| Amarnath
Ji, Cave |
The famous
cave about 80 miles from Srinagar where images of ice symbolic of Shiva
wax and wane with the moon. Oppressed by the demons the gods prayed to
Shiva who appeared before them here and gave them nectar. |
| Bakhsheesh |
Tips |
| Basmati |
A
fine
variety of rice. |
| Begar |
Forced Labour. |
| Bhand |
Itinerant actor
of the traditional type. |
| Bishta |
Sound made
to drive away a cat. |
| Bostan,
Gulistan |
well-known
poetical work in Persian of Saadi of Shiraz, for long favourite with the
intellectual classes in Kashmir. |
| Chakaldar |
Official entrusted
with the collection of land tax in the past. |
| Doongha |
A
commodious
boat used in the past as a convenient means of transport. |
| Durbar |
Audience held
by a ruling chief. |
| Girdawar |
An inspector
of land under whom patwaris work. |
| Gulistan |
See
Bostan. |
| Gundam Norma
Jao farosh |
One selling
barley for wheat. |
| Hakim |
A
physician. |
| Hakim-e-ala |
Head of a provincial
administration. |
| Jagirdar |
One enjoying
the revenue of an estate either conferred upon or inherited by him. |
| Jogi |
A
master
of the science of yoga; a sanyasi. |
| Kabab |
Roastmeat. |
| Kabargah |
A
choice
meat dish. |
| Kamraz |
The northern
half of the valley of Kashmir. |
| Kangri |
The portable
firepot used extensively in Kashmir consisting of an earthenware bowl set
in a wickerwork case. |
| Kanji |
Fermented preparation
from gruel rich in vitamins. |
| Kapas |
Cotton. |
| Kardar |
Official entrusted
with the collection of land tax in the past. |
| Khatumband |
A style in
ceilings made of small pieces of wood set in grooves in geometric patterns. |
| Khirwar |
A measure of
weight about 166 lbs., literally an ass-load. |
| Khwaja Saheb |
Title prefixed
to the name of a bourgeois Mohammadan. |
| Kotwal |
Head of the
police station. |
| Kuvera |
In the Hindu
pantheon the treasurer of the gods. |
| Ladhaki
chat |
Brick-tea formerly
imported from Ladakh or Tibet. |
| Maharaj
ki jai |
Victory to
the great ruler. |
| Mahakali |
The consort
of Siva in the fierce form in which she killed a demon. |
| Mahseer |
An uncommon
variety of fish. |
| Maktab |
A school of
the traditional type. |
| Malmal |
Muslin turban
made of muslin. |
| Manut |
Literally a
measure of 3 pounds of weight. |
| Maraz |
The southern
half of the valley of Kashmir. |
| Maria |
A measure of
area, about 1/160 of an acre. |
| Mashir-i-mal |
Revenue minister,
head of the revenue administration. |
| Mengan |
Sheep or goat-dung. |
| Munshi |
A
clerk,
a confidential clerk. |
| Mushkabudji |
A
fine
and choice variety of rice. |
| Nalamar |
A
canal
in Srinagar. |
| Nambardar |
Village headman. |
| Narela |
A
small
handy smoking apparatus of the Indian pattern. |
| Naat |
Hymn in praise
of the Prophet of Islam. |
| Nazar |
A
gift
or tribute offered to a ruler, etc. as a token of allegiance. |
| Pampur |
The famous
plateau, eight miles from Srinagar, where the finest saffron is grown. |
| Pandit |
The title prefixed
to the name of a Brahman of Kashmir, a learned man. |
| Pashmina |
Cloth made
of the finest wool of Ladakhi and Tibetan goats. |
| Pathwari |
The accountant
of land tax at the village level. |
| Panzuv |
Literally a
measure of six pounds of weight. |
| Pheran |
Long, commodious
apron worn by Kashmiri men and women, especially in winter. |
| Pilau |
A
delicious
dish of rice, butter, meat, etc. highly relished. |
| Purdah |
Veil. |
| Qualamdan |
A small but
artistic pen-tray-cum-inkpot formerly very much in fashion. |
| Qawali |
A
religious
song sung in chorus. |
| Qazi |
Judge. |
| Resident |
British political
officer in States in India ruled till 1947 by Indian princes. |
| Rakh |
A
game-preserve. |
| Ravan |
The many-headed
king of Lanka killed by Rama. |
| Rogan josh |
A
dish
of meat fried dark brown and highly spiced. |
| Sati |
Self-immolation
by Hindu widow on the funeral pyre of her husband. |
| Sag |
Cooked green
leaves. |
| Shabrang |
Dark in complexion,
of the colour of night. |
| Shamzana |
A
large
canopy over a gathering or assembly. |
| Shawl |
A
fine
fabric of pashmina wool for which Kashmir is famous, used by the upper
class Kashmiris. |
| Shah Hamdan |
A
religious
leader of Muslims who came to Kashmir from Hamdan in Central Asia in the
fifteenth century. His name is held in great reverence in Kashmir. |
| Sheikh |
Headman, nobleman. |
| Shikar |
Hunting. |
| Shikara |
Light skiff
used for quick transport over the waterways in Kashmir. |
| Shivaratri |
A festival
of the Hindus celebrating the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. It is of great
importance in Kashmir. |
| Shradha |
Oblation to
one's ancestors on his or her death anniversary. |
| Somavar |
Tea-kettle
of Russian origin found in every Kashmiri home. |
| Tehsil |
A sub-division
of a district. |
| Tehsildar |
A
sub-divisional
collector. |
| Thug |
A
swindler. |
| Toh |
Paddy husk. |
| Toshakhana |
State reception
department. |
| Tumboknari |
An earthenware
pipe mounted with sheep skin on the wider head and used as a drum in Kashmir. |
| Wazir |
A minister
or head of the State Administration. |
| Wazir-i-wazarat |
Deputy commissioner
or collector of a district. |
| Zamindar |
A big land
owner engaging tenants or cultivators. |
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