chunderbannies

(obsolete, India, rare) A kind of Indian textile piece goods.


Maniwood

(India) The Meitei-language film industry located in Imphal.


kirbee

(India) The stalks of sorghum, used as cattle feed.


moochy

(India, archaic) A native Indian leatherworker.


chuttrum

Borrowed from Tamil சத்திரம் (cattiram).

(India, obsolete) A lodging-house in South India for pilgrims and travelling members of the higher castes.


Mudaliar

(India, historical) Title given to a high-ranking military officer in certain Tamil communities.


Purbiya

(India, historical) A Rajput or brahmin mercenary or soldier from the eastern Gangetic Plain.


pakhal

(India, obsolete) A large skin for transporting water.


pakhali

(India, obsolete) A person employed to fill pakhals (water-skins).


ambaree

(India, historical) A howdah with a canopy.


mussaul

(India, archaic) A torch (flaming stick used as light source).


taksal

(India, obsolete) A mint (where money is minted).


chapri

(India, slang) a person with no standards


gurree

(historical, India) Alternative form of gurry (“a small fort”)


mamoolee

(India, archaic) According to custom or legal precedent.


mamool

en-noun

mamool (countable and uncountable, plural mamools)

(India, archaic) Custom or legal precedent.


dalaway

(India, obsolete) The commander in chief of an army in South India.


kuranchee

[…] the whole face of the country was covered in all directions with kuranchees, carts, donkeys, and bullocks, conveying, towards Meean Meer, the remnants of what had been bricks.

1851, Allen's Indian Mail and Register of Intelligence for British Foreign India, China, and All Parts of the East, page 156:

(India, obsolete) A crude form of horse-drawn carriage.


bakain

Melia azedarach
Melia azedarach#Translingual

(India) Synonym of chinaberry (“the tree Melia azedarach”)


boliah

(India, obsolete) A kind of light accommodation boat with a cabin, in use on the Bengal rivers.


Har Har Mahadev

Borrowed from Hindi हर हर महादेव (har har mahādev), from Sanskrit हर हर महादेव (hara hara mahādeva).

bor

हर हर महादेव

der

हर हर महादेव

(Hinduism) a salute or invocation towards the Hindu god Shiva, the god of destruction and time.


karbari

(India, historical) An agent or manager who deals with village head men.


kharita

(India, historical) A silk bag enclosing a letter to or from a native noble.

(India, historical, by extension) The letter itself.


budlee

Borrowed from Hindustani बदली (badlī) / بَدلِی (badlī).

[…] he had thought it prudent to send a "budlee" to be shot in his place.

1881, Sir John William Kaye, A History of the Sepoy War in India: 1857-1858, page 631:

(India, obsolete) A substitute in public or domestic service.


meetha paan

Unadapted borrowing from Hindi मीठा पान (mīṭhā pān, “sweet betel”), from मीठा (mīṭhā, “sweet, gentle”) + पान (pān, “betel leaf, paan”).

compound

(India) A preparation of betel leaf enclosed with a mix of sweet and usually spicy or savory ingredients, much like paan but without the tobacco, areca nut or slaked lime, and considered a milder, safer or more modest alternative to it.


trasarenu

(India, historical) A tiny speck or mote, regarded as the least possible unit of weight.

(India, historical) An infinitesimally brief period of time.


salootree

(India, obsolete) A native Indian farrier or horse-doctor.


Brahminy bull

(India, historical) A bull devoted to Shiva and allowed to run loose in the bazaars or elsewhere.


brab

[…] to S.W. of the town […] is a large peaked tree, very conspicuous, with two brab trees to the S.E. of it.

Alfred Taylor, The India Directory: Part I (page 363)


guddy

(India, obsolete) A throne (royal seat) with a large cushion or pillow at the head.

(India, obsolete) The pad placed on an elephant's back as a seat for the rider.


divyang

Borrowed from Hindi दिव्यांग (divyāṅg, literally “divine organ”).


JN

Alternative form: Jn

(rail transport, India) Abbreviation of junction.


karsevak

Transliteration of Hindi कारसेवक (kārsevak), in turn from Sanskrit कार (kāra, “work”) + सेवा (sevā, “service done with devotion”).

translit

The karsevaks built a new shelter to protect homeless people.

Huge number of karsevaks had gathered in Ayodhya in support for Ram temple campaign.

(India, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism) A person who freely offers their service to a religious cause; particularly in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.


croreth

Almost all the ancient books have been lost now. Even one-croreth of the total number of ancient works is not available.

