If your talk starts with the usual ‘Hau’ and ‘Nakko’ for ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ and ends with ‘Re’, then anyone can guess that you are in Hyderabad. The so-called Hyderabadi Hindi, the most colourfully spoken language is the USP of this culturally rich and brand new IT hub of India. It’s a blend of many dialects spoken in the region.
Lingo in Hyderabad is as delectable as Hyderabadi Biryani, where you can mix anything with your general Hindi to make it spicier and exclusive. People try to associate Hyderabadi with the Rangeela movie (Amir Khan) kind of language. “kya miyan, khaali pili kaiku tension le rae…lite lo re”, this is the language of general crowd here.
Sangya Sharma, a North Indian Brahmin, who is born and brought up in Hyderabad, says “Hyderabai Hindi is more of colloquial, and very friendly. Sometimes, you will not feel like talking, only listening to the other person.” If you are a non-Hyderabadi, you may hate the language mixed with all jargons, but with the passing time, you can't ignore it… you will most definitely fall in love with this ‘chatpata’ Hindi.
There is something very interesting about languages in India, every 50 miles the way a language is spoken, changes! So, even if Hindi is the official language of India, the way it is spoken in various parts - North, East, West and South is pretty different. Hyderabadi hindi, a form of Deccani language which is a mixture of Urdu, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Irani, Turkish and Persian.
Urdu in Hyderabad was brought by the ruler Qutub Sahi whose mother tongue was Turkish. Then after the Moghul army invaded Golkonda Fort, from Nizam’s time till independence, Urdu has higher leverage as a language whereas Hindi was not so much popular in Hyderabad.
Uma Maheshwar Rao, Head of CALT (Centre for applied Linguistics and translation studies), says “For Linguistics consideration, we considered Urdu and Hindi as two different but the Hyderabadi Urdu are not considered as Urdu, as outsiders don’t find it authentic.
Urdu has borrowed from higher vocabulary of Irani and Persian, where as Hindi has borrowed from the higher Sanskrit. Hindi and Urdu are not different, but written differently and syntactically, only lexic items are different, like pyar and Ishq, he expressed.
Sub stratum of the plurals were also different, like for ‘bus’ they say ‘bussah’.” ‘Nah’ is the popular marker here, which is a mix of western dialect with Indic language. ‘Ishq’ earlier was ‘Ashk’ because of popular media it brought into limelight.
Apart from this, there are so many strange words and usages. For example - Hyderbadis say - "Paani naha lo" when asking you to take bath while in any other Urdu/Hindi speaking region, "Naha lo" would suffice as it is taken for granted that we take bath using water and not milk.
In Deccani Hindi, some words are borrowed from Turkish where as the Northern Hindi has a Persian flavour. Local language was the base; sprinkling of Perso-Arabic vocabulary came from the people of western subcontinents it slowly developed as a literature in the 13th century. Some North Indians may find it outrageous when you go to auto in northern parts of India they say ‘Baithiye’ where as here in Hyderabad it’s ‘Baitho’.
Dr Rizwan Moin, Reader of the Urdu department, University of Hyderabad says, “Hyderabadi Hindi is very different, as it has a Deccani accent. Some words are spoken differently like for ‘kiyun’ and ‘kisliye’, they use ‘Kaiko’.” Hyderabadi ‘kaiku’ has a Marathi touch. Solakpur, Bidar, were part of Nizam’s dominance. Pre- Nizam era Ahmednagar and Bidar were part of Maharasthra where Marathi was widely spoken.
Hindi differs from area to area in Hyderabad from Mehboob Nagar, Nizamabad, Kaddappa to Secunderabad, it is spoken differently. In Secunderabad area people who are mostly migrants from different parts of the country speak normal Hindi, but in the old city area Nizami Hindi is spoken.
The assimilation of the Telugus, the Muslims and the migrants from North India make Hyderabad a city for all. There are certain camps of people who are settled there for 30 to 40 years, finds it difficult to switch over to Urdu. They mix the language. You could be familiar only with Hindi and have a neighbour who speaks nothing but Telugu yet the conversation would be smooth. Initially it might seem offensive but one can’t help being amused by it.
