India trip 2018 - Day XIV

There is some marked differences in some commonly used phrases in American and Indo-British English used here.

Indo-British : One to one meeting.

American : One on one meeting.

Indo-British : Going to office.

American :   Going to work.

Indo-British : Let's have lunch together.

American :  Let's do lunch together.

Indo-British : Are you Going to lunch with us ? 

American : Are you Coming to lunch with us ? 

There are also differences in the usage of certain words (phrases) in America and my native state of Odisha. One such word is "Nonsense". In US it means something which doesn't make sense or difficult to understand. But it Odisha "Nonsense" can be considered as a GAALI or rebuke, taken in a derogatory sense. Another one is the phrase "I don't care". It implies lack of inclination or disinterest or simply "it's non of my business". In Odisha saying "I don't care" can instantly brand you as a heartless person lacking empathy. Meanings can be lost in translation.

In the Webster's dictionary smart means "clever, witty, brainy" etc. In Bhubaneswar parlance a guy on a bike wearing shining shoes and chasing girls is considered a smart guy. The name "Smart city" tag given to Bhubaneswar speaks for itself.

Most here rarely eat dinner before 10 PM. 6 O'Clock in the evening is the time for CHA JALAKHIA (Tea and snacks) for most. Around 9.30 people slowly flock the restaurants in Bhubaneswar, peaking from 10 PM onwards. In US most finish dinner by 7 PM, though I eat mine in between 8 and 9 PM - a classic case of a DCBA (Desi Confused by America) walking the middle path.

I was further confused by the sound of dance and high decibel music emanating from the Sri Guru Math, a monastery of a Bengali Guru a stone's distance from our home. Surrounded by greenery, this religious abode attracts hundreds of devotees from Bengal. Curious about the devotional song accompanied by a group of DHOTI clad males gyrating their hips - swaying, toing and froing, circling around banging their GHANTA and GINI (musical instruments made from Brass), singing the Bengali Bhaki (devotional) song a portion of which I could grasp -

JASHODA JANANI DAE, 

BAL KRESHTO KHAE RE.

SONAR NUPUR BAJE,

HARI JENE JAE RE.

Roughly transliterated...

Mother Yashoda gives,

Kid Krishna to eat.

Golden anklet makes sounds,

Wherever God goes.

They went on and on until the SHESHA AARAT (the zenith of final chanting of prayer). The Prasad (offerings) of a mixure of fruits were distributed among the devotees and unlookers. The most pleased are the local fast food vendors who make some quick bucks selling peanuts, GUPCHUP (Golgappa or Panipuri) catering the bus loads of devotees coming mainly from Bengal. Only complain the locals have when they use loudspeakers on special occasions like Puja blaring cacophony, especially in the night leading to disturbed sleep - not to mention some of them being eyesores for relieving themselves in public. More later....