1923 March, P[andi]t Dharma Deva Siddhantalankar, “Shri Madhwacharya & Rishi Daya Nanda”, in Rama Deva, editor, The Vedic Magazine and Gurukula Samachar, volume XX, number VIII (173 overall; 33 of new series), Lahore, Punjab: […] Sharat Chandra Lakhanpal […] from Bombay Machine Press, →OCLC, page 543, column 2:

Hence, penances, sacrifices, observances and holy rites are not equal to even a croreth part of the worship with the five-syllabled mantra. […] Hence the penances and the sacrifices wherein the entire possession may be given as Dakşiņā, are not equal to even a croreth part of the worship of Śiva.

1950, J[agdish] L[al] Shastri, editor, The Śiva-Purāṇa (Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Series [Purāṇas in Translation]; UNESCO Collection of Representative Works—Indian Series), part IV, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass […], published 2002, →OCLC, pages 1955 and 2012:

O Four-faced Lord, quickly offer the Arghya unto me, since no one can (compete) even with one croreth of my portion.

1950, “End of Arjuna’s Pilgrimage”, in J[agdish] L[al] Shastri, editor, The Skanda-Purāṇa (Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Series [Purāṇas in Translation]), part II, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass […], →OCLC, book I (Māheśvarakhaṇḑa), section II (Kaumārikākhaņḑa), page 509:

In the innumerable crores of the universes, in the rise of the infinite (Prakṛti) with three constituents, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva are equal to the parts of the measure of a croreth of a croreth of his feet. […] The bodies of Cupid are the parts equal to the portion of a croreth of a croreth of his form. […] Brahmā is (made of) a part equal to a croreth of a croreth of the lustre shining in his body. The forms of the sun are the partial rays equal to a croreth of a croreth of his light. Those of the form of rays which are a croreth of a croreth of his portion live due to rays of his body which are the nectar of great joy, […] Durgā and others having the three constituents are a part equal to a croreth of croreth portion of her. […] But nowhere have I seen one even a croreth part of her in beauty. […] Durgā and others having the three constituents (like Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) are a part of the croreth portion of her.

1952, J[agdish] L[al] Shastri, editor, The Padma-Purāṇa (Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Series [Purāṇas in Translation]), part VI, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass […], published 1999, →OCLC, pages 1949–1950, 1957, and 2014:

These interpolations had their heyday even in Acharya Madhwa’s times. He himself states that it is hard to get even one croreth of these books.

2000, G[ururao] V[ithalrao] Nadgouda, “Gist of Sastrartha Sangraha and Ramayana Tatparya Nirnaya: Acharya Madhwa - A Prodigy in Research”, in The Apodictic Purport of Sriman Mahabharata […], volume I, Bangalore, Karnataka: Anandtirtha Pratisthana, Poornaprajna Vidyapeetha, page xxx:

The karma-yogins, bhakti-yogins and jnana-yogins – all these do not equal even one-croreth-part of a person who has sought refuge with the Lord.

2004, Vedanta Vidwan, Vedanta Vidvanmani, Satsampradaya Bhushanam, Desika Darsana Chudamani, Vedanta Vidya Vageesha, N. S. Anantha Rangacharya, “Sadhyopaya Shodhanadhikara”, in Essence of Srimad Rahasyatraya Saram of Sriman Nigamanta Maha Desikar, Bangalore, Karnataka: Sri Rama Printers, →OCLC, page 254:

If you could somehow grasp one croreth part of moment of his kindness, then you would never forget the name.

2018, Gita Vatika Prakashan, translated by O.P. Gupta, “Regarding Respected Shri Bhaijee from the Pen of Respected Baba”, in Hanuman Prasad Poddar: An Exalted Divinity, New Delhi: Prabhat Prakashan, →ISBN, section 5:

Crores and crores of worlds occupy the unending expanse of the Universe; the vast expanse, beyond measure. The close-knit worlds are outer manifestations of the Divine; a part of a croreth part of His inseparable substance, in stillness, the Holy Feet of the Supreme Divine danceth in the Golden sky of Knowledge (Thiruvadi Nilai, 658, v.1, p.122)

2022, R. Shanthi, “The Universal Vision in Tagore and Ramalinga Vallalar”, in The Universal Man in Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and Arut Perum Joti Ramalinga Vallalar, Bangalore, Karnataka: Archers & Elevators Publishing House, →ISBN, page 71:

(rare, India) One of a crore equal parts of a whole.


mujeet

Meanwhile in “mujeet land”

Funny how Egyptian mujeet is worried about Israel but their own government is Not opening the Rafah border for the people of Gaza