The best part is when you go to a shop and the shopkeeper asks, "kya hona?" (hona instead of chahiye). The style and the genuineness in the art of delivering your ideas in Hindi make it more exceptional. There are minor differences and it might sound rude to people who are not used to it because the accent is blunt.
Kalyani P, a Telugu speaking girl from the coastal Andhra region, says “You can’t use this language in office, because it seems there is no respect for the person with whom you talk, this lingo is limited to only friends circle.”
Mixing it up with 2 more languages is a fad here and as most of the people are comfortable with Telugu and Hindi, where regional flavours mix with community eccentricities to lend the cosmopolitan touch.
It has that “zara hatke” touch. Here, the etymologist can lose his focus trying to trace word origins; the ethnologist can get dizzy trying to identify the mixed tongues in a phrase like `chimping' or `dingchak'. And "Bail Bandi" for "Bail Gaadi"- now there is no word like "Bandi" in Urdu, it was borrowed from Telugu.
And then there is nothing like a college ambience where lingo can be passed down from generation to generation. Most colleges share such kind of lingo: `damag mat kharab kar', `bindaas character' and `zabardast' is of course being familiar to any Hyderabadi. A `kadoos' person on the other hand is a grim, too-serious-for-his-own-good kind of person. These days a long of western words are found in the Hindi conversations. Be it American slang or Hyderabadi Hindi, lingo here is at the same time varied and distinct, common and peculiar to different places.
Movies like ‘Hyderabadi Nawab’ and ‘Angrez’ have shown that how the language has a great influence of the Britishers, the Moghuls, the Iranis’s, and the Telugus. The tapori language has certain drawbacks. Whatever you say it seems like a joke, a new entrant may feel insulted, but the honesty to express this is far better than talking with an urban sophisticated Hindi.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Learning from Death
Anindita Dhar was completely unaware that she will die in just few seconds on Friday evening. She was with her brother celebrating the evening in the German bakery when the bomb blast happened. Death is sudden and comes with no prior invitation. Those few moments were the last few minutes of her life.
Death brings fear and pain. Sometimes it’s very hard to forget and get over the loss. Harsha Nag says, “Life is like a bubble when it will burst nobody knows. We don’t have any control over death. And it is really painful when there is an unexpected death in family, especially if he is the family head or the only earning member.”
The fear of death is a chronic form of anxiety that exhausts us. Money, power and sciences have no power over one’s death. A millionaire and a beggar both have to die one day.
Chaitanya Sharma, questions about the role of science on death and says “Once somebody is dead why we are not able to alive them again. The medical science can replace organs then why can’t they give a life to the dead. It will be a great achievement for the mankind if there will have control over death.”
People’s upbringing and past experiences has an impact on the way they see to death.
The image each one carries on death differs from person to person and it is influenced by various socio-cultural factors. For some it’s a usual affair, and for some it’s hard to experience.
The association and the emotional connection between life and death sometimes teach great things. The belief in reincarnation and life after death takes into a new different aura altogether. Death is stepping across a threshold and being given another chance to reawaken.
Some people carry the image of death, personal loss as the most fearful thing in life. Amita G says, “When ever I have a small problem, I feel like taking my life. But whenever I am hospitalised for any disease, I pray God to cure me soon. At that point of time, I don’t want to die.”
One way of getting at your feelings about death, especially any fear you may be harbouring or any expectations of pain and isolation, is to imagine death. It's important to flush it out and to let in some fresh air.
Nobody can conquer over death, and everybody is aware of the fact that each one of has to die one day. One shouldn’t waste present moments thinking about death by living life with fearful thoughts. Live each moment as if it is your last. Nobody can rule over tomorrow.
Death brings fear and pain. Sometimes it’s very hard to forget and get over the loss. Harsha Nag says, “Life is like a bubble when it will burst nobody knows. We don’t have any control over death. And it is really painful when there is an unexpected death in family, especially if he is the family head or the only earning member.”
