brahmi: leaves of the tree Bacopa monniera. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine

carrom: a board game played with carrom coins and a striker

chiki: peanut and brown sugar candy. It can also be made with other nuts or sesame seeds with brown sugar.

choop: quiet

Choop ker!: Be quiet!

Chut mangani, putt shadi: (Hindi) quick engagement, instant wedding

dal: spicy soup made of a variety of lentils

Damyanti: princess in the ancient Hindu story

dandia raas: a circle dance done with hand-painted sticks

Deekro, jivta pale ane muva bale: “A son takes care of you while you’re alive and cremates you when you die.”

desi: a fellow countryman, another Indian

dholak: a drum

dhosa: a thin crepe of lentil and rice

dhuk, dhuk, dhuk: Heartbeat sound

Diwali: a festival of lights celebrated all over India

dodh dyha: an overly wise person

dupatta: a long scarf worn over a long shirt and baggy pants

Ek ja de chingari, Mahanal: “Give me one light, the Great One.”

Foi: in Gujarat, one’s father’s sister is called Foi

Fua: Foi’s husband

gajra: a small flower garland for the hair

gammar: dull-witted

gappa: lie

garba: a popular folk dance of Gujarat

ghazals: Urdu poems

ghee: clarified butter with a nutty flavor

goos-poos: private talks

gotli: the soft, edible part inside the pit of a mango

Gujju: Gujarati person

gunder: Sticky semitransparent substance secreted by the trunks of acacia trees.

guruji: a great teacher

hali-mavali: a useless guy

idlis: steamed lentil and rice cakes

Ja, ja: Literally, “Go, go.” Usually said to mean “Nonsense!” or “Unbelieveable!”

jamai: son-in-law

Janmabhoomi Pravasi: a Mumbai newspaper

kajal: a black paste applied to the eyes

kalash: a round top on the peak of the temple, usually made of gold

kathak: North Indian classical dance

Kem cho?: How are you?

khandvi: thin rolls of buttermilk and chickpea flour with spices

koyal: a black, robin-size bird with a very distinctive, sweet call

kulfi: a creamy, frozen, ice-cream-like dessert

Kunti: mother of five Pandava brothers in the Mahabharat

kurta-pajama: long shirt and loose pants, man’s outfit

ladu: sweet balls made of flour, sugar, and ghee

lafra: affair, scandal

Limca: sweet-and-sour-lime flavored drink

Mahabharat: the longest poem in world literature. It is a tale of dynastic struggle between the hundred Kauravas and their cousins, the five Pandavas.

mandap: A canopy under which the Hindu marriage ceremony takes place. It represents the universe.

manga: a marriage proposal

mehndi: a plant whose leaves are dried and crushed and then used to decorate the hands and feet in intricate designs. It leaves a red color, which slowly washes away in a few days.

Modh Bania: a subcast of Bania. The pattern of social classes in Hinduism is called the “caste system.” Usually Banias were merchants by profession

Namaste: greeting

Na-re na: absolutely not

Navratri: fall harvest festival celebrating the mother goddess

neelkamal: blue lotus. It is made up of two words. Neel means blue, kamal means lotus