The Book
The God of Small Things
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Jackfruits - A very large sweet fruit common in South and East Asia
PWD - Public Works Department (local utilities department)
Syrian Orthodox Bishops - More than a third of the population of Kerala consists of Christian families, some dating back many centuries. The Syrian Church is one of the older branches of Christianity
Zebra Crossing - Striped pedestrian crossing
Crimplene bell-bottoms - Wrinkle-resistant knit polyester jersey fabric which can be woven and impressed with various textures. The main action of the novel is set in 1969, when bell-bottomed pants were popular
Go-Go Bag - "Go-go" started as an expression in mangled English used by French speakers to express the idea of "without limit," as in "Whisky à go-go." In English it was associated with the sort of dancing done in "go-go bars," and--by extension--with the clothing worn by the dancers, e.g. "go-go boots," etc. Sophie Mol was hip to the current fads
“Ende Deivomay! EEE sadhanangal!” – “My God! What creatures!”
Curly Beards - Orthodox Priests, unlike their Roman Catholic counterparts, wear full beards
Veshya - Prostitute
Calcutta - In the northeast, about as far as it could be from Ayamenem
“…pesticides bought with World Bank loans” - Agricultural production in India was greatly boosted during the sixties by the development of new high-yield varieties and the application of large amounts of fertilizer which had the unfortunate effect of often damaging the environment. The World Bank offered loans to support such intensive agriculture, which has often been blamed for its socially damaging side-effects
“…the Ayemenem office of the Communist Party” - Communism has been especially successful in Kerala, where Marxists have often dominated a famously effective government. (Other states where Communist governments have been formed are West Bengal and Tripura in the northeastern region of India.) Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India and a low infant mortality rate
Aertex Vest - An inexpensive brand of undershirt
Mundu - A single piece of cloth arranged as a sort of loose pair of trousers, tied at the waist, worn by both men and women (though women add upper garments to it). Longer than the dhoti
Mangosteen - A tropical fruit with a thick, dark-red skin
Wogs - Insulting British term for foreigners considered inferior
Kohl - Black eye-liner, used to darken the inner rim of the eyelid
“Since charity had not produced any tangible results, the distraught young Baby Kochamma invested all her hope in faith” - An allusion to First Corinthians 13:13
Koh-i-noor - An enormous diamond now part of the crown jewels of England; but it orginally belonged to the Mughals, Muslim rulers of India
Anthurium Andraeanum - A large, waxy flower which originated in Colombia, but which is now common in Hawaii and other tropical locales. The most popular varieties are red ("rubrum")
Cannae and Phlox - Canna indica originated in tropical America, but has been commonly cultivated in England, under the name "Indian shot." Canna indica. None of these flowers is native to India. Why is Baby Kochamma bent on growing such an "exotic" garden?