The fear of death is a chronic form of anxiety that exhausts us. Money, power and sciences have no power over one’s death. A millionaire and a beggar both have to die one day.
Chaitanya Sharma, questions about the role of science on death and says “Once somebody is dead why we are not able to alive them again. The medical science can replace organs then why can’t they give a life to the dead. It will be a great achievement for the mankind if there will have control over death.”
People’s upbringing and past experiences has an impact on the way they see to death.
The image each one carries on death differs from person to person and it is influenced by various socio-cultural factors. For some it’s a usual affair, and for some it’s hard to experience.
The association and the emotional connection between life and death sometimes teach great things. The belief in reincarnation and life after death takes into a new different aura altogether. Death is stepping across a threshold and being given another chance to reawaken.
Some people carry the image of death, personal loss as the most fearful thing in life. Amita G says, “When ever I have a small problem, I feel like taking my life. But whenever I am hospitalised for any disease, I pray God to cure me soon. At that point of time, I don’t want to die.”
One way of getting at your feelings about death, especially any fear you may be harbouring or any expectations of pain and isolation, is to imagine death. It's important to flush it out and to let in some fresh air.
Nobody can conquer over death, and everybody is aware of the fact that each one of has to die one day. One shouldn’t waste present moments thinking about death by living life with fearful thoughts. Live each moment as if it is your last. Nobody can rule over tomorrow.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
NGO VISIT- An eye opener
The Swayam Krishi Sangam (SKS) NGO field visit was an eye opener to the cruel world, and showed us the ground reality which exists in same parlance with our cities. I went to three villages MuduguntalTanda, Munigepalli, Narayanked to do a small project on the SKS NGO at Hyderabad. The head office situated at Hyderabad and its operating villages are situated in the Narayanked area in the Medak district.
It’s like third world villages which always depend upon the city and the urban folks for its development. If you will go on a journey three hours from the main Hyderabad city, you will find another underdeveloped, deprived world which exists there with no home, no electricity. You will find the ground level people, who barely have anything of their own. They are struggling with their destiny to maintain their basic requirements of life.
The villages, which I visited, were completely different. Most of the members are widow, daily labourers. Illiteracy, ignorance, conservative attitude, and lack of resources are creating a great havoc in their social life. When we were served food which was made for the orphan and underprivileged kids, we said food was good and much better than our hostel, they literally looked shocked and expressed they used to think that the city people eat good foods.
People are so poor that their weekly saving is only 10 /20 rupees, its quite unbelievable but society like this also exists. What I feel from my observation some NGOs are working for their own purpose. The field assistant with whom I went to the villages to visit some families, there I found the officials visit their members house to collect their money. Their claim is that they provide the people health education, sex education, and overall they help in the all round development. But my concern is do they follow all the instructions given by the field assistants. Are NGOs doing the real job to uplift the ultra poor people, Is this just a marketing gimmick to get money and run it like a business. There are so many social issues which are equally connected with the NGO thing. Like some women are not free enough to discuss all this things to another man instead of saying it to their husbands.
It’s very difficult to motivate the uneducated rural people to save money for future. In this case, they are doing a great job to motivate people to save and think for future.
The villages are poor, and there are no signs of government programmes could be seen like PMGSY, no water system also from the government. With the city of riches, malls, five star hotels, and all kind of luxuries.
Development, upliftment and various things like empowerment of the down trodden of the society is the basic aim of the NGO.
The villages were of no electricity, no drainage system, and no education. As poverty leads to poverty, it’s a vicious circle, So many NGOs are working, huge amount of grants, developmental policies, and various government schemes are there but the number of people who were below the poverty line are still the same, only a thin line improvement is seen. Whereas India is having the richest person in the world, and the highest billionaires in Asia, still we have the poorest of the poor (ultra-poor) people are also high, and the largest slum ‘Dharavi’ in the world.