Mujeet dolts need to know difference between a battle and a war. For 1965, here's your then foreign minister Bhutto crying in UN to save Paikhanaistan's ass form India

2024 August 5, Arjun Vaid (@arjunvaid077), Twitter:

(India, derogatory, offensive, Internet slang) A Muslim from South Asia, especially Pakistan.


maderchod

(India, derogatory, offensive, vulgar) Alternative spelling of madarchod


madarchod

(India, derogatory, offensive, vulgar) Motherfucker.


godmum

(UK, Ireland, Canada, New England, South Africa, India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, informal) Godmother.


desert cooler

evaporative cooler
evaporative cooler#English

(India, informal) Synonym of evaporative cooler


godmummy

(UK, Ireland, Canada, New England, South Africa, India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, usually childish, less common) Godmother.


krishi

Our Rishi have had a great role to play in evolving our Krishi throughout India through the ages to make it region and area specific and sustainable not only to meet the people's essential needs […]

1998, The Indian Journal of Public Administration, page 245:


janata

(India, politics) The people; the populace.


meeana

The lowest kind of palanquins, which are small litters suspended under a straight bamboo, by which they are carried, and shaded by a frame covered with cloth, do not admit the passenger to lie at length, and are here called Miyana, or Mahapa. In some places, these terms are considered as synonymous, in others, the Mayana is open at the sides, and is intended for carrying men, while the Mahapa, intended for women, is surrounded by curtains.

1838, Robert Montgomery Martin, “The History, Antiquities, Topography, and Statistics of Eastern India...”, in Bhagulpoor, Goruckpoor, and Dinajepoor, volume II, page 426:

(India, chiefly historical) A palanquin with open sides.

After that, in the same style as the bridegroom came the preceding night to the bride's house, he now proceeds home on horseback, and she along with him in a meeana (a palankeen) with doors shut, attended by music, dancing-girls, and accompanied by all the relatives, &c. On reaching his house, the attendants, musicians, &c. are dismissed with betel.

1832, Jaffur Shurreef, translated by G. A. Herklotts, Qauoon-e-Islam, or, The Customs of the Moosulmans of India...:

Stewart has lately made two for the King of Tanjore's sons, which, it is said, will cost near 10,000 Rs. each. They are Mahanas (6) with venetians, etc., etc. Bedding and Pillows of velvet as the Lining.
(6) Mahanah, Meeana, Myana—a long palanquin in which the occupant lay at full length with a support for the head and shoulders.

1933 December, Evan Cotton, “A Famous Calcutta Firm (The Story of Steuart & Co.)”, in Bengal Past and Present, Vol. XLVI, Pt. II, No. 92, p. 70:

(India, inexact) Synonym of palanquin, an Indian litter of whatever form.


nalki

... I shall commence with a description of the naulkeen, or naulkee, it being the first in rank among the contrivances of this description. This immense carriage is only used by crowned heads, and may be compared to a portable throne, on which the prince sits with his feet crossed, and tucked up under his hams, (the usual sitting position of Asiatics,) having at his back an immense pillow, and under him a suitable bedding, both sumptuously ornamented; besides these, many smaller pillows lie scattered about, to be applied as may be found agreeable. The frame of the naulkeen may be about five feet long by four broad, well secured at the corners, and taped at the bottom in a very close manner, both lengthwise and breadthwise, so as to leave no interstices. The sides are raised with richly carved wood-work, generally gilded in a very shewy style. The naulkeen is carried, like a litter, by eight men, who support two poles, one running under each side-bar, and projecting before and behind; two bearers being at each extremity, the same as in a palanquin.

1810, Thomas Williamson, East India Vade-Mecum..., pages 314-315:

After he had sat with me an hour and a half he took his leave; and I conducted him to the door, whence he was carried to his elephant in his litter, from which he mounted without touching the ground. This litter is called a Nalkee. It is one of the three great insignia which the Mogul Emperors of Delhi conferred upon independent princes of the first class, and could never be used by any person upon whom, or upon whose ancestors they had not been so conferred. These were the Nalkee, the order of the Fish, and the fan of the peacock's feathers. These insignia could be used only by the prince who inherited the sovereignty of the one on whom they had been originally conferred.

1844, William Henry Sleeman, Rambles and Recollections of an Indian Official, Vol. I, p. 175

Look at the canopied rostrum, designed like a nalki (a canopied palanquin), with glass on all sides... Water carriers are sprinkling water ahead of the procession to settle the dust. The covered rostrum and nalki both have six poles each... At the gate, the emperor switches to the palanquin and the crown prince takes his place on the nalki.

