13/11/2023
We live in a small hill town with the smooch of simplicity. We tend not to be 'Hindi' but sub-consciously we have a craze for Bollywood. We pray to our deity offering flowers of rhododendron and make country liquor with the same flower. We love to laugh and make comic statements which is a borne fact, as our favorite pass-time is 'Humjayega's jokes' and our frisky moment in a funeral house is playing cards.
We love giving expressive exclamatory tones while speaking as- "amboo", "apuii", "lyaa", aieeh", etc. We even have our own self invented linguistic lingo as- " syatis", "sacri", "ghanta", heabby", "chuppa"," lyapax",etc.
The most interesting part of our linguistic power house is the fusion of English and the native words observed mostly in rural areas, eg: ' Boot jutta', 'Cap topi', ' Bus gaadi', 'plate ko thaal', “center ko beech,” "corner ko kuna" etc.
Here are some examples with the original English and its local derivatives:
VISKEY- meaning Whiskey
GILASS- meaning Glass
PEELATE- meaning Plate
ISKOOL- meaning School
KITLI- meaning Keetle
ONE GILASS- meaning Wine Glass
BOOT JUTTA- meaning Boots
BUS GAADI- meaning a Bus
CAP TOPI-meaning a Cap
PAALISH- meaning Polish
DAKTAAR-meaning Doctor
CAMBIS- meaning Canvas
SENTROBOS- meaning St. Robert's School
SENTRIZA- meaning St. Teresa's School
SWISS- meaning a Switch
POP BISKOOT- meaning Puff biscuit
FOGGY - meaning Fog (as in "kasto FOGGY lagyo hai kancha!")
HUMBAR-meaning Hammer
BEG/ BYAAG- meaning Bag
KIRKET- meaning Cricket
HERANDA- meaning Hero Honda bike
YAMMA- meaning Yamaha bike
GLENRIS- meaning Glenery's
KABINTES- meaning Keventer's
SASSIS- meaning sausage
BUFFMALEY-meaning Bob Marley
ISTANITISE- meaning Stand at ease
EZIKOLTU- meaning "is equal to"
AMRITE- meaning "Am I right?"
BYAARING-meaning Bearing (as in BYAARING GAADI khelung!")
ASPATAAL- meaning Hospital
ANGREEZI- meaning English
PENSAL- meaning Pencil
NEKLISS- meaning Necklace
YARRING- meaning Ear-ring
QUETESS- meaning Nail- Polish
GO-DAAM- meaning Godown
LIBISTIK- meaning Lip-stick
JURKIN- meaning Jerrycan
PYAKIT- meaning Pocket
GOGOLS- meaning Gogles
MISIN- meaning Machine
TOSH- meaning Toast (as inTOSH ROTI khanu parcha!")
TACH- meaning a Torch-light
ALAKATRA- meaning Oil and tar
FALLENLANE- meaning Fall in Line
There can be ample of such words which depends on regional usage of things, goods.
I am charmed by the dual speech tonal vibes in which we make our statements. We the hill people have inborn quality of saying the same thing in two ways- Decent way and Indecent way. For eg, Decent way of calling someone- “Yetta aunuhos!". Indecent way of calling someone- “Yetta munti".
Decent way of asking someone to eat- " khaana khanuhos!". Indecent way of asking someone to eat - " Gheechdainas!"
Decent way of telling that someone has gone to roam in the town- "Bazaar ghumnu niskeko chha". Indecent way of telling that someone has gone out to roam- "Bhatuwa laagnu goyo!"
We often interrelate people and things with Hollywood and Bollywood actors, eg if someone's father is too strict- " amboo tero baau ta Amrish Puri chha ni". If someone's boyfriend is not so good-looking- " chyaa! Kadar Khan jasto". If someone tries to show hyper chauvinism - " amamama, yo ta Rambo ho ni". Even if the road condition is bad- " ghanta ko! yo baato ho ki Om Puri ko gaala!"
There is something interesting about the behavioral habits and verbal diction about the people of Sikkim/Darjeeling. I will cite few examples:
(1) If there is a foggy weather around Hanuman tok/ghoom, you will say- "yo ta Hunuman ley padheko thaau ho!"
(2) If someone returns back from a ration shop you will ask - "aaju cheeni payo hola?"
(3) If you touch someone's feet accidentally with your feet then you will touch your forehead and chest to say - "bishnu! bishnu!"
(4) If someone in your village passes away then the first plan with your friends would be -"beluka taas khelnu aaija hai!"
(5) If a boy sees a girl with a loud make-up, he will shout aloud - " amamama....baini ta FAIR AND LOVELY ko jhol ma churlummai dubera ayecha!"
(6) If a boy looks somewhat fresh then his friend will say - "aaju ta pura handsome po bhayechas ta...kaalo sabun ley mukh dhuyis!"
(7) A true verdict laid by the common mass in Sikkim/Darjeeling is Driver ko life, golaai pachi wife
(8) The most delicious delicacy is to eat bhuteko bhaat in karaai
(9) If you purchase a new pant, the first thing you do is go to “Tailor line” near Gol Ghaar and cut it short and make it choose
(10) In Sikkim/Darjeeling all middle aged man is a 'bada' and middle aged woman is a 'badi'
(11) In Sikkim/Darjeeling, when you are asked “How are you?” your instant reply would be- “Life is full of jhyaang jhyaang, sombay!”
There is a special vibe in the festivals of Sikkim/Darjeeling. We have pristine memories of our own when we bring into the reference of festivals. For example:
- We remember that orange headed 'Dassai Keera' flying all over the bloomed golden headed 'sayapatri'
- We remember the fresh smell of the new clothes and magical steps walked through new shoes
- We remember how tasty were 'sale roti' and 'teel ko mithai'
- We remeber the solemn odour of 'tongba, kodo ko chyaang' mixed with 'fakshya, langsya' and roasted chicken on the courtyard
- We remember the fragrance of 'titaaaypatti' and 'dhoop' and the beating of ricegrain inside 'okhali'
- We remember the colours of 'chudi, paana , eeta, jhandi, makoot, bhotay' while playing dice underneath the 'lingaay ping'
- We remember the tunes of few 'malashree' and 'sorki' sung during the setting of orange sun at western horizon
- We remember my forehead covered by red 'Chamal ko tika' and jamaara clipped ear with a blessing to be a 'thulo manchey'
- We remember the housefull relatives, singing, gossiping and 'kaalo dekchi to bhaat'
- We remember the 'mela ko mithaai', 'lingaay ping ko ghumai'
- We remember my grandpa's old face and wrinkles with time's pace sipping the most costly Indian rum.
- We remember my mom's new saari and her makeup set coming out in existence after many months
- We remember my father's growing grey hair dyed all black
- We remember my fist full of coins and currency notes, maybe it was the only time for a child like me to get rich
-We remember the digging up of “ban tarul”, “ghaar tarul”, “sakarkhanda”, “pindaloo”, “iskoosh ko jara”, “pustakhari” during Maghaay sakrai
-We remember shouting “uppiya jaa, ruppiya aaija” at the arrival of Saunay sakrati at the beat of “naanglo”
- We remember the crowed town of Gangtok/Darjeeling where people roamed with the most fancy outfits
- We remember Sikkim/Darjeeling looking like a constellation during the night time
This is what makes our place a unique one located at a fine corner of the world which corresponds to make us a big “aloodum family”.
