photo of Indian woman Garwhal and Kumaon
India
 
BACKGROUND
introducing the area

LOCAL THEMES
agriculture
communications
community activities
culture and customs
development
economics
education
employment and income
environment
environmental knowledge
family life
festivals
food security
forestry
gender
health
identity
justice and crime
livelihood strategies
livestock
migration
social change
social institutions
social relationships
spiritual beliefs
tourism
traditional skills
water

glossary of terms

 Hindu months
 botanical glossary

Andolan

protest movement – social, political or environmental

angadi 

double-lined warm blouse worn by women

angri

same as angadi

anna

old currency used during the British Rule; equivalent of 6 paisa

arsa

traditional sweet dish made from rice or millet flour and jaggery

ashtabali

sacrifice of eight things

Ashtami

eight days before full moon

Ayurvedic

following classical Indian medical teaching

Baisakhi

Hindu festival in the month of Baisakh (April/May)

Bakrid

Muslim festival of sacrifice, also known as Id ul Zuha

balwadi

crèche

baqi

someone who divines a problem and suggests its solution

bara

ration

barat

marriage procession

BDC

Block Development Committee

beedh

helping others, called padiyali in the Ganga valley of Garhwal

beedie

local cigarette

begar

forced labour or revenue

bhadd

traditional round cooking vessel

bhagwat                     

religious meeting

bhailla

a fire game

bhandar

traditional village grain store

bhandara

folk dance, dancing

Bhot 

Tibet

Bhotiya

scheduled tribe who are weavers, scattered all over but with Tibetan origins

bigha

land measurement, varies from region to region, approx 0.676 hectares

Block

next administration level above village

Brahmins

the highest-ranking of the four main social castes from which priests are drawn

brahmins

priests

bugyals

meadows

bulak

u-shaped ring worn between the nostrils

chang

homemade wine

channis

simple huts for shelter during grazing season, for livestock and the people looking after them

chapatti

thin flat bread

chappals

slippers

chilke

strips of dried pine or bhimal bark which burn slowly and were used for lighting

Chipko

(literally, stick together/embrace): spontaneous village-level movement to protect forests, which became nationally influential

choda

thick carpet-like material made from goat wool, used for sitting.

chowkidars

watchmen

chul funting

traditional dish made of chulu (wild apricot) and chaulai (amaranth)

chulha

stove

chunni

stole, scarf, meant to cover the breasts

churidar  pyjama

tight long trousers

civil-soyam

civil revenue land, under district administration; people have a right to use it

CMO

Chief Medical Officer

daan

(literally, gift): the marriage system, in which no money is given for the bride

dacoity

robbery, banditry

dadwar

fixed amount of grain given in exchange for work

dakshina

gift which carries a blessing

daranti 

sickle

devi

goddess; (Nanda Devinanda is the name of a  particular goddess)

devta

deity

dharamshala

rest house

dhiyani

worshippers

dhons

local measure of weight, equivalent to 32 kgs

dhoti

(literally, unstitched cloth); cotton sari worn by women or cotton cloth worn by men (by Brahmins particularly for religious events)

dhurrie

rug

Diwali

(literally, a row of lights);  illumination is a key part of Diwali, which is regarded as the beginning of the New Year, and celebrated on the 15th day of Ashwin (September/October), 14 days after Dussehra.

doli

sedan chair which four men carry on their shoulders to take the bride to her husband's house

dumkhar  

coarse blankets

Dussehra

Celebrated on the 10th day of the brightest part of Ashwin (September/October). The preceding nine nights – Navaratri - are spent in worship, and culminate in this festival devoted to the goddess Durga.

gadera /gaderes

gullies formed by a stream/streams

gaumutra/ gaunt

cow urine

ghadiyala

dance through which a deity is made to enter a human body

ghagra

long flared skirt

ghagula

silver bangle

gharat

water mill

ghee

clarified butter

gobar gas

gobar is dung – used for fuel

gram panchayat

village council

gram sabhas

village assembly (ie whole village) (sabha = meeting/assembly in the sense of parliament)

Gujjars

nomadic pastoral tribe

gur

unrefined sugar

Gurkhas

ethnic group from Nepal; also used to refer to Nepalis generally

halwa

sweet dish

hansuli 

thick silver necklace worn by children,  also called shiri

Harijan

(literally, child of God); Gandhi’s term for “untouchable”

hariyali

sacred shoots of barley

havan

sacred fire rituals

Holi

festival of colours marking the end of winter, celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year

 jagar

(literally, to stay awake); night-long ritual when many things can happen, invocations etc

jaggery

unrefined sugar (English word for gur)

jawahar rojgar yojna

government employment scheme to provide daily wages for villagers (breaking stones etc)