2021, Bazm-i Aaskhir, translated by Ather Farouqui, The Last Gathering: A Vivid Portrait of Life in the Red Fort, page 32 & 61:

(India, chiefly historical) A princely open litter, borne by many men using multiple poles.

The nalkí is used at marriage ceremonies. It is like a dhulí with a cloth hood. The bamboo on which it is slung is curved at each end like a swan's neck.

1877, D. B. Allen et al., “A Statistical Account of Bengal”, in Districts of Gayá and Sháhábád, volume 12, page 82:

On her outings she travelled in a nalki. A closed, hard-roofed palanquin with a door and sunshade or a balcony at the front, a nalki was permitted only to the rich and powerful.

2013, Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, The Mirror of Beauty, page 303:

(India, inexact) Synonym of litter, especially one used by the bride or groom at a wedding.


mihaffa

From Arabic مِحَفَّة (miḥaffa) directly and via Persian محافه (miḥâfah), Urdu محفہ (miḥaffa), and Hindi मिहफ़्फ़ा (mihaffā), related to Arabic حَفَّ (ḥaffa, “to enclose, to border”).

der

Shir Khān... alleged as a pretext that he had a large number of families with him, and having placed two thousand armed Afghāns in closed litters⁷ sent them towards the fort.
7 The Mihaffa is, as its name implies, a litter so closed in that the curtains surround on all sides the sitter upon it...

1898, George Speirs Alexander Ranking translating 'Abd al-Qadir ibn-Muluk Shah al-Bada'uni as Muntakhabu-t-Tawārīkh, Vol. I, p. 457

Yet comfort in those days might well be considered hardship in these. Men who experienced the sensations of transport by camel cacolet during the Great War will sympathise with poor Mr. Beawes, who was daily shaken almost to pieces in a mihaffa.

1930, The Naval Review, volume 18, page 617:

...ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad Abuʾl-Ḥasan al-Bakrī (d. 952/1545–6), a rich ʿālim and a Sufi, wrote poetry. Shaʿrānī reports that he was the first to go on pilgrimage in a litter (miḥaffa).

1982, Michael Winter, Society and Religion in Early Ottoman Egypt..., p. 170

Royal ladies generally travelled in the imaris—an octagonal seat with canopy and its sides covered with curtains, carried by an elephant on its back or in the mihaffa—a rectangular seat, carried by two camels.

1987, Krishna Mohan Shrimali, Essays in Indian Art, Religion, and Society, page 274:

The Central Asian mihaffa (a sort of wooden turret suspended from two poles between two camels used at the time of travelling) was also common in India.

2004, Mansura Haidar, Indo-Central Asian Relations from Early Times to Medieval Period, page 181:

(Middle East, Central Asia and India, chiefly historical) Various forms of covered animal-borne litters, chiefly for female passengers.

Mohafa. This is the palanquin of rich females... it is entirely covered with a red lianging, and has no other ornament than a ball of copper at the top of the bambou... The Mohafa is carried by four servants, and attended by a number proportioned to the rank of the lady... Nevertheless the women who conform strictly to the precepts of their religion, are attended but by four bearers, however great their fortune.

1811, F. Baltazard Solvyns, Les Hindoûs, Vol. III, Plate IV

The Levirate marriage... expenses are borne by the bridegroom, and the bride is carried with much parade in a palanquin, enclosed with curtains (Mihaffa).

1883, James Wise, Notes on the Races, Castes, and Trades of Eastern Bengal, page 387:

(India, chiefly historical) Various forms of covered human-borne litters and sedan chairs, chiefly for female passengers.


chowpal

He yearns for his village chowpal (meeting place) and fondly remembers the pleasant nights he spent in bhajan, kirtan, or folksongs with his village companions.

1946, Report of the Health Survey and Development Committee, volume 3, page 93:

The chowpal was and is the centre of all activities—social, religious and political.

Towards evening they entered Daryapur where at the village chowpal sat a group of elders puffing away at their hookahs and gossiping... In their dress, habits and talks, gradually the new generation of children are following the city-bred people. The dhoti is being replaced by troussers. Every house has a transistor or a radio. The community chowpal attract every child for the TV shows...

1969, Sarvodaya, volume 19, pages 189-190:

Chaupal (Chowpal). A shed in which the village community assemble for public business.

1977, The Correspondence of Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, Governor-General of India 1828-1835, volume 2, published p. 1458:

We gathered at the ‘chowpal’, the platform where people get together for public events.

