Indian Cultural and Historical Terms: A Glossary
Deprecating
Disapproving.
Cummerbunds
Waist sashes.
Hennaed Beard
A beard dyed red with henna.
Atheist
Someone who does not believe in God.
Sadhu
A Hindu holy or wise man, often an ascetic.
Pariah Dog
A stray mongrel dog, often ownerless.
Puranas
Sacred Sanskrit poems containing Hindu myths, legends, and genealogies.
Brahmanas
Hindu scriptures, part of the Vedas, detailing sacrificial rituals.
Emanation
Something originating or coming forth from a source.
Mantras
In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a word, sound, or phrase repeated (often silently) during meditation or prayer as an incantation.
Faqir
A Muslim ascetic or holy man who has renounced worldly pleasures, often living by begging.
Prostrate Themselves
To lie stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward, typically in reverence or submission.
The Change in ’47 (Partition)
Refers to the Partition of India in 1947 following independence. Many Muslims migrated from India to the newly formed Muslim-majority nation of Pakistan, fearing discrimination in Hindu-majority India.
Siva (Shiva)
A principal Hindu deity, often considered the supreme god within Shaivism.
Scrotum
The pouch of skin containing the testicles.
Jai Shiva Shankar!
An exclamation of praise to the Hindu god Shiva, meaning “Hail to thee, great god!” or “Victory to Lord Shiva!”.
Purdah
The practice in some Muslim and Hindu societies of screening women, especially those of high rank, from public view, either through veiling or physical segregation.
Grass-Widowers
Individuals whose spouses are temporarily absent.
Pro-consuls
Deputy consuls. Consuls were significant officials in the British diplomatic service, often acting as administrators in territories.
Legitimate Extortion (More or Less)
Extracting money or resources through means that are technically legal but morally questionable, akin to legalized robbery.
Banyas
Members of a Hindu trading or merchant caste.
Versailles
The opulent palace built for Louis XIV of France near Paris, known for its grandeur.
Tableau
A depiction of a scene, usually involving people positioned silently and motionlessly, like a frozen moment from a play.
Sarod Music
Music played on the sarod, an Indian stringed instrument similar to, but smaller than, the sitar.
Thunderbox
A slang term for a basic or primitive toilet, often a commode chair or portable toilet.
Tiffin Carrier
A type of tiered lunchbox, common in India, used for carrying meals.
Dispensable
Able to be replaced or done without; unnecessary or nonessential.
Imperturbability
The quality of being calm and unable to be easily upset or agitated.
Contrite
Feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; apologetic.
The Mutiny (1857)
Refers to the Indian Mutiny of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Rebellion or India’s First War of Independence.
Shantung
A type of soft Chinese silk fabric with a slightly irregular surface.
Solar Topee (Pith Helmet)
A lightweight, rigid sun hat, typically made of pith or cork covered with cloth, worn in hot climates.
Toddy
An alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of palm trees (like coconut).
Krishna
A major Hindu deity, often depicted as a young cowherd playing a flute or as a divine charioteer and philosopher.
Apsaras
Celestial female spirits or nymphs in Hindu and Buddhist mythology, known for their beauty and skill in dancing.
Acrimonious
Angry, bitter, and full of recrimination, typically used to describe speech or debate.
Viceroy
The governor-general representing the British monarch as the ruler of India during the colonial period.
Peon
Historically in India, an office attendant, messenger, or low-level worker.
The Cam
The river that flows through Cambridge, England.
Penchant for Nautch Girls
A strong liking or fondness for nautch girls (professional female dancers in India).
Samadhi
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, a state of intense concentration achieved through meditation, leading to enlightenment or union with the divine.
Burqa
An outer garment worn by some Muslim women which covers the entire body, including the face, when in public.
Curetted
Refers to curettage, a medical procedure involving scraping the uterine lining, often performed after a miscarriage.
Ashram
A spiritual hermitage or monastery in Indian religions, often a place for religious retreat, study, and meditation.
Ambience
The character and atmosphere of a place; surroundings.
Compounded
Settled a dispute or debt by mutual agreement or concession.
Transience
The state or fact of lasting only for a short time; temporariness.
Dacoities
Acts of banditry or armed robbery, historically prevalent in parts of India.
Chamar
A Dalit (formerly “untouchable”) community or caste in India, traditionally associated with leatherwork. Historically subjected to severe discrimination and considered polluting by higher castes.