Jhumaria

caste of musicians

jhumkas

particular kind of large dangly earring

joyi

cow found in Tibet

jungle

forest

kadha

medicinal extract made by boiling plants/spices

kaleva

food gift from natal family

kanthi

form of jewellery for the neck

kattas

large jute bags

khadu

male sheep reared for wool

khagwala

thick silver chains worn around the neck

kheer

dish of sweetened milk and rice

khichdi

rice and lentil dish

kudali

weeding tool

kuhls

narrow irrigation channels

kurta

loose-fitting collarless shirt

laddu

round sweets

lagan

tax

lakh

a hundred thousand

lama

Buddhist priest

lassi

buttermilk

Lingwasa

ritual performed on the 13th day after the death during which a stone from the funeral pyre is taken and placed in the “place of ancestors” (a designated place in the village).

 Mahila Mangal Dal

rural women’s council

malguzar

village chief/local revenue officer

maski

bagpipe

Meethi Id

(literally, sweet Id); Muslim festival to mark the end of Ramadan; also known as Id ul Fitr

mela

fair

mirzai

long coat tied across the chest, worn with pyjamas by men

munal

Himalayan pheasant

murkis

jewellery worn on the upper portion of the ear by men and women

nagara

small drum, played with two sticks, accompanies the larger drum

nali

weight measurement, 1 nali = 1 kg (?); also used to signify an area of land in terms of weight of grain sown.

Namaz

Muslim prayers

nath

nose ring

nati

traditional dramas/plays

naurat

the ritual of beating drums in the temple every morning at 4 am

navaratras

(literally, nine nights); precedes festival of Dussehra in October

numberdar

community head/ local revenue officer

nyaya panchayats

village council for resolving local disputes (nyaya = justice)

obara

room in the lower storey often used for livestock

Ojhis

blacksmiths

padha

weight measurement, one padha = 2 kgs

padhale

broad flat pieces of stone, usually slate, used for roofing

padiyali

specific time for mutual aid and collective work among village groups

paisa

Indian currency: 100 paisa = 1 rupee

pajeb

fine delicate anklets that tinkle

palki

litter for carrying the goddess into the temple

panal

wooden pipe bringing water to the water mill

panchayat

village council

panchayat ghar

community hall where the panchayat meets (ghar = house)

panchayat raj.

panchayat administration or governance

panchayati

relates to a decision taken by the panchayat, or area belonging to the panchayat. (belonging to the village) 

panchs

(panch = five) five men who lead the panchayat

pandavas

the five warrior Princes of the Mahabharata – especially worshipped in the mountains

pandit

priest or learned person; also used to refer to Brahmin caste

pankhi 

woollen shawl

panta

taking turns

papadi

special rice dish- thin rice cakes fried in oil

parotha

cylindrical wooden vessel for churning curd

patha

traditional Garhwali brass utensil for measuring grains (1 patha = 2 kgs)

patheda

long woollen belt

pathela

dry leaves

patti

a group of villages that make up a revenue unit

patwari

functionary in the Revenue Office

paunchis

silver bracelet decorated with beads

pheras

ceremony in which the bride and groom walk around a sacred fire seven times

pradhan

head of panchayat

prasad

a dish of flour, jaggery and ghee often given as an offering to a deity

pucka

proper/permanent

puja

prayer, prayer ritual

puris

type of fried bread

Raj

(literally, King’s rule), often used to refer to British colonial period

Rajputs

originally a warrior caste, part of the group ranked second among social castes

Rama

legendary Hindu figure, epitome of all that is good, whose story is told in the Ramayana

ramana

subsidised wood

Ramlila 

enactment of the Ramayana (before festival of Dusshera), an important Hindu epic

Ramzan

see Roza

ransingha

a wood instrument made from buffalo horns

ringal

thin cane used for making baskets, mats, household goods; also refers to baskets made from that cane

rote prasad

sacred bread

roti

bread (unleavened)

Roza

(literally, to fast); Muslim period of fasting, also known as Ramadan when food or drink is not consumed during daylight hours

rupee

Indian unit of currency

sabal

iron rod used for construction and also for making holes in the ground

sahib

term of respect given to people of importance

salwar kameez

loose trousers and long tunic

Samakhya

government-sponsored programme for women’s empowerment

Sankrant

festival to celebrate the glory of the sun god, occurs as the sun moves from one house of the zodiac to another (first day of every Hindu calendar month)

sari 

length of cloth draped around the body, worn by women, usually synthetic or silk, but not cotton (which is called a dhoti)

sarpanch

head of the panchayat

Sarvodaya

(literally, compassion for everyone); the movement started by a Ghandian who persuaded big landowners to give some property to the poor and landless.  A powerful movement in hill areas.

sattu.