Gum Boots - Rubber boots
Patcha - The word literally means "green"
Ooty Cupboards - Ooty is the popular name of Udhagamandalam, a luxurious "hill station" in the Nilgiri Mountains of Tamil Nadu, just across the border from Kerala in the northeast. Furniture from there would have belonged to wealthy visitors
Willow-Pattern Dinner Service - An imitation Chinese ware manufactured in England and formerly extremely popular
Kunukku Earrings - A type of ancient Christian Keralite jewelry, usually gold earrings consisting of a short, thin chain with a small ball hanging from it
Baba - Father
“As ye sow, so shall ye reap” - Galatians 6:7
Tiffin Carrier - Lunchbox
Hoovering - Vacuuming. Hoover was one of the first manufacturers of vacuum cleaners, and the name of the firm became a verb, fallen into disuse in the U.S. but still common elsewhere
“Before the British took Malabar…” - Malabar denotes the southwestern coast of India from Goa southward, including most of Kerala. The British conquered it in the late 18th century
“…before the Dutch Ascendency” - In the 17th century the Dutch had seized the same territory
“…before Vasco da Gama arrived, before the Zamorin's conquest of Calicut” - On May 20, 1498, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut, India after having sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, and became the first European to reach this region. After many struggles, some of them bloody, the Portuguese established a colony
“…before the Zamorin's conquest of Calicut” - The Zamorin was the hereditary ruler of Calicut when da Gama arrived
“Syrian bishops murdered by the Portuguese…” - When the Portuguese gained trading concessions in the area, they tried to impose Roman Catholicism on the members of the older Syrian Church which predated them. The Syrians, resenting this attempt at domination of their community, decided to send a couple of their priests to Rome as representatives. Their mangled corpses were found washed up on the shore of Kerala a few weeks later. This incident played an important role in the eventual reassertion of Syriac Christianity in Kerala
“Christianity arrived in a boat…” - Tradition says that St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, brought Christianity to this region in 52 CE. Whatever the truth may be, it is well documented in Persian that there were Christians in Kerala by the late 7th century
The Sound of Music - The film had been released in the U.S. in 1965
Malayalam - The chief language of Kerala
Love-in-Tokyo - Love in Tokyo was a 1964 hit movie directed by Pramod Chakravorty featuring a young woman whose ponytail was held by two beads on a rubber band. Like Estha's puff, her "fountain in a Love-in-Tokyo" becomes Rahel's symbol
Chachen - Father
Chetan and Cheduthi - Older brother and older brother's wife (Malayalam)
Ammaven - Uncle; mother's brother
Appoi and Ammai - Mother's brother and mother's brother's wife (Malayalam)
“…migrated to Calcutta from East Bengal after Partition” - In 1947 the Subcontinent was partitioned into a northern Muslim-dominated state called "Pakistan" and and southern Hindu-dominated state called "India." Masses of people fled in both directions, encountering bloody violence on all hands. East Bengal fell to Pakistan, and later became Bangladesh. Calcutta is in West Bengal
Spanner - wrench
Intercommunity Love Marriage - An interreligious marriage, in this case between a Christian and a Hindu, entered into by the individuals involved without it being arranged by their parents
Boot - trunk
Koshy Oommen - A typical Syrian Christian name
Kathakali Dancer - The classical folk dance of Kerala, performed, unlike Bharata Natyam, exclusively by men playing both male and female parts
Sleeping Partner - A business partner who provides some of the financing, but is not allowed to participate in actually managing the company. Americans say "silent partner"
Parsis - Zoroastrians, called "Farsis" in Persia (Iran). They have only small communities in India, necessarily somewhat inbred
Bhajan - A devotional song
Parippu Vadas - Also vadai: spicy fried patties made of ground lentils. A common street food
Onner Runder Moonner - One, two, three
Land Reforms - Redistribution of farmland from rich landlords to poor peasants
Cheroot - Cigar
Bonnet - Hood
"Thanks, keto!" said. "Valarey thanks" - Roughly: "Thanks a lot, OK?"
Ividay! - Over here!
Toddy Tapper - Toddy is the sweet, fermented sap of various palm trees, tapped to provide a cheap alcoholic drink
“…converted to Christianity . . . to escape the scourge of Untouchability” -
Untouchables have been ready converts to foreign religions like Islam and Christianity which promised to relieve them of the burdens of inegality; but as often as not, informal Muslim and Christian caste systems evolved along the lines of the old Hindu one
Pariah - Untouchable
Government Benefits - The Indian government has engaged in strenuous affirmative action on behalf of untouchables ever since independence, but these measures have not reached all of them
Bauhaus - A highly influential German style emphasizing sleek modernity, clean lines, simplicity
Laterite - A reddish type of stone
Kites - Vultures
Inquilab Zindabad! - Long live the Revolution!
Scree Bed - Scree are pebbles, so this refers to part of her rock garden.
Poda Patti! - Get lost, you dog!
