title: Glossary to accompany Departmental ditties as written by Rudyard Kipling.
text: *"9 V^>° "°- -V ♦L"-*L* T ^ "*•£, < V.Q* *\ <*^ --isSfoi-. "\/ .*tffe'-.- %,* /- t • o % > ^ /u GLOSSARY TO ACCOM- PANY DEPARTMENTAL DITTIES AS WRITTEN BY RUDYARD KIPLING M. F. MANSFIELD & A. WESSELS NEW YORK, MDCCCXCIX. Copyright 1 M. F. Mansfield & A. Wessels coc?v 7* WO Ci GLOSSARY PREFATORY NOTE THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTION TO KIPLINGIANA IS OFFERED TO THE ENTHUSIASTS AND STUDENTS OF THE WRITINGS OF MR. KIPLING MERELY AS A SUGGESTION TO THOSE WHO MIGHT CARE TO COMPILE FOR THEIR OWN USE STILL FURTHER MATTER ALONG THE SAME LINES. TO THIS END AMPLE MARGINS HAVE BEEN GIVEN, AND IT IS HOPED THE BOOK WILL FORM AT LEAST A SUITABLE KEY TO THE FURTHERANCE OF SUCH A LINE OF WORK GLOSSARY A Afridis An Afghan clan west and south of Peshawar. Allah The Mahommedan name for God. Annandale A valley near Simla — the Simla Racecourse, Cricket, and Recreation Grounds. Aryan A Sanskrit word signifying "noble." A term frequently used to include all the races (Indo-Persic, Greek, Roman, Celtic, Slavonic, etc.), who speak languages belonging to the same family as Sanskrit. Avatar An incarnation on earth of a divine Being. B Babu A title such as " Mr.," used frequently to signify a Bengali clerk. Babul A small thorny mimosa jungle tree, blossoms profusely a bright yellow tassel-like flower, of the size and form of a bullet, of an aromatic fragrance resembling that of the wallflower. Bandar A monkey. Baqugar A tumbler, one who exhibits feats of activity. Begum A lady, a queen. Benmore The old Simla Assembly Rooms. Bhamo A district in Upper Burma, bordering on Yunnan. Bikaneer A state in Rajputana. B Bob A captain in the Burmese native army. Boileaugunge A suburb of Simla, named after General Boileau. Bow Ba^ar One of the principal bazars in Cal- cutta. Brahmin A member of the priestly caste. Brinjaree The Brinjarees of the Deccan are dealers in grain and salt, who move about in numerous parties with cattle, carrying their goods to different markets. Bukhshi A paymaster in the Anglo-Indian army. Bul-bul The Persian nightingale. Bunnia A corn and seed merchant or dealer. ii B Bursat The rains, which set in about the middle of June — the first burst of them is known as the " chota bursat," or small rains — after which there is gen- erally a break before the regular mon- soon sets in. Bursati A disease to which horses are liable during the rains. Byle A bullock. 13 Charnock Job Charnock, the founder of Cal- cutta. Chota bUTSat, see "dursat." Collinga One of the principal bazars in Cal- cutta, where, until a few years since, most of the demi-monde, many of whom hailed from Austria and the Danubian provinces, resided. Cooly A hired labourer, or burden-carrier. !5 D Dab Blade " Dah " is a short Burmese sword. Dak "Post," i.e., properly, transport by- relays of men and horses; and thence the mail or letter post, as well as any arrangement for travelling or for trans- mitting articles by such relays. Dak-bungalow A rest house for the accommodation of travellers. Darjeeling A famous Sanitarium in the Eastern Himalaya. The summer seat of the Bengal Government. Deodars The "Cedrusdeodarus" of the Hima- laya. Dibs A slang term for money — rupees. Dom The name of a very low caste repre- senting some old aboriginal race spread all over India. In many places they perform such offices as carrying dead bodies, removing carrion, etc. 17 D Duftar Book, Journal, Record — sometimes used instead of "duftar khana" for "the office/' Dustoorie That commission or percentage on the money passing in any cash trans- action which, with or without ac- knowledgment or permission, sticks to the fingers of the agent of payment. Dykes A firm of coach builders in Calcutta. 19 Ferasb (faras) A specie of date tree. Fultab A village in Bengal, situated on the Hughli; also an anchorage for vessels. 21 Garden Reach The reach or bend forming the en- trance to the Port of Calcutta — so- called, no doubt, on account of the fine garden residences which at one time lined the banks of the river at this part. Ghat A mountain pass, a landing place, or a ferry. Ghi Boiled or clarified butter. 23 H Hafii A guardian, governor, preserver. Hamilton Hamilton & Co., a well-known firm of jewellers. Hookutn An order, a command. Howrah A large town on the Hughli, opposite Calcutta. Hughli (or Hooghly) One of the principal rivers of Hindu- stan on which Calcutta is situated. Hurnai A pass leading from Baluchistan to Afghanistan. 25 J J {lift The non-Brahminical sect so called— believed now to represent the earliest heretics of Buddhism, at present chiefly found in the Bombay presi- dency. The Jains are generally mer- chants, and some have been men of immense wealth. Jakko A mountain peak in the Punjab— one of the highest of the Himalaya on which Simla is situated. Jat A tribe among Rajputs. Jaun Ba^ar One of the principal bazars in Cal- cutta. Jehannum Hades, hell. Jemadar The second native officer in a com- pany of Sepoys. Jczail A heavy Afghan rifle, fired with a forked rest. 27 J Jingal A small piece of Burmese artillery mounted on a carriage, managed by two men. Jungle Forest, or other wild growth. Jutogb A military station in the Punjab, at the entrance of Simla. 