| ashram |
the residence of a Hindu religious community, centered around a guru.
Ashrams are usually secluded from everyday life. |
| Brahma |
the Hindu creator god, one of the three chief manifestations of god
in Hindu mythology along with Vishnu and Siva |
| chapatis |
flat discs of bread made from wheat flour, salt, and water; a traditional
bread of northern India |
| chappal |
a kind of sandal commonly worn in India |
| charpoy |
a kind of bed commonly used in India |
| dhobi |
a person who cleans clothes |
| Ganpati |
Hindu god, depicted as a young boy with an elephant's head. Ganpati
is the son of Lord Siva, and prayers are offered to him before starting
any new ventures. |
| ghazal |
a poetic form used in traditional Indian verse |
|
-ji
|
a term of (usually affectionate) respect, used as a suffix to the name
of the person addressed. E.g., you might call me "Wally-ji";
children may call their mother "mama-ji"; etc. Elders will always
be addressed with this term; for example, "chacha-ji," "uncle." |
kaecha
house |
a makeshift hut, which can be uprooted easily; typically made from
mud and straw |
| Kali |
Hindu goddess, consort of the god Siva; there is a cult of Kali worship
that raises her above Siva in the Hindu pantheon |
| kameez |
a long top or blouse, worn by women in northern India |
| kirpan |
a ceremonial dagger carried by Sikhs, reflecting the warrior tradition
of the sect |
| kurta |
a loose-fitting shirt, a traditional men's garment in India and Pakistan |
| Lahore |
city in Pakistan, once the center of a powerful Moghul court and still
an important population center |
| lakh |
one hundred thousand (100,000), used with rupees |
| maharani |
the wife of a maharajah; an India princess |
mantra
|
sacred word or phrase used in Hindu and Buddhist prayer or meditation;
repetition of the mantra is believed to have the power to cause the mystic
principle being evoked by the word into existence |
| nullah |
a ravine or gully |
Partition
riots |
inter-ethnic violence associated with the division of British India
into India and Pakistan in 1947; Moslems and Hindus, forced out of their
original homes, attacked each other in many Indian cities. |
| salwar |
loose-fitting pants, resembling pajamas, worn by women in the northern
part of India |
| sari |
traditional dress of Indian and Pakistani women, consisting of a long
length of cloth. One end is wrapped around the waist, forming a skirt,
and the other is draped over the shoulders and head. |
Sikh
|
follower of sikhism, an indigenous montheistic religion of India which
combines elements of Hinduism and Islam; it was founded in the 16th century
by the guru Nanak. |
Siva
("Shee-va") |
the Hindu destroyer god, destroyer and restorer of worlds, worshipped
along with Vishnu and Brahma as one of the three principle deities of Hinduism. |
| sloka |
hymn or prayer; a verse in a sacred book, usually read in Sanskrit. |
| swami |
Hindu religious teacher or guru |
| Vishnu |
the third of the principle gods of Hinduism, worshiped as the protector
and preserver of worlds |
| Yama |
Hindu god of death, generally pictured in mythology as a large dark
skinned man, carrying a mace, and riding a buffalo |
| yogi |
practitioner of yoga, a Hindu practice of meditation and exercises
designed to achieve spiritual insight and tranquility |
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