Dustbin - Trash can
“The Emperor Babur had a wheatish complexion…” - Babur (1483-1530) was the founder of the Mughal Dynasty which ruled much of India until the British arrived. "Wheatish" means "wheat-colored," a golden brown. This adjective is commonly used in matrimonial advertisements in India to indicate the person being described is not dark-skinned
Napthalene Balls - Deodorant balls commonly placed in men's urinals
Eda cherukka! - Hey you, boy!
Soo-Soos - Childish euphemism for penises
Paratha - Fried flatbread, often stuffed with spiced vegetables, and generally an unsuitable companion to chocolate sauce
Tandoori Pomfret - Fish baked in a traditional clay oven (tandoori)
Crêpe Suzette - Properly crêpes suzette, sugared crepes cooked in butter and flamed in an orange liqueur sauce--very European
"While Kunti revealed her secret to Karna on the riverbank...” - That Karna is her eldest son, and thus the older brother of his sworn enemies, the Pandavas (from the Mahabharata). Kunti tries in vain to convince him that he should not fight the Pandavas. However, he rejects her advice and eventually becomes the commander of the Kaurava army arrayed against his brothers, the Pandavas. Because she had abandoned Karna in infancy and he was brought up as a commoner in ignorance of his noble heritage, he suffered many indignities which might be compared to those of Velutha in the novel. The full story is told in Chapter 12. Karna is eventually slain by his brother Arjuna
“Poothana suckled young Krishna at her poisoned breast” - Poothana was a demon who tried in vain to kill the infant Krishna. Although his astounding powers allowed him to thrive despite her attempts on his life, her poison turned his skin dark blue or black
“Bhima disemboweled Dushasana and bathed Draupadi's hair in his blood” - In the Mahabharata, an apocalyptic world-spanning war is triggered when the five Pandavas foolishly wager their joint wife, Draupadi, in a rigged game of chance against their enemies, the Kauravas. Dushasana, one of the most important Kauravas, is responsible for dragging Draupadi forward just after their side has won her and attempting to strip her naked (though this attempt is foiled by a miracle). Bhima, the second of the Pandava brothers married to Draupadi, and especially noted for his strength (he was the rival of Dushasana in wrestling prowess), swears to take vengeance on Dushasana by drinking his blood. Draupadi, however, says she wants to bathe her hair in Dushasana's blood, and does not fasten up or wash her hair until she can do so. Toward the end of the climactic battle, Bhima exacts the revenge described in this passage, in the process killing a man who, like all the Kauravas, is his cousin
Kebabs - Spiced, marinated meat, ground or in cubes, usually grilled on a skewer. The children are twenty-five years too late in calling Rahel a hippie because the heyday of the hippies was a quarter-century ago
Bandh - General strike used as a political protest
Aiyyo - An expression of dismay
Orkunnilley - Don't you remember?
Oower - Yes
Aiyyo paavam - What a pity!
DDA flat - Delhi Development Authority apartment
Gram - Lentil
Ayurvedic - Traditional Indian medicine
Betel - The chewing of betel leaf causes the saliva to turn red
Chakka Velaichathu - Jackfruit jam
Ammoomas - Grandmothers
Appoopans - Grandfathers
Sweeper Class - Members of an untouchable caste. Note that the Christians depicted here share their Hindu neighbors' prejudices against untouchables.
Namaste - Traditional Indian gesture of greeting, palms together and upright, a little like traditional "prayer" posture in the Christian west
Kappa - Cassava root, cooked in various ways
Meen - Fish
Vevichatu - Cooked
Larfing - Laughing. "Jolly Well" is one example of a common pattern in the twins' thinking in which they convert metaphors into concrete images involving plays on words
Laddoo - A common sort of cookie made of lentil flour, ghee, raisins, nuts, and spices
Maharani - Queen
Little Nehru - Dressed like the first premier of India, Jawaharlal Nehru
Locusts Stand I - A misunderstanding of a Latin phrase [locus standi] meaning "no [legal] standing, but it comes to signify something like "homeless" in the novel
Ayah - Nanny
“The church refused to bury Ammu” - The usual reason for refusing burial is suicide; but in this case it is more likely that Ammu refused to repent the "sin" of her affair with Velutha
Chatta - Blouse
Chacko Saar Vannu - Mr.Chacko has arrived. "Saar" is a phonetic spelling of an Indian pronunciation of the English word "Sir"
Kodam Puli Tree - A variety of tamarind tree bearing fruit shaped like a kodam or round bowl
Aiyyo kashtam - Literally, "Oh, what a pity!" but used here as a reproach: "How could you say that!"