However, it is true that the village was note without its local politicians. The chowpal (courtyard) was full of talks about individuals, quarrels, and questions of caste behaviours. Some members of the chowpal were even deeply thinking of the dangers of the commercial wealth of village shopkeepers...

2002, Politics and Culture: Essays in Honour of Serajul Islam Choudhury, page 347:

(India) Alternative form of chaupal, a village meeting-place.

The second type was Chowpal. It had a very light bed or sofa cover with a bamboo arch over it—It was attended by servants carrying umbrellas. This was in demand for ceremonies such as marriage processions etc.

1992, Anil Ranjan Biswas, Calcutta and Calcuttans from Dihi to Megalopolis, page 361:

(India) Alternative form of chowpaul, a kind of litter.


takhtrawan

From Persian تخت روان (taxt-e ravân), partially via French tack-ravan, from Persian تخت (taxt, “throne, elevated seat or bed”) + روان (ravân, “walking, travelling, mobile”).

Whenever the King takes an excursion in his Paleky, on an elephant, or in a Tact-Ravan (or travelling throne, carried upon the shoulders of eight men, who are cleverly relieved from time to time when on the march by eight others), all the Omrahs who are not prevented by illness, disabled by age, or exempted by a peculiar office, are bound to accompany him on horseback...

1891, François Bernier, translated by Archibald Constable et al., Travels in the Mogul Empire, A.D. 1656-1668, page 214:

One of the open palanquins which the Mughal emperors, especially Aurangzeb, preferred, was Takht-i rawan. At one occasion in 1662, the Dutch had presented 'several articles of Chinese and Japanese workmanship; among which were a paleky and a Tack-ravan or travelling throne, of exquisite beauty, and much admired'.

2019 December, Nazer Aziz Anjum, “Officials' Transport in Mughal India”, in Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, volume 80, page 431:

On Friday, 27th October, 1676 A.D. while the Emperor was returning from the Jama mosque and had alighted from the boat in order to mount the movable chair (takht-i-rawan), an ill-fated disciple of Guru Tegh Bahadur threw two bricks, one of which reached the chair. He was seized by the retinue and ordered to be made over to the Kotwal.

2021 December, Harpreet Kaur, "Guru Tegh Bahadur: Upholder of Democratic Principles", Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion, Vol. XLVI No. 2, p. 33

(India, historical) An ornate open litter used as a mobile throne, particularly by the Mughal emperors, usually borne by human porters.


khewat

(India, Pakistan) A catalogue of landholdings.


chatra

From Sanskrit छत्र (chatra), variant of छत्त्र (chattra, “umbrella, parasol, chatra”). Doublet of chador and chatta.

The so-called Chatra coins of the Guptas seem in all probability, to have been the issue of Chandragupta I to begin with... This variety apart from the noticeable distinction in the figure of the monarch and the umbrella bearer contains the obverse legend Chandragupta merely, with the reverse legend Vikramaditya.

1926, S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, “Studies in Gupta History”, in Journal of Indian History: University Supplement, page 9:

CHATRA (UMBRELLA)
In the Gupta period, Brahmins used a Chatra.

1982, Anantray Jatashanker Rawal, Indian Society, Religion, and Mythology..., p. 98: #*:

Chatra (I)—the seven worlds, white in colour, are one above the other umbrella-like...
 Chatra (II)—the white umbrella as insignia of royalty given to Kāmaśvara by Viṣṇu...

2003, V.R. Ramachandra Dikshitar, The Puraṇa Index, volume I, page 617:

(India) Synonym of umbrella or parasol, particularly ritual or ceremonial forms.


MMRDA

w:Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority

(India) Initialism of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.


pesarattu

en-noun

pesarattu (countable and uncountable, plural pesarattus)

(India) A crepe-like bread made with green gram batter.


Pesaha appam

(India) A kind of unleavened bread made at Passover.


litti

(India) A wholewheat flour doughball stuffed with a spicy mixture.


randia

Blend of Hindi रंडी (raṇḍī, “whore”) + India.

blend

(India, derogatory, offensive, slang) India.


buckshaw

(India, obsolete) A kind of fish, possibly the Bombay duck.


shooter sowar

(India, obsolete) The rider of a dromedary or swift camel, attached to the establishment of the viceroy on the march, and of other high officials in Upper India.


bhokra

(India) Synonym of silk tree (“Albizia julibrissin”)


ICSE

Secondary Education
secondary education#English

(education, India) Initialism of Indian Certificate of Secondary Education.


NSE

Coordinate term: BSE (“Bombay Stock Exchange”)

National Stock Exchange of India
w:National Stock Exchange of India

(India, stock market) Initialism of National Stock Exchange of India.