It’s like third world villages which always depend upon the city and the urban folks for its development. If you will go on a journey three hours from the main Hyderabad city, you will find another underdeveloped, deprived world which exists there with no home, no electricity. You will find the ground level people, who barely have anything of their own. They are struggling with their destiny to maintain their basic requirements of life.
The villages, which I visited, were completely different. Most of the members are widow, daily labourers. Illiteracy, ignorance, conservative attitude, and lack of resources are creating a great havoc in their social life. When we were served food which was made for the orphan and underprivileged kids, we said food was good and much better than our hostel, they literally looked shocked and expressed they used to think that the city people eat good foods.
People are so poor that their weekly saving is only 10 /20 rupees, its quite unbelievable but society like this also exists. What I feel from my observation some NGOs are working for their own purpose. The field assistant with whom I went to the villages to visit some families, there I found the officials visit their members house to collect their money. Their claim is that they provide the people health education, sex education, and overall they help in the all round development. But my concern is do they follow all the instructions given by the field assistants. Are NGOs doing the real job to uplift the ultra poor people, Is this just a marketing gimmick to get money and run it like a business. There are so many social issues which are equally connected with the NGO thing. Like some women are not free enough to discuss all this things to another man instead of saying it to their husbands.
It’s very difficult to motivate the uneducated rural people to save money for future. In this case, they are doing a great job to motivate people to save and think for future.
The villages are poor, and there are no signs of government programmes could be seen like PMGSY, no water system also from the government. With the city of riches, malls, five star hotels, and all kind of luxuries.
Development, upliftment and various things like empowerment of the down trodden of the society is the basic aim of the NGO.
The villages were of no electricity, no drainage system, and no education. As poverty leads to poverty, it’s a vicious circle, So many NGOs are working, huge amount of grants, developmental policies, and various government schemes are there but the number of people who were below the poverty line are still the same, only a thin line improvement is seen. Whereas India is having the richest person in the world, and the highest billionaires in Asia, still we have the poorest of the poor (ultra-poor) people are also high, and the largest slum ‘Dharavi’ in the world.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Where quality wins the vote
India’s retail explosion is a story that has been told and retold to death. It speaks of glass and steel aisles which promise shopping carts and Washington apples, membership cards and saran wrapped perfection. Grocery shopping will never be the same again as India’s middle class trudge up the stairs to the supermarkets leaving behind the days of the subzi mandis and the kirana dukaans far behind.
Observing the sprawling open space of Rythu Bazaar in central Mehdipatnam therefore, is almost like going back in time. However far from being a forgotten relic of another era, it bustles with life and activity like it did when it was started a decade ago. Underneath the bustle are stories of livelihood like that of 38 year old Jayamma. A cultivator who comes from Amdapur to sell vegetables, her day begins at 8 am in the morning and goes on till 7:30 pm. The business is good and fetches her enough money to support her family. All over India, the coming of the retail chains threaten to put a dent to this picture of contentment. But the sellers at Rythu Bazaar are unfazed. Their fair pricing coupled with an abundance of quality stock has managed to reign in the customers and keep them there.
Raju, 27 from Amdapur is confident when he says “they have their own customers and I have my own”. Due to the difference in rates and quality, he feels people prefer vegetable vendors to the super markets. Unorganized vendors also tend to be more accountable to their customers in terms of maintaining quality of stock. Raju adds “They (supermarkets) are rich, loss of customers won’t affect their business but if I don’t bring in fresh vegetables, my customers will be dissatisfied and won’t return to me”. Ibrahim, 50 who brings in vegetables from farms in Ekarabad, Shankarpalli, Vikarabad and Moinabad remarks with candour “Reliance ka naam khali fresh, Idhar saman fresh hai.”
Proponents of customer satisfaction should know that the lack of air conditioning has not deterred the loyal. Though many would probably like a more comfortable shopping experience, quality wins out. Vijaya Lakhmi, an accountant who comes here because of the fresh vegetables feels that “there isn’t much of a difference between the prices of the retail shops and the bazaars, so it hardly matters where one shops.” She prefers the bazaar because it is closer to her workplace.
