Authors: Sangeeta Bhargava
| Agarbatti | incense stick |
| Ahimsa | non-violence |
| Aloo | potato |
| Amaltas | the golden shower tree |
| Apsara | angel |
| Arti | a Hindu ritual or prayer |
| Ashram | hermitage |
| Baba | baby; also used to address someone respectfully; father |
| Badam | almond |
| Baksheesh | tip |
| Balle balle | an expression of happiness |
| Baraat | wedding procession |
| Baisakhi | a Sikh/Punjabi festival |
| Barfi | an Indian sweet in the shape of a diamond |
| Barre | big |
| Batti | wick |
| Bauji | father |
| Bhabhi | brother’s wife |
| Bhagavad Gita/Gita | a 700-verse Hindu scripture |
| Bhagwan | God |
| Bhai/Bhaisaheb | elder brother |
| Bharat Mata ki Jai | Long Live Mother India |
| Bhutia | of Tibetan origin |
| Bindi | a small, usually round, forehead decoration |
| Brinjal | aubergine |
| Chachi | aunt |
| Chai | tea |
| Chinar | poplar tree |
| Chulha | mud stove |
| Chundri sari | a type of sari |
| Dadaji | grandfather |
| Dahi | yogurt |
| Darta hai saala | he’s scared |
| Dhoop | frankincense |
| Didi | elder sister |
| Doli | palanquin |
| Dupatta | stole (clothes) |
| Firangis | foreigners |
| Gamcha | piece of cloth |
| Ganesh | the Hindu elephant god |
| Ghagra choli | skirt and blouse |
| Gujjia | an Indian sweet |
| Gulal | coloured powder used during Holi |
| Gur | jaggery |
| Gora | fair-skinned |
| Haiyo Rabba | oh God |
| Harijan | Gandhiji referred to the untouchables as Harijans or children of God |
| Holi | Hindu festival of colours |
| Hyderabadi | from Hyderabad |
| Jai Hind | Hail India |
| Jalebis | an Indian sweet |
| Kaafal | a fruit found on the hills of Uttarakhand |
| Kadi | a curry made out of gram flour |
| Khadi | homespun cotton |
| Khotta | donkey |
| Khus | type of grass |
| Kishan/Krishna/Kanha | a Hindu god |
| Kumaoni | of Kumaon |
| Kumkum | a red powder used for social religious purposes |
| Kurta | long tunic-like shirt |
| Laddoos | round Indian sweets |
| Lassi | a drink made from milk or yoghurt |
| Lahenga | long skirt |
| Langar | free food offered in a Gurdwara |
| Lathis | sticks |
| Lohri | a Punjabi/Sikh festival |
| Lol biwi’s kotha | home of the prostitutes |
| Mahabharata | an Indian epic |
| Maji | mother |
| Marjaaneyaa | a swear word |
| Masala | spice |
| Mausi | mother’s sister |
| Mem | madam |
| Milap | meeting |
| Mithai | Indian sweets |
| Murg | chicken |
| Nani | grandmother |
| Nukti laddoo | Indian sweets |
| Paan | betel leaf |
| Pahari | of the mountains |
| Pakora | bhajji |
| Parathas | Indian bread |
| Parvat | mountain |
| Peepul | fig tree |
| Phaag | songs sung during Holi |
| Pheriwala | hawker |
| Pitaras | metal box |
| Prasad | offering from god |
| Preet/Preeto | beloved |
| Puja | prayer |
| Rajasthani | from Rajasthan |
| Rakshas | demon |
| Roti | Indian bread |
| Salwar kameez | long tunic-like shirt worn over pyjama-like trousers |
| Sardar | a male Sikh |
| Sasural | in-laws’ house |
| Sat Sri Akal | a Punjabi greeting |
| Sepoys | soldiers |
| Sindoor | vermilion powder worn by married Hindu women |
| Sitaphal | custard apple |
| Siyappa | a Punjabi swear word |
| Swaraj | self-rule |
| Swayamvar | the practice of choosing a husband |
| Syce | groom |
| Tadka daal | tempered lentils |
| Tandor | clay oven |
| Thelewala | a hawker selling his wares on a cart |
| Upanishads | Hindu philosophical texts |
| Vande Mataram | I bow to thee, Mother India |
| Yaara | friend |
My heartfelt thanks to:
Mr Hem Pandey for patiently answering all my questions about schools and colleges in Uttarakhand.
Shilpi for conceptualising the character of Gurpreet and a couple of scenes in the book.
Harmeet, my Punjabi dictionary.
Susie, Chiara, Sara and Lesley for all the hard work and attention to detail.
Jane for her support, guidance, insight and positive energy.
My parents for their encouragement and pride in everything I do, however small or insignificant.
My children, Karn and Diya, my inspiration, my reason for being, my all.
My husband Bhaskar, as always, to whom I have dedicated this book.
When I wrote the acknowledgements for
The World
Beyond
, I was told that at least it wasn’t as long as the glossary. This time, it threatens to be longer than the novel itself. So I’m afraid I will have to confine myself to a collective thank you to my dear family and friends. Each and every one of you, who has touched my life, has contributed to this novel, either directly or indirectly and for that I am eternally grateful.
S
ANGEETA
B
HARGAVA
was born in a remote corner of the Maharashtra region of India and studied in Lucknow. Although she has an MBA in Finance, she soon realized that the business world was not for her and decided to go back to her first love: writing. She is the author of
Letters to my Baby
, a book on pregnancy and baby care.
The World Beyond
was her debut novel. She now lives in London with her husband, two children, 10,000 books and a temperamental laptop.
w
ww.sangeetabhargava.com
Allison & Busby Limited
13 Charlotte Mews
London W1T 4EJ
www.allisonandbusby.com
First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2012.
This ebook edition published in 2012.
Copyright © 2012 by S
ANGEETA
B
HARGAVA
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978–0–7490–1276–2