Hindi-'bhaashi' in Madison

This post is about arguably the most interesting conversation I have had in Madison. Sriram (one of my roomies) and I went to get some Italian dinner last week. Sri heard his name being called out, pronounced as perfectly as it could be, and got a 'Dhanyavaad' (hindi for 'thank you') as he picked up his food from the counter. He came back, understandable amused. We thought Slumdog Millionare was having its effect and the guy must have caught it from some Indian friend. We soon became engrossed in the meal and it gobbled it up within minutes. As we lined up to deposite the plates, the same guy was cleaning up and offered to take our empty dishes. The same 'dhanyavaad' followed with a smile. But I was not quite prepared for what followed. Here is the ensuing conversation (with English translations in parantheses).

The guy: Pichle saal Banaras mein pad rahaa thaa. (Was studying in Banaras last year)

Me (amused and bewildered!): Achchaa! Kya pad rahe they? (Oh yeah! What were you studying?)

The guy (after a one second pause): Zindagi (Life) (can you imagine anyone saying that, that too in a hip Italian restaurant on the busiest street of Madison in another language!)

Me: Wah wah! (Nice!)

The guy (smiles): Rajniti ke baare mein pad rahaa tha. Das maheene rahaa Banaras mein. (Was studying politics. Stayed in Banaras for ten months.)

Me: Achchaa laga? (Liked it?)

The guy: Haan haan, bahut achchaa lagaa. Aur ab idhar University mein Hindi ki padhai jaari hai. Mere adhyaapak kaa naam hai .... Thoda thoda likhna, padhna aur bolna aata hai. (Yeah yeah, I loved it. And I am continuing Hindi studies in the University here. My teacher's name is .... I know to write, read and speak a little bit)

Me: Great man.. Aapse milke bahut khushi hui. (It was great to meet you.)

The guy: Mujhe bhi. Aapka naam? (Me too. What's your name?)
Mujhe bhi. Aapka naam
Me: Rangarajan (He got it on the second count, which is pretty good. Most of my friends from up North India had a tough first few times with my name) Aur aapka? (And yours?)

The guy: Chris, hindi mein Kishan! (in hindi, its Kishan)

(End of conversation)

What a guy! And all this was spoken in chaste hindi, without any over stressing of the 'R's or stumbling with syllables or hastening of sentences. Come to think of it, I could count the number of times I have heard someone use the word 'adhyaapak' outside the classroom in India.

Answer to the Mark Twain quiz

It is the Indian crow that he refers to (read the previous post).

Mark Twain Quiz

Here is an excerpt from Mark Twain's account of his early days in Bombay, sometime in 1895. You need to guess who he is referring to.

'He has been reincarnated more times than Shiva; and he has kept a sample of each incarnation, and fused it into his constitution. In the course of his evolutionary promotions, his sublime march toward ultimate perfection, he has been a gambler, a low comedian, a dissolute priest, a fussy woman, a blackguard, a scoffer, a liar, a thief, a spy, an informer, a trading politician, a swindler, a professional hypocrite, a patriot for cash, a reformer, a lecturer, a lawyer, a conspirator, a rebel, a royalist, a democrat, a practicer and propagator of irreverence, a meddler, an intruder, a busybody, an infidel, and a wallower in sin for the mere love of it. The strange result, the incredible result, of this patient accumulation of all damnable traits is, that he does not know what care is, he does not know what sorrow is, he does not know what remorse is; his life is one long thundering ecstasy of happiness, and he will go to his death untroubled, knowing that he will soon turn up again as an author or something, and be even more intolerably capable and comfortable than ever he was before'.

Awesome Saturday Part II

'3 Idiots' has been making waves back home. And having just finished a couple of years in a place that made me feel like an idiot more often than not, I could relate to the idea a lot. Also, this was going to be my first desi movie in ages. With such awesome friends to boot, a great afternoon was in store.

I liked the movie for the scene following the examination, the crazy bathroom dance sequence, the beautiful locales of Leh and Laddakh (I still suspect some of the scence were shot outside India, but I am pretty sure I am wrong, the hills of India are a treat to the eyes) and for some well timed humour. However, I was expecting a classic Raju Hirani comic product but came out a tad disappointed. The movie was light hearted and did make for a nice outing. But it was too predictable, some jokes were stale, and the ending was just out of the Great Cook Book of Bollywood. As our post-movie dissection concluded, we also agreed that a lot of issues, deeds and attitudes were projected unrealistically. I can't see how a totally vella dude can top all the exams. I was vella yes.. and no, I never topped the exams (far from it, ahem! ... but that's got be another story). Nice one overall, but I still can't understand the super duper hit status that it has been awarded back home.

