The Far Pavilions - Mary Margaret Kaye [659]
Burra khana big dinner-party
Burra-Sahib great man; top man
Cha-cha uncle
Charpoy bed (usually string or webbing)
Chatti large earthenware water-pot
Chik sun-blind made of split cane
Chirag small earthenware oil lamp, used in festivals
Chokra boy
Chota hazri literally, small breakfast (early morning tea with fruit)
Chowkidar night watchman
Chuddah sheet; shawl
Chunam polished plaster; lime
Chuppatti flat cake of unleavened bread
Chuppli heavy leather sandal with studs on sole, worn on the Frontier
Chutti leave
Dacoits robbers
Daffadar sergeant (cavalry)
Dai nurse; midwife
Dâk mail; post
Dâk-bungalow posting- house; rest-house
Dâk-ghari horse-drawn vehicle carrying mail
Dal lentils
Dawaza door; gate
‘Dekho!’ ‘Look!’
Dhobi washer of clothes; laundryman
Dhooli palanquin
Durbar public audience; levee
Ekka light two-wheeled trap
Fakir religious mendicant
Feringhi foreigner
Fu–fu band village band of Indian instruments
Gadi throne
Ghari any horse-drawn vehicle
Ghari-wallah driver of the above
Ghazi religious fanatic
Ghee clarified butter
Godown storage room or shed
Gur unrefined cane sugar
Gurral mountain goat
Gurrh-burrh tumult; noise
Hakim doctor
Halwa sweetmeats
Havildar sergeant (infantry)
Hazrat Highness
Hookah water pipe for smoking tobacco
Howdah seat carried on back of elephant
Hukum order
Huzoor Your Honour
Istri-dhan inheritance
Itr scent
Izzat honour
Jawan literally, young man; used for soldier
Jehad holy war
Jehanum hell
Jellabies fried sweets made of honey and batter
Jemadar junior Indian officer promoted from the ranks (cavalry or infantry)
Jezail long-barrelled musket
Jheel shallow, marshy lake
Jung-i-lat Sahib Commander-in-Chief
Kala black
Khansamah cook
Khidmatgar waiter at table
Kila fort
Kismet fate
Koss two miles
Kus-kus tatties thick curtains made of woven roots
Larla darling
Lathi long, heavy stick, usually made from bamboo
Lotah small brass water-pot
Machan platform built in a tree for hunting big game
Mahal palace
Mahout elephant driver
Mali gardener
Malik tribal headman
‘Maro!’ ‘Strike!’; ‘Kill!’
‘Mubarik!’ ‘Congratulations!’; ‘Well done!’
Mullah Mohammedan priest
Munshi teacher; writer
Narwar coarse webbing
Nauker servant
Nauker-log servants
Nautch–girl dancing girl
Nullah ravine or dry water-course
Ooloo owl
Padishah Empress
Pan betel-nut rolled in a bay leaf and chewed
Panchayat council of five elders
Patarkar small firework
Piara (-i) dear
Pice small coin
Pujah worship
Pulton infantry regiment
Punkah length of matting or heavy material pulled by a rope to make a breeze
Purdah seclusion of women (literally, curtain)
Pushtu the language of the Pathans
Raja King
Rajkumar Prince
Rajkumari Princess
Rakhri pendant worn on the forehead
Rang colour
Rani Queen
Resai quilt
Resaidar junior Indian officer promoted from the ranks (cavalry)
Risaldar senior Indian officer promoted from the ranks (cavalry)
Risaldar-Major the most senior Indian officer promoted from the ranks (cavalry)
Rissala cavalry (regiment)
Sadhu holy man
Sahiba lady
Sahib-log ‘white folk’
Saht-bai ‘seven brothers' – small brown birds which go about in groups, usually of seven
Sepoy infantry soldier
Serai caravan hostel
‘Shabash!’ ‘Well done!’
Shadi wedding
Shaitan devil
Shamianah large tent
Shikar hunting and shooting
Shikari hunter, finder of game
Shulwa sleeved tunic
Sikunder Dulkhan
Alexander the Great
Sirdar Indian officer of high rank
Sirkar the Indian Government
Sowar cavalry trooper
Syce groom
Tálash inquiry
Tamarsha show; festival
Tar telegram (literally, wire)
Tehsildar village headman
Tiffin lunch
Tonga two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle
Tulwar curved sword
Yakdan leather trunk, made to be carried on mules
Yuveraj heir to the throne
Zenana women's quarter
Zid resentment
Zulum aggression
*baby; child
*the Mohammedan Sabbath
† Indian infantrymen
* great man
* Sleep baby sleep, Butter, bread, sugar, The bread and butter are finished, My baby is asleep.
* light two-wheeled