flour made of roasted grains (like malted health foods), eaten without cooking

Shiva

major Hindu god

Shradh

anniversary of death, performed one year after death or in 34 as: ceremonies observed for the dead every year

sirni

sweet dough

sriphal

coconut, used as an offering

sutan

woollen pyjamas

Terahveen 

ritual performed following the thirteenth day of the death

tola

weight measurement, one tola =10gms

ukhad / ukhadi

un-irrigated fields

ukhal

stone vessel designed for pounding/ dehusking paddy

vaids

practitioner of indigenous medicine, traditional doctors

van panchayats

community forest, as opposed to civil forest land or forest department land (van = forest)

Vasant Panchami

Spring festival

vedic

according to the vedas, which are Hindu sacred texts

ward member

person employed to do specific work in the village on the government’s behalf

yagya

sacred fire ritual

yatra

pilgrimage or journey

Yuvak Mangal Dals

village youth organisations

zamin

land

zamindars

landowners

 

Hindu months

Based on the Lunar Calendar

Local colloquial name

Standard Hindu name

English equivalent

Chaitra

Chaitra

30 days (March/April)

Baisakh

Vaishaka

31 days (April/May)

Jeth

Jyaistha

31 days ( May/June)

Aashad  

Asadha

31 days ( June/July)

Savan

Srawana

31 days (July/August)

Bhadan

Bhadrapada

31 days (August/September)

Asooj/Ashwin

 Asvina

30 days (September/October)

Kartik

Kartikka

30 days (October/November)

Margsheesh

Magasirsa

30 days(November/December)

Paush

Pousha

30 days (December/January)

Magh

Magha

30 days (January/February)

Falgun

Phalguna

30 days (February/March)


botanical glossary

Indian term

Common definition

Latin name

ajwain

thyme

 

amla

tree with sour green fruit; used in ayurvedic medicine

emblica officinalis

anwala

see amla

 

attis  

bitter herb; used for colds

aconitum

ayar

broad-leaved shrub with fragrant white flowers

 

banj

variety of oak

quercus incana

bedu

variety of wild fig (small)

 

bhatt

local variety of soya

 

bhimal

fodder tree; fibre used for rope, bark for soap, also good firewood

 

bhojpatra

birch

 

burans

rhododendron

 

chaulai 

variety of amaranth

 

cheena

indigenous variety of wheat

 

chemi

variety of bean; same as rajma

 

chir pine

variety of pine

pinus roxburghii

chulu / chuli

apricot

 

dal

lentils (generic term)

 

deodar

Himalayan cedar

 

dhan

general term for rice/paddy

 

fafra

buckwheat

 

gahat

variety of lentil

 

guriyal

buds are used as vegetable/to make pickle, leaves for fodder, seed pods have medicinal value

sp. bauhinia

hinsar

small prickly shrub with berries, like a raspberry

 

jamun

purple fruit from large deciduous sacred tree; good for diabetes; fuelwood 

eugenia jambola

jau

barley

 

jeera

cumin

 

jhangora

barnyard millet (particularly tall)

 

kadwi

bitter root; used widely by local people for its medicinal value

aconitum violaceum

kafal

small tree with edible fruit, also yields dye from bark

myrica nagi

kail

blue pine

 

karaunda

thorny bush with purple edible berries

berberis

kauni

proso millet

 

khadik

variety of fodder tree

 

Khastpatwar tripatya/tripatya

invasive variety of grass with three leaves

 

kingand

medicinal herb; root used in eye medicine; also known as kilmora;yellow dye; endangered

berberis aristata

koda

finger millet, also called mandua (particularly nutritious)

 

kulath

variety of lentil, same as gahat

 

lantana

invasive shrub which restricts the growth of other species

lantana americana

lengada

variety of fern used as a vegetable

 

maash

variety of lentil

 

mandua

finger millet – see koda (very nutritious)

 

marsa

amaranthus – also known as ramdana; see chauli

 

masoor

variety of  lentil

 

matar

peas

 

moli

wild variety of pear

 

ogla

variety of buckwheat

 

raambans

sisal, used for fibre to make ropes, bags and many other articles

agave

rajma

variety of bean; same as chemi

 

ramdana 

amaranth, fabled never-fading flower, edible and used for food colouring (see also chauli, marsa)

amaranthus

sandan

deciduous hardwood used for making tools

ougeinia oojeinensis

sanwa, sava

millet sown on the edge of rice fields in same season but matures earlier; rich in calcium

mandua

semul

silk cotton tree

bombax malabarica

sheesham

broad-leaved deciduous hardwood tree used for construction and furniture

dalbergia sissoo

til

sesame seed

 

timla

wild fig (large)

 

tun

mahogany

 

tur

variety of lentil

 

urad

variety of pulse

 

uva

variety of barley (without hair – see na). Similar to wheat; traditionally grown for trading with Tibet.