“Kando…” - Translated in the text: "'Can you see her?' 'I can see her'"
Sundari Kutty - Lovely little girl
Kushumbi - Jealous woman
Pallu - The loose end of a sari which is draped over the shoulder.
Bindis - Red dots worn on the foreheads
Chenda - Drum
Pectin, Hectin and Abednego - Alluding to the three Jewish heroes who were thrown into the firey furnace by Nebuchadnezzar's servants along with Daniel: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Amhoo - Moo
Mandalay - In central Burma
Vallom - Small boat
Aiyyo, Mon! Mol! - Aiee! Boy! Girl! (Literally, "Son! Daughter!)
Koojah - Earthenware water jar
Idi Appams - Steamed rice noodle cakes
Kanji - Rice soup
“…a song from a film called Chemmeen” - Note the ominous associations of this song from the 1965 film directed by Ramu Karia. The film was made in Malayalam, and its English title was The Wrath of the Sea
Burning Ghat - Funeral pyre
Kuthambalam - Inner part of the Hindu temple, just outside of the inner sanctum
Rakshasa - Demon
Churidar - Traditional narrow, tight-fitting trousers with folds near the ankles; worn by both men and women in North India
Shervani – “Nehru jacket": long formal jacket with stand-up collar
“…secretly pawned her jewelry” - It is traditional for Indian brides to be given lavish jewelry which is normally only pawned or sold in the direst emergencies
Dhobi - Person who washes clothes for a living
Mittam - Yard
Modalali Mariakutty - Landlord Mariakutty
Ajantha - The brand name of an audio equipment company in Kerala, named after the famous Buddhist cave site
Kavani - Top part of a two-piece sari, draped diagonally across the upper body
Modalali - Landlord
“Oru kaaryam parayettey?” - Shall I tell you something?
Keto - Have you heard?
Allay edi - Isn't that so? (rudely)
“Koo-koo kookum theevandi
Kooki paadum theevandi
Rapakal odum theevandi
Thalannu nilkum theevandi” -
This is a rhyme about a train which was printed in a popular Malayalam reader for children:
The train screams koo-koo-koo
The train sings and screams
The train runs day and night
The train stops, exhausted
Avail - A spicy vegetable stew cooked in coconut milk, a typical Malayali dish
Enda? - What is it?
Spring-Thunder - "Spring Thunder Over India" is the title of an editorial hailing the Naxalite Communist rebellion in the People's Daily, organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China July 5, 1967. It was reproduced in Liberation, Vol. I No. 1 (November 1967). Since then the phrase has come to stand for Keralite Communism generally
Ashram - Hindu spiritual center
Diwali - The very popular fall Hindu festival of lights. Also known as "Deepavali." How does this scene affect your perception of her in relation to the Velutha-Ammu love affair?
“…in saffron” - In saffron-yellow robes, traditionally worn by holy men
Sadhus - Hindu ascetics
Swamis - Senior members of a Hindu religious order
Madiyo? - Is it enough?
