by Indra Sinha
lassi—a yoghurt drink
latkan—a helpmeet, a benefactor, a close mate
look london talk tokyo—a case of a bad squint
Lukhnawi—from Lucknow, a city renowned for its courteous speech
lund—schlong, dick, penis
lund latkayé—with dick dangling
lund pasanda—the dick’s favourite
madhyam—fourth note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “fa”
Mala Sinha—film actress
Malkauns—serious raga of the night
marsiya—a Muharram song about the martyrdom of Imam Hussein
masjid—mosque
maut pade—lit. may you die; means To hell with you; can be a greeting
mazaaq—fun, a fun jape
mehboobi—beloved
mela—fair
miyañ—polite word meaning gentleman, a cultured person
Muharram—Shi’a festival of mourning for the death of Imam Hussein
munsipal—municipal
murgi-ka-panja—Chicken Claw
musaafir—traveller
naala—an open drainage canal
naan—flat unleavened loaf
namaaz—a Muslim’s five-times-daily prayers
naqsheen katora—one whose face is scarred by smallpox
nasha—intoxication
Naya Adalat—the new courthouse, which is two hundred years old
neem—Azadirachta indica tree, bitter and astringent, used in herbal remedies
nishada—seventh note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “ti”
õ—nasal o, identical to the last syllable of French Proudhon
oot pataang—nonsense
ous raat—that night
pancham—fifth note of the Indian scale, equivalent to “sol”
pandu—contemptuous name for a policeman
qasam Khuda ki—by god
raakhee—a token tied by a girl on the wrist of a boy she regards as a brother
raal tapkana—to drool, but in Khaufpur to stare, casting the evil eye
raat-ki-rani—lit. Queen of the Night, night jasmine, cestrum nocturnum
Rajshree—film actress
Rampuri knife—switchblade with serrated edge, synonymous with gangsters
Reshma—film actress
risabha—second note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “re”
romanchik—literally hair-raising, causing tiny hairs to stand on end
roti—flat bread, chappati
sa re ga—equivalent of do re mi in the Indian scale
saala, saalé—used like English “bloody” (literally brother in law)
sadak chhaap—street-stamped, used of street kids, hardened by that life
Sadda Miyã ki tond—the belly of Sadda Miyã, a self-important person
sadhu—a Hindu ascetic, one who has renounced the world
sahib—title of respect, signifying a chief or boss
santoor—large zither
Saraswati—Hindu goddess of music and literature
sarauta—nutcracker
sardarji—a Sikh man
sargam—the Indian solfège, sa re ga ma pa dha ni sa
shabaash—well done
shadja—first note of the Indian scale, equivalent of “do”
shalwar—a pair of light loose trousers fitting closely round the ankles
shalwar kameez—long loose shirt worn over a pyjama, with a scarf
shamiana—a marquee tent, usually bright and heavily decorated
Shammi Kapoor—film actor
Shatrugan—Shatrugan Sinha, well known film villain
shayiri—poetry, typically in a recital or contest
sherwani—a fancy embroidered tunic
Siva—Hindu god of dance, music, etc.; he is also the great destroyer
supari—small pieces of betel nut, sweetened, used to freshen the breath
taal—lake
talaiyya—pond
tamaasha—hoohah, spectacle
tapori—a loafer, a spiv
tauba tauba tauba—prayer to Allah meaning “forgive”
thook—a spit
topi pehnana—to make a dickhead of someone
utar dena—to make someone else pay
Vilayat—Europe
vintage car—an older person who likes hanging around with the young
wah wah—wow, bravo, bravissimo
wali saheb—used of one who is simple-minded
Waqar and Wasim—Waqar Younis & Wasim Akram, Pakistani swing bowlers
X-ray—skeletal, how Zafar and Farouq looked during the hunger strike
yaar—friend, chum, used like the English “mate”
Yavanapuri—morning raga
yoga sutras—classical treatises on yoga, the most famous is Patanjali’s
zabri—prick, Lebanese slang Animal picked up who knows where
zapaat—long and thin, like Zafar’s nose, a kingsize conk
zari-work—intricate embroidery with gold and silver thread
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INDRA SINHA was born in Bombay in 1950, the son of an Indian naval officer and an English writer. After attending schools in India and England, and reading English Literature at Cambridge, Sinha worked as an advertising copywriter in London before eventually leaving to write full time. His work of nonfiction, The Cybergypsies, and his first novel, The Death of Mr. Love, met with widespread critical acclaim. Sinha has for fifteen years raised funds for the medical relief of victims of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, the events of which inspired Animal’s People. To learn more about Indra Sinha visit his Web site at http://www.indrasinha.com/.
