Download Homeless Bird Glossary

Koly speaks Hindi, which is one of many languages spoken in India. Here are definitions of some of
the words you will find in Homeless Bird.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861- 1941) was one of India's greatest poets. Tagore also wrote plays and
stories, composed music, and worked for India's independence from Great Britain. In 1913 he received
the Nobel Prize for literature.
baap: father.
bahus: daughter-in-law.
bhagat: a practitioner of folk medicine.
bhang: leaves and flowers of the hemp plant.
Brahman: the highest Hindu caste.
caste: a social rank or division into which Hindu society is divided.
chapati: unleavened bread baked on a griddle.
charpoy: a wooden bed frame laced with rope.
choli: a short-sleeved blouse worn under a sari.
chula: a stove of baked clay sometimes with a tin oven.
dal (or dhal): a spiced sauce of pureed lentils.
darshan: experiencing a religious feeling by being exposed to a sacred object or
place such as the Ganges River.
gataka: a person who arranges marriages.
ghat: wide steps usually leading down to a river.
ghee: butter that has been heated and had the milky substance poured off.
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kameez: a long, loose shirt.
kautuka: a yellow woolen thread worn by a bride around her wrist.
kohl: -a powder used as an eyeliner and to darken the eyebrows.
Krishna: a Hindu god.
kurta pajama: a long shirt and loose pants.
lassi: a drink made with yogurt and fruits and spices. Ice is often added.
maa: mother.
mantra: a word or phrase repeated or sung over and over, often as a religious
devotion
masala: a blend of spices such as cinnamon, saffron, cloves, peppercorns,
and cumin ground together to flavor food.
namaskar: a greeting accompanied by holding the palms together at chest
level to greet equals and at the forehead for someone who is greatly honored.
phul-khana: a traditional wedding veil.
poori: bread that has been fried in hot oil until it puffs. It's often stuffed
with vegetables and spices.
puja: a Hindu ceremony of religious worship.
Rama: a Hindu god.
rupee: a unit of money; about 43 rupees are equal to today's American dollar.
sadhu: a holy man.
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salwar: loose slacks.
samosa: a little turnover; samosas are made with a variety of fillings.
sari: a length of cloth, traditionally 6 meters, wrapped to make a skirt and
then draped over the shoulder and the head.
sass: mother-in-law.
sassur: father-in-law.
shikanji: a drink of lime and ginger juice. sitar: a stringed instrument.
tabla: a set of two drums.
tali: a tray.
tikka mark: a round vermilion mark painted on the forehead, symbol of the third
eye of wisdom; also a kind of beauty mark.
The Vedas: the Hindu sacred writings.
wallah: a person who is in charge; often someone who has something for sale.
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Other words to know by chapter:
Chapter 1
Tremble- verb to shake
Dowry- noun- an amount of money or property given in some societies by a bride's family to her
bridegroom or his family when she marries
Muslin- noun- a thin plain-weave cotton cloth
Lotus- noun - a water lily with large leaves, regarded as sacred
Tamarind- noun- a tropical ever green with hard wood
Auspicious- adjective- marked by lucky signs or good omens, with a promise of success or
happiness
Bullocks- noun- a young bull
Unruly- adjective- difficult to control
Turmeric- noun- a bright yellow spice
Vermillion- noun- a red pigment
Rouge- noun- a red power used on cheeks to create a healthy glow
Sitar- noun- a South Asian stringed instrument
Garland- noun- flower wreath
Tassels- and Tinsel- nouns- bunches of loose parallel threads that are tied together at one end and
used as a decoration, for example on curtains, cushions, or clothes
Cumin- noun- the aromatic seeds of a plant of the carrot family, used whole or ground as a spice.
Curries- noun- a dish containing meat, fish, or vegetables in a highly spiced sauce (curry)
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Chapter 2
Neem- noun- a tall evergreen tree grown for its bark, resin, and seed oil, which have medicinal and
insecticidal properties
Sullen- adjective- sad and serious, possibly pouting
Lentils- noun- bean like seeds that are high in protein
Pyres- noun - a pile of burning material, especially a pile of wood on which a dead body is
ceremonially cremated
Solemn- adjective- serious
Tuberculosis- noun - an infectious (bacterial) disease that causes small rounded swellings
tubercles to form on mucous membranes, especially affecting the lungs
Chapter 3
Inauspicious- adjective- promising failure or bad luck
Alms- noun- charitable donations
Rickshaw- noun- a small three-wheeled vehicle, like a tricycle with a seat at the back for
passengers, that is driven by somebody sitting at the front and pedaling
Tongas- noun- a light horse-drawn carriage available for hire
Shrine- noun- a holy place of worship
Camphor- noun- a strong smelling chemical compound that has antiseptic qualities
Pilgrimage- noun- a religious journey
Saffron- noun- the deep orange-colored stigmas of a type of crocus, sometimes ground to a powder
Pilgrims- noun - somebody who goes on a journey to a holy place for religious reasons
Widow- noun- a women whose husband has died
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Chapter 4
Bandicoot- noun- a marsupial that has a long nose, strong hind legs, and a long tail and eats
mainly insects and plant
Winnowing- verb- to remove chaff from grain
Chaff- noun- seed coverings
Monsoon- noun- rainy season with heavy rain and strong winds
Impudent- adjective- rude
Pension- noun- a sum of money provided by the government to citizens
Chapter 5
Astrologer- noun- someone who studies of the positions of the Moon, Sun, and other planets in the
belief that their motions affect human beings; they often make predictions about peoples’ lives
through horoscopes
Bazaar- noun- street market
Chapter 6
Veranda- noun- a porch, usually with a roof, that is attached to the outside wall of a building
Shrouded- adjective- covered
Mynah bird- noun - a bird of the starling family, some species of which are known for their ability
to mimic human speech
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Chapter 7
Insolent – adjective- disrespectful
Chapter 8
Piety- noun- religious devotion
Quizzical- adjective- questioning or puzzling
Inconspicuous- adjective- not obvious
Chapter 9
Glowered- verb- to glare or to look at somebody or something with sullen anger or strong
resentment
Peepul- noun- tree
Unadorned- adjective- decorated
Gaudy- adjective- brightly colored or showily decorated to an unpleasant or vulgar degree
Pious- adjective- deeply religious
Chapter 10
Shrew- noun- an offensive term for a woman who is regarded as quarrelsome, nagging, or illtempered ( real definition- a small nocturnal animal that resembles a mouse with velvety fur, a long
pointed snout, and small eyes and ears)
Intricate- adjective- detailed; containing small parts that are combined in a particularly complex or
skillful way
Indignant- adjective- angry
Chapter 11
Fertile- adjective- richness of nutrients from growing crops
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