Madi aaririkkum - It may be enough
F.I.R. - "First Information Report," the initial report of illegal activity at a local police station
Cchhi-Chhi - Expression of disgust used as a euphemism for excrement
Meeshas - Moustaches
“There's no time to lose…” - One of the verses from "Ruby Tuesday" by the Rolling Stones. The song concerns parting from a loved one, but this particular stanza emphasizes the urgency of acting on love in the present
Chappu Thamburan - A spider. Literally: Lord Rubbish
PWD - Public Works Department (local utilities department)
Syrian Orthodox Bishops - More than a third of the population of Kerala consists of Christian families, some dating back many centuries. The Syrian Church is one of the older branches of Christianity
Zebra Crossing - Striped pedestrian crossing
Crimplene bell-bottoms - Wrinkle-resistant knit polyester jersey fabric which can be woven and impressed with various textures. The main action of the novel is set in 1969, when bell-bottomed pants were popular
Go-Go Bag - "Go-go" started as an expression in mangled English used by French speakers to express the idea of "without limit," as in "Whisky à go-go." In English it was associated with the sort of dancing done in "go-go bars," and--by extension--with the clothing worn by the dancers, e.g. "go-go boots," etc. Sophie Mol was hip to the current fads
“Ende Deivomay! EEE sadhanangal!” – “My God! What creatures!”
Curly Beards - Orthodox Priests, unlike their Roman Catholic counterparts, wear full beards
Veshya - Prostitute
Calcutta - In the northeast, about as far as it could be from Ayamenem
“…pesticides bought with World Bank loans” - Agricultural production in India was greatly boosted during the sixties by the development of new high-yield varieties and the application of large amounts of fertilizer which had the unfortunate effect of often damaging the environment. The World Bank offered loans to support such intensive agriculture, which has often been blamed for its socially damaging side-effects
“…the Ayemenem office of the Communist Party” - Communism has been especially successful in Kerala, where Marxists have often dominated a famously effective government. (Other states where Communist governments have been formed are West Bengal and Tripura in the northeastern region of India.) Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India and a low infant mortality rate
Aertex Vest - An inexpensive brand of undershirt
Mundu - A single piece of cloth arranged as a sort of loose pair of trousers, tied at the waist, worn by both men and women (though women add upper garments to it). Longer than the dhoti
Mangosteen - A tropical fruit with a thick, dark-red skin
Wogs - Insulting British term for foreigners considered inferior
Kohl - Black eye-liner, used to darken the inner rim of the eyelid
“Since charity had not produced any tangible results, the distraught young Baby Kochamma invested all her hope in faith” - An allusion to First Corinthians 13:13
Koh-i-noor - An enormous diamond now part of the crown jewels of England; but it orginally belonged to the Mughals, Muslim rulers of India
Anthurium Andraeanum - A large, waxy flower which originated in Colombia, but which is now common in Hawaii and other tropical locales. The most popular varieties are red ("rubrum")
Cannae and Phlox - Canna indica originated in tropical America, but has been commonly cultivated in England, under the name "Indian shot." Canna indica. None of these flowers is native to India. Why is Baby Kochamma bent on growing such an "exotic" garden?
Gum Boots - Rubber boots
Patcha - The word literally means "green"
Ooty Cupboards - Ooty is the popular name of Udhagamandalam, a luxurious "hill station" in the Nilgiri Mountains of Tamil Nadu, just across the border from Kerala in the northeast. Furniture from there would have belonged to wealthy visitors
Willow-Pattern Dinner Service - An imitation Chinese ware manufactured in England and formerly extremely popular
Kunukku Earrings - A type of ancient Christian Keralite jewelry, usually gold earrings consisting of a short, thin chain with a small ball hanging from it
Baba - Father
“As ye sow, so shall ye reap” - Galatians 6:7
Tiffin Carrier - Lunchbox
Hoovering - Vacuuming. Hoover was one of the first manufacturers of vacuum cleaners, and the name of the firm became a verb, fallen into disuse in the U.S. but still common elsewhere
