d\u0942\u0932 \u091c\u093e\u090a\u0902\u0917\u093e\u0964
\nUff. Tum mujhe saamaan ki soochi kyon nahi deti? Varna main zaroor kuch bhool jaaoonga.
\n<\/em>(Why don\u2019t you give me a grocery list? Or else I will definitely forget something.)<\/p>\n

Wife:\u00a0<\/strong>\u0920\u0940\u0915 \u0939\u0948\u0964\u00a0 \u092e\u0948\u0902 \u0905\u092d\u0940 \u0932\u093f\u0916\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u0942\u0901\u0964\u00a0 \u0906\u092a \u0926\u094b \u092e\u093f\u0928\u091f \u0930\u0941\u0915\u0947\u0902\u0917\u0947?
\nTheek hai. Main abhi likhti hoon. Aap do minute rukenge?
\n<\/em>(OK. I\u2019ll write a list right away. Can\u00a0 you wait for a 2 minutes?)<\/p>\n

\nConversation Vocabulary:<\/strong><\/span>\n

\u0915\u093f\u0930\u093e\u0928\u093e \u00a0kiraana \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>groceries<\/p>\n

\u092c\u0928\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0915\u093e \u0926\u0942\u0915\u093e\u0928 baniya ka doo-kaan\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>grocer\u2019s shop<\/p>\n

\u0905\u0928\u093e\u091c un-aaj \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>rice (uncooked)<\/p>\n

\u0917\u0947\u0939\u0942\u0901 gay-hoo \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>wheat (uncooked)<\/p>\n

\u0926\u093e\u0932 daal \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>lentils<\/p>\n

\u0938\u0941\u0928\u093f\u092f\u0947 suniye \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>listen (imp.) polite word used to call attention. Often used by a woman when she calls her husband since many women don\u2019t call their husband by name.<\/p>\n

\u0924\u0947\u0932 tale \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>oil<\/p>\n

\u0959\u0924\u092e \u0939\u094b \u0917\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 khatam ho gaya hai\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>there is no more\/it is finished<\/p>\n

\u0936\u093e\u092e \u0915\u094b shaam ko \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>in the evening<\/p>\n

\u0930\u093e\u0938\u094d\u0924\u0947 \u092e\u0947\u0902 raastay may\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the way<\/p>\n

\u0932\u0947 \u0906\u090a\u0901\u0917\u093e\/\u0932\u0947 \u0906\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0942\u0901\/ \u0932\u0947 \u0906\u0928\u093e lay aaoonga\/lay aata hoon\/lay aana (inf.) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>I will bring\/get along the way<\/p>\n

\u092e\u0942\u0901\u0917\u092b\u0932\u0940 \u0915\u093e \u0924\u0947\u0932 moongphali ka tale\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>peanut (also called groundnut) oil<\/p>\n

\u091a\u0940\u0928\u0940 cheenee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>sugar<\/p>\n

\u0935\u0939 veh \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>that<\/p>\n

\u092d\u0940 bhee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>also\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u092c\u093e\u0926\u093e\u092e baadaam \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>almonds<\/p>\n

\u0928\u093e\u0930\u093f\u092f\u0932 naa-ri-yal \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>coconut<\/p>\n

\u0905\u0917\u0930\u092c\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0940 ug-ur-butty \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>incense sticks<\/p>\n

\u096b\u0966\u0966 \u0917\u094d\u0930\u093e\u092e paanch sau graam\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>500 grams<\/p>\n

\u0909\u092b\u094d\u095e uff\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0an exasperated sound<\/p>\n

\u0938\u093e\u092e\u093e\u0928 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u0942\u091a\u0940 saamaan ki soochee\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0grocery list<\/p>\n

\u0935\u0930\u094d\u0928\u093e var-naa \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>or else<\/p>\n

\u095b\u0930\u0942\u0930 zaroor \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>sure\/definitely<\/p>\n

\u0915\u0941\u091b kucch \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>some\/something\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u092d\u0942\u0932 \u091c\u093e\u090a\u0902\u0917\u093e bhool jaa-oonga\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>will forget (masc.)<\/p>\n

\u0905\u092d\u0940 ub-bhee \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>now\/this moment<\/p>\n

\u0932\u093f\u0916\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u0942\u0901 likhtee hoon \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>I will write.(fem.)<\/p>\n

\u0906\u092a aap \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0You. (polite)<\/p>\n

\u0926\u094b \u092e\u093f\u0928\u091f doe minute \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>2 minutes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the good old days (as I like to think of them) before mall and supermarket shopping became all the rage in India, small mom-and-pop shops called kiraana\u00a0(\u0915\u093f\u0930\u093e\u0928\u093e) or\u00a0baniya ke dookaan\u00a0(\u092c\u0928\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0915\u0947 \u0926\u0942\u0915\u093e\u0928) were the only places where one could purchase day-to-day groceries. In these stores, the shop\/store owner and his store helpers were the…<\/p>\n

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