The farmers market which began in 1999 as an initiative to bring the cultivator and the customer in direct contact without the middleman eating away into the formers’ earnings. The venture has been a huge success with over 1500 farmers registered with the bazaar and around 350-400 of them operating at the market on any given day. At present there are around 9 Rythu Bazaars function in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
B. Chennaiya who is the supervisor claims with no modesty “The Rythu Bazaar located in Mehdipatnam is the number one in AP.” As supervisor his job is to ensure that the market runs smoothly and monitor sales to make sure no one sells above marked rates. Chennaiya says that the market has proved very profitable to the farmers with the removal of the middleman whom hitherto they had to pay commission to. The cultivators are usually independent farmers with small land holdings. The success of the bazaars has had its impact and forced several retail markets to lower their prices many times.
Accountability is a driving factor behind the functioning of the bazaar with checks being conducted regularly. Customer complaints and grievances are also considered and acted upon. Rythu Bazaar emerges as a stellar example of fruitful interaction between the unorganized farming sector and the state. It poses as a viable solution to the boost the latter’s prospect and gives it the much needed edge over the retail chains and help them compete on a levelled platform.
Observing the sprawling open space of Rythu Bazaar in central Mehdipatnam therefore, is almost like going back in time. However far from being a forgotten relic of another era, it bustles with life and activity like it did when it was started a decade ago. Underneath the bustle are stories of livelihood like that of 38 year old Jayamma. A cultivator who comes from Amdapur to sell vegetables, her day begins at 8 am in the morning and goes on till 7:30 pm. The business is good and fetches her enough money to support her family. All over India, the coming of the retail chains threaten to put a dent to this picture of contentment. But the sellers at Rythu Bazaar are unfazed. Their fair pricing coupled with an abundance of quality stock has managed to reign in the customers and keep them there.
Raju, 27 from Amdapur is confident when he says “they have their own customers and I have my own”. Due to the difference in rates and quality, he feels people prefer vegetable vendors to the super markets. Unorganized vendors also tend to be more accountable to their customers in terms of maintaining quality of stock. Raju adds “They (supermarkets) are rich, loss of customers won’t affect their business but if I don’t bring in fresh vegetables, my customers will be dissatisfied and won’t return to me”. Ibrahim, 50 who brings in vegetables from farms in Ekarabad, Shankarpalli, Vikarabad and Moinabad remarks with candour “Reliance ka naam khali fresh, Idhar saman fresh hai.”
Proponents of customer satisfaction should know that the lack of air conditioning has not deterred the loyal. Though many would probably like a more comfortable shopping experience, quality wins out. Vijaya Lakhmi, an accountant who comes here because of the fresh vegetables feels that “there isn’t much of a difference between the prices of the retail shops and the bazaars, so it hardly matters where one shops.” She prefers the bazaar because it is closer to her workplace.
The farmers market which began in 1999 as an initiative to bring the cultivator and the customer in direct contact without the middleman eating away into the formers’ earnings. The venture has been a huge success with over 1500 farmers registered with the bazaar and around 350-400 of them operating at the market on any given day. At present there are around 9 Rythu Bazaars function in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
B. Chennaiya who is the supervisor claims with no modesty “The Rythu Bazaar located in Mehdipatnam is the number one in AP.” As supervisor his job is to ensure that the market runs smoothly and monitor sales to make sure no one sells above marked rates. Chennaiya says that the market has proved very profitable to the farmers with the removal of the middleman whom hitherto they had to pay commission to. The cultivators are usually independent farmers with small land holdings. The success of the bazaars has had its impact and forced several retail markets to lower their prices many times.
Accountability is a driving factor behind the functioning of the bazaar with checks being conducted regularly. Customer complaints and grievances are also considered and acted upon. Rythu Bazaar emerges as a stellar example of fruitful interaction between the unorganized farming sector and the state. It poses as a viable solution to the boost the latter’s prospect and gives it the much needed edge over the retail chains and help them compete on a levelled platform.
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