“Before the British took Malabar…” - Malabar denotes the southwestern coast of India from Goa southward, including most of Kerala. The British conquered it in the late 18th century
“…before the Dutch Ascendency” - In the 17th century the Dutch had seized the same territory
“…before Vasco da Gama arrived, before the Zamorin's conquest of Calicut” - On May 20, 1498, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut, India after having sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, and became the first European to reach this region. After many struggles, some of them bloody, the Portuguese established a colony
“…before the Zamorin's conquest of Calicut” - The Zamorin was the hereditary ruler of Calicut when da Gama arrived
“Syrian bishops murdered by the Portuguese…” - When the Portuguese gained trading concessions in the area, they tried to impose Roman Catholicism on the members of the older Syrian Church which predated them. The Syrians, resenting this attempt at domination of their community, decided to send a couple of their priests to Rome as representatives. Their mangled corpses were found washed up on the shore of Kerala a few weeks later. This incident played an important role in the eventual reassertion of Syriac Christianity in Kerala
“Christianity arrived in a boat…” - Tradition says that St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, brought Christianity to this region in 52 CE. Whatever the truth may be, it is well documented in Persian that there were Christians in Kerala by the late 7th century
The Sound of Music - The film had been released in the U.S. in 1965
Malayalam - The chief language of Kerala
Love-in-Tokyo - Love in Tokyo was a 1964 hit movie directed by Pramod Chakravorty featuring a young woman whose ponytail was held by two beads on a rubber band. Like Estha's puff, her "fountain in a Love-in-Tokyo" becomes Rahel's symbol
Chachen - Father
Chetan and Cheduthi - Older brother and older brother's wife (Malayalam)
Ammaven - Uncle; mother's brother
Appoi and Ammai - Mother's brother and mother's brother's wife (Malayalam)
“…migrated to Calcutta from East Bengal after Partition” - In 1947 the Subcontinent was partitioned into a northern Muslim-dominated state called "Pakistan" and and southern Hindu-dominated state called "India." Masses of people fled in both directions, encountering bloody violence on all hands. East Bengal fell to Pakistan, and later became Bangladesh. Calcutta is in West Bengal
Spanner - wrench
Intercommunity Love Marriage - An interreligious marriage, in this case between a Christian and a Hindu, entered into by the individuals involved without it being arranged by their parents
Boot - trunk
Koshy Oommen - A typical Syrian Christian name
Kathakali Dancer - The classical folk dance of Kerala, performed, unlike Bharata Natyam, exclusively by men playing both male and female parts
Sleeping Partner - A business partner who provides some of the financing, but is not allowed to participate in actually managing the company. Americans say "silent partner"
Parsis - Zoroastrians, called "Farsis" in Persia (Iran). They have only small communities in India, necessarily somewhat inbred
Bhajan - A devotional song
Parippu Vadas - Also vadai: spicy fried patties made of ground lentils. A common street food
Onner Runder Moonner - One, two, three
Land Reforms - Redistribution of farmland from rich landlords to poor peasants
Cheroot - Cigar
Bonnet - Hood
"Thanks, keto!" said. "Valarey thanks" - Roughly: "Thanks a lot, OK?"
Ividay! - Over here!
Toddy Tapper - Toddy is the sweet, fermented sap of various palm trees, tapped to provide a cheap alcoholic drink
“…converted to Christianity . . . to escape the scourge of Untouchability” -
Untouchables have been ready converts to foreign religions like Islam and Christianity which promised to relieve them of the burdens of inegality; but as often as not, informal Muslim and Christian caste systems evolved along the lines of the old Hindu one
Pariah - Untouchable
Government Benefits - The Indian government has engaged in strenuous affirmative action on behalf of untouchables ever since independence, but these measures have not reached all of them
Bauhaus - A highly influential German style emphasizing sleek modernity, clean lines, simplicity
Laterite - A reddish type of stone
Kites - Vultures
Inquilab Zindabad! - Long live the Revolution!
Scree Bed - Scree are pebbles, so this refers to part of her rock garden.
Poda Patti! - Get lost, you dog!