The icing on my awesome Saturday was the potluck following the movie. Masala dosa, Sambhar, dal, rotis, cake and gooseberry pie, with ice cream made for a mouthwatering feast. Strangers became friends over food and by the end of countless rounds of mafia, everyone seemed to have known everyone else for ages.

The desi gang in Oak tree is getting closer with each bite!

Lunching out

Any other Saturday would have meant a few extra hours of sleep, a hassle-free morning, a long nap after a sumptuous lunch and the day zipping by. But today was different. The morning flowed in a rhythm, and as the sun shone brightly, things looked cheerful. I guess it was, apart from other things, the fruits and milk breakfast that did it. Too many days of cereal probably warranted a change.

However, I suspect it was more so because of what lay ahead. A lunch with my friends Amanda, Rajeev bhaiya, Aswini, Sharanya and Vivek. We meet at least once a week and to get together and breathe! But today, we decided to take our tummies out for some exercise at Swagat, an Indian restaurant in Madison (Swagat is Hindi for Welcome).

Indian buffets in Madison are pretty much the same regardless of the restaurant. Starters include moong dal and rasam as soups! Snacks include dahi vada, samosa, bhel puri, cutlets etc. Typical veggie dishes are bhindi masala, dum aalo, chhole; while the carnivores can hog on fish fry, chicken tikka masala, etc. All this with plain rice, veg. and chicken biryani, naan, bhature and masala dosa as breads. Desserts have also become mundane with rasgulla, mango ice cream, caramel custard, rasmalai and semiya payasam. And, I forgot to add mango lassi, which also seems to be a big hit here (I have never had mango lassi in India).

All this made for a stuffed tummy, a series of yawns and a sound sleep for the rest of the day! But we had other plans for the post-lunch session, which I shall write about tomorow.

Cat in the basket

I have known this story for quite some time, but my brother put it the way it is in the title in an email, and I thought I should post it here.

This is one of the ways by which a practise becomes a belief and eventually a superstition.

Many moons ago, a pious, God-fearing family lived in India. They used to perform a pooja (Hindi for prayer) every morning so as to appease the Gods. Lamps were lit, songs sung and delicacies offered The offerings consisted of fruits, sweets and a glass of milk (for some strange reason, every God eats and drinks sumptuously!). Only after the pooja was over would the family eat its first morsel for the day.

The house also had a pet cat. Being apparently less devotional, the cat would sneak up to the pooja and lick a few drops of milk from the container. Once this was discovered, the family used to keep the cat covered with a basket, so that it did not interfere in the prayers.

Years passed, the cat ran away, the kids became young men and women, the parents grew old and died, but the prayers continued. Now, the kids had always known that 'a cat was kept covered under a basket' during the pooja. So, every time a pooja was scheduled they would go to the pet shop, rent out a cat for a day, bring it home, cover it with a basket and then start their pooja. The cat in the basket became an inseparable component of the pooja. No cat in the basket? Whaaaat! The Gods are gonna get angry... so went the notion.

And thus, a reasonable practise became a superstition.

Hilarious videos

A friend showed me these two videos and I can't stop laughing whenever I think about them. Watch them NOW!

Video 1

Video 2

Whatever

It is the most disgusting word I have heard, that too on umpteen occasions like formal meetings, seminars, interviews and scientific presentations. The context 'whatever' can be used in ranges from demeaning and dismissive to utter indifference and ignorance. Professors on interview panels get irritated when a student finished up an answer by a dragged 'whatever...'. Rather amusingly, many senior researchers also join the party while in discussion with colleagues from other areas of interest. Admittedly, it makes for a nice cover up job.

however, it is an instant turn-off to the knowledge-seeker, and I always get the feeling that the speaker is either clueless or completely disinterested in what he / she is saying. It would be so much better if ignorance is accepted and help sought.

The Great New Year

'Its New Year.. Yay! Lets dance and sing and drink and make merry, 'coz the last two digits on the date are gonna change for the next 365 dates, and then we shall celebrate again!'

My roomie Sriram suspects this New year business, like many other celebrations, is a mere marketing policy. You spend, I spend, everybody spends... on things ranging from food and dresses to flight tickets, phone calls, et al.

Won't things be much better if one could take a vacation as per individual desires?

The Aussies welcomed the New year by dumping tons of poison into the planet and their leader calls is 'an environment-friendly celebration'. Right! And we Indians need not feel so happy, having converted a festival of lights to one of sound, smoke and accidents.

Looking back, I guess my greatest new year eve was in high school when students from all across the country gathered in Bangalore to discuss the importance of values in our education system. I remember we entered the millenium singing songs and meditating. It was surreal... and a far cry from the madness in NY, Sydney, and the like.