Malgudi Days (38 page)
Authors: R. K. Narayan
circar:
government
government
dakshina:
fee
fee
darshan:
grace conferred on the beholder of a godly person
grace conferred on the beholder of a godly person
dhall:
lentil
lentil
dhobi:
laundry boy or washerman
laundry boy or washerman
dhoti:
sarong-like men's garment, tucked and knotted at the waist
sarong-like men's garment, tucked and knotted at the waist
dosai:
fried cake made of rice paste
fried cake made of rice paste
idli:
steamed rice cake
steamed rice cake
jaggery:
product similar to brown sugar, made by boiling sugarcane juice
product similar to brown sugar, made by boiling sugarcane juice
Javali:
a musical composition
a musical composition
jilebi:
a sweet
a sweet
jutka:
two-wheeled, horse-drawn carriage
two-wheeled, horse-drawn carriage
karma:
Hindu theological idea meaning destiny, desert; the doctrine that one's present actions continue to have effects in another incarnation
Hindu theological idea meaning destiny, desert; the doctrine that one's present actions continue to have effects in another incarnation
kurta:
flowing shirt
flowing shirt
lakh:
a hundred thousand
a hundred thousand
lathi:
heavy stick, often bamboo, bound with iron
heavy stick, often bamboo, bound with iron
Muhurtam:
auspicious moment
auspicious moment
namaste:
greetingââI bow before thee'
greetingââI bow before thee'
Om:
a mystical syllable
a mystical syllable
paisa
(pl.
paise
):
the smallest coin; one hundred make one rupee
(pl.
paise
):
the smallest coin; one hundred make one rupee
Pallavi:
special item in a musical concert
special item in a musical concert
pandal:
special shed put up for an assembly
special shed put up for an assembly
payasam:
sweet soup
sweet soup
pie:
the smallest coin in the old currency
the smallest coin in the old currency
Pongal:
harvest festival
harvest festival
puja:
worship, offering
worship, offering
punnaga varali:
a particular melody
a particular melody
pyol:
platform built along the house wall that faces the street
platform built along the house wall that faces the street
ragi:
millet
millet
rasagulla:
sweet made from condensed milk
sweet made from condensed milk
rasam:
lentil soup
lentil soup
sadhu:
hermit or recluse
hermit or recluse
Sandhi:
devotions at morning, noon, and evening
devotions at morning, noon, and evening
sanyasi:
an ascetic who has renounced the world
an ascetic who has renounced the world
shikari:
professional hunter
professional hunter
sowcar:
businessman or financier
businessman or financier
Swarga Loka:
heaven
heaven
teapoy:
small table
small table
thali:
sacred marriage badge, symbol of wifehood
sacred marriage badge, symbol of wifehood
thambura:
stringed instrument used for accompaniment
stringed instrument used for accompaniment
1
A German warship that shelled Madras in 1916; ever since, the term indicates anyone who is formidable and ruthless.
2
Dancing Girl, a term denoting a public woman in those days.
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