Dustbin - Trash can
“The Emperor Babur had a wheatish complexion…” - Babur (1483-1530) was the founder of the Mughal Dynasty which ruled much of India until the British arrived. "Wheatish" means "wheat-colored," a golden brown. This adjective is commonly used in matrimonial advertisements in India to indicate the person being described is not dark-skinned
Napthalene Balls - Deodorant balls commonly placed in men's urinals
Eda cherukka! - Hey you, boy!
Soo-Soos - Childish euphemism for penises
Paratha - Fried flatbread, often stuffed with spiced vegetables, and generally an unsuitable companion to chocolate sauce
Tandoori Pomfret - Fish baked in a traditional clay oven (tandoori)
Crêpe Suzette - Properly crêpes suzette, sugared crepes cooked in butter and flamed in an orange liqueur sauce--very European
"While Kunti revealed her secret to Karna on the riverbank...” - That Karna is her eldest son, and thus the older brother of his sworn enemies, the Pandavas (from the Mahabharata). Kunti tries in vain to convince him that he should not fight the Pandavas. However, he rejects her advice and eventually becomes the commander of the Kaurava army arrayed against his brothers, the Pandavas. Because she had abandoned Karna in infancy and he was brought up as a commoner in ignorance of his noble heritage, he suffered many indignities which might be compared to those of Velutha in the novel. The full story is told in Chapter 12. Karna is eventually slain by his brother Arjuna
“Poothana suckled young Krishna at her poisoned breast” - Poothana was a demon who tried in vain to kill the infant Krishna. Although his astounding powers allowed him to thrive despite her attempts on his life, her poison turned his skin dark blue or black
“Bhima disemboweled Dushasana and bathed Draupadi's hair in his blood” - In the Mahabharata, an apocalyptic world-spanning war is triggered when the five Pandavas foolishly wager their joint wife, Draupadi, in a rigged game of chance against their enemies, the Kauravas. Dushasana, one of the most important Kauravas, is responsible for dragging Draupadi forward just after their side has won her and attempting to strip her naked (though this attempt is foiled by a miracle). Bhima, the second of the Pandava brothers married to Draupadi, and especially noted for his strength (he was the rival of Dushasana in wrestling prowess), swears to take vengeance on Dushasana by drinking his blood. Draupadi, however, says she wants to bathe her hair in Dushasana's blood, and does not fasten up or wash her hair until she can do so. Toward the end of the climactic battle, Bhima exacts the revenge described in this passage, in the process killing a man who, like all the Kauravas, is his cousin
Kebabs - Spiced, marinated meat, ground or in cubes, usually grilled on a skewer. The children are twenty-five years too late in calling Rahel a hippie because the heyday of the hippies was a quarter-century ago
Bandh - General strike used as a political protest
Aiyyo - An expression of dismay
Orkunnilley - Don't you remember?
Oower - Yes
Aiyyo paavam - What a pity!
DDA flat - Delhi Development Authority apartment
Gram - Lentil
Ayurvedic - Traditional Indian medicine
Betel - The chewing of betel leaf causes the saliva to turn red
Chakka Velaichathu - Jackfruit jam
Ammoomas - Grandmothers
Appoopans - Grandfathers
Sweeper Class - Members of an untouchable caste. Note that the Christians depicted here share their Hindu neighbors' prejudices against untouchables.
Namaste - Traditional Indian gesture of greeting, palms together and upright, a little like traditional "prayer" posture in the Christian west
Kappa - Cassava root, cooked in various ways
Meen - Fish
Vevichatu - Cooked
Larfing - Laughing. "Jolly Well" is one example of a common pattern in the twins' thinking in which they convert metaphors into concrete images involving plays on words
Laddoo - A common sort of cookie made of lentil flour, ghee, raisins, nuts, and spices
Maharani - Queen
Little Nehru - Dressed like the first premier of India, Jawaharlal Nehru
Locusts Stand I - A misunderstanding of a Latin phrase [locus standi] meaning "no [legal] standing, but it comes to signify something like "homeless" in the novel
Ayah - Nanny
“The church refused to bury Ammu” - The usual reason for refusing burial is suicide; but in this case it is more likely that Ammu refused to repent the "sin" of her affair with Velutha
Chatta - Blouse
Chacko Saar Vannu - Mr.Chacko has arrived. "Saar" is a phonetic spelling of an Indian pronunciation of the English word "Sir"
Kodam Puli Tree - A variety of tamarind tree bearing fruit shaped like a kodam or round bowl
Aiyyo kashtam - Literally, "Oh, what a pity!" but used here as a reproach: "How could you say that!"
“Kando…” - Translated in the text: "'Can you see her?' 'I can see her'"
Sundari Kutty - Lovely little girl
Kushumbi - Jealous woman
Pallu - The loose end of a sari which is draped over the shoulder.
Bindis - Red dots worn on the foreheads
Chenda - Drum
Pectin, Hectin and Abednego - Alluding to the three Jewish heroes who were thrown into the firey furnace by Nebuchadnezzar's servants along with Daniel: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Amhoo - Moo
Mandalay - In central Burma
Vallom - Small boat
Aiyyo, Mon! Mol! - Aiee! Boy! Girl! (Literally, "Son! Daughter!)
Koojah - Earthenware water jar
Idi Appams - Steamed rice noodle cakes
Kanji - Rice soup
“…a song from a film called Chemmeen” - Note the ominous associations of this song from the 1965 film directed by Ramu Karia. The film was made in Malayalam, and its English title was The Wrath of the Sea
Burning Ghat - Funeral pyre
Kuthambalam - Inner part of the Hindu temple, just outside of the inner sanctum
Rakshasa - Demon
Churidar - Traditional narrow, tight-fitting trousers with folds near the ankles; worn by both men and women in North India
Shervani – “Nehru jacket": long formal jacket with stand-up collar
“…secretly pawned her jewelry” - It is traditional for Indian brides to be given lavish jewelry which is normally only pawned or sold in the direst emergencies
Dhobi - Person who washes clothes for a living
Mittam - Yard
Modalali Mariakutty - Landlord Mariakutty
Ajantha - The brand name of an audio equipment company in Kerala, named after the famous Buddhist cave site
Kavani - Top part of a two-piece sari, draped diagonally across the upper body
Modalali - Landlord
“Oru kaaryam parayettey?” - Shall I tell you something?
Keto - Have you heard?
Allay edi - Isn't that so? (rudely)
“Koo-koo kookum theevandi
Kooki paadum theevandi
Rapakal odum theevandi
Thalannu nilkum theevandi” -
This is a rhyme about a train which was printed in a popular Malayalam reader for children:
The train screams koo-koo-koo
The train sings and screams
The train runs day and night
The train stops, exhausted
Avail - A spicy vegetable stew cooked in coconut milk, a typical Malayali dish
Enda? - What is it?
Spring-Thunder - "Spring Thunder Over India" is the title of an editorial hailing the Naxalite Communist rebellion in the People's Daily, organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China July 5, 1967. It was reproduced in Liberation, Vol. I No. 1 (November 1967). Since then the phrase has come to stand for Keralite Communism generally
Ashram - Hindu spiritual center
Diwali - The very popular fall Hindu festival of lights. Also known as "Deepavali." How does this scene affect your perception of her in relation to the Velutha-Ammu love affair?
“…in saffron” - In saffron-yellow robes, traditionally worn by holy men
Sadhus - Hindu ascetics
Swamis - Senior members of a Hindu religious order
Madiyo? - Is it enough?
Madi aaririkkum - It may be enough
F.I.R. - "First Information Report," the initial report of illegal activity at a local police station
Cchhi-Chhi - Expression of disgust used as a euphemism for excrement
Meeshas - Moustaches
“There's no time to lose…” - One of the verses from "Ruby Tuesday" by the Rolling Stones. The song concerns parting from a loved one, but this particular stanza emphasizes the urgency of acting on love in the present
Chappu Thamburan - A spider. Literally: Lord Rubbish
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