29 K Kafir An unbeliever in the Moslem faith. Kakahutti A village in the Punjab, on the road to Simla from the plains. Kalka A villa in the Punjab, at the foot of the Himalaya, on the road from Um- balla to Simla. Kedgeree A village and police station near the mouth of the Hughli; also an anchor- age for vessels. Khitmntgars Table servants— a Mahommedan who will also perform the duties of a valet. Khud A precipitous hillside, a deep valley. Khyraghaut A halting station near Simla. Khyberee {Khaibari) An Afghan tribe inhabiting the Khai- bar pass, in Afghanistan. 31 K Koil The Indian nightingale. Kullah A term used generally by Burmese for a western foreigner, a stranger. Kurrum A mountain pass into Afghanistan from the Punjab. 33 Lakh One hundred thousand rupees. Langur The great white-bearded ape, much patronized by Hindus, and identified with the monkey-god, Huniman. 35 M Mag Natives of Arakan. Mahratta The name of a famous Hindu race. The British won India from the two Hindu confederacies, the Marathas and the Sikhs. Mallie A gardener. Masbobra A village and hill in the Punjab, near Simla. Michni A fort in the Punjab. Mlech One without caste. Mooltan A district in the Punjab. Marrt (Murree) A Hill Station and Sanitarium in the Punjab. Musth In a state of periodical excitement. 37 N Nat A term applied to all spiritual beings, angels, elfs, demons, or what not, including the gods of the Hindus. 39 o Octroi A municipal tax. 4* Padre A priest, clergyman, or minister of the Christian religion. Peg A term used for brandy (or other spirit) and soda. Peliti A well-known confectioner. Pice The smallest copper coin — 12 pice = 1 anna; 16 annas = 1 rupee. Pukka Ripe, mature, cooked; and hence substantial, permanent, with many specific applications. One of the most common uses in which the word has become specific is that of brick and mortar in contradistinction to one of inferior material, as of mud, matting, or timber. Punjabi A native of the Punjab. Punkah A large swinging fan suspended from the ceiling and pulled by a cooly. 43 Quetta A town and cantonment in Baluchi- stan under British administration. 45 R Rajah A native chief. Rama One of the Puranic Deities. The hero of the Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana. Ranhen Ranken & Co., a well-known firm of tailors. 'Rickshaw A contraction of "Jinny rickshaw," a two-wheeled conveyance drawn by a cooly — imported from Shanghai. Rupaiyat of Omar KaVvin A play on Rubaiyat of Omar Khay- yam, signifying (The Poem) con- nected with rupees of Omar Kal'vin (a late financial member of the Vice- roy's Council). Ryot A tenant of the soil: an individual occupying land as a farmer or culti- vator — a native agriculturist. 47 Saeristadar The head ministerial officer of a court, whose duty it is to receive plaints and see that they are in proper form and duly stamped, and generally to attend to routine business. Sahib A lord, master, companion, gentle- man, commonly used to denote a European. Samadh A cenotaph. Sat-bhai {lit. the seven brothers) A species of thrush, so called from the birds being gregarious, and usu- ally seven of them are found together. Shaitanpore A fictitious name for a place. Shai- tan signifies the Evil One — pore, a common termination, signifies a city. Shikar Sport, hunting, chase, prey, game, plunder, perquisites. Shrai A place for the accommodation of travellers, a khan, a caravansary. 49 Shroff A money changer, a banker. Sikh A "disciple," the distinctive name of the disciples of Nanak Shah, who in the sixteenth century established that sect, which eventually rose to warlike predominance in the Punjab, and from which sprung Ranjat Singh, the founder of the brief kingdom of Lahore. " Sinipkin" A Hindustani corruption of the word "champagne" Siris The tree Acacia, a timber tree of moderate size, best known in the Upper Provinces. Siva A Hindu god, the Destroyer and Re- producer, the third person in the Hindu triad. Solon A cantonment and hill sanitarium in the Punjab, near Simla. 5i Subadar The chief native officer of a company of Sepoys. Sunderbunds The well-known name of the tract of intersecting creeks and channels, swampy islands and jungles which constitute that part of the Ganges Delta nearest the sea. Sutlej One of the principal rivers of India. Suttee The rite of widow-burning; i.e., the burning of the living widow along with the corpse of her husband, as formerly practised by people of certain castes among the Hindus, and emi- nently by the Rajputs. 53 Tamarisks A graceful feather-like shrub; is cov- ered with numberless little spikes of small pink flowers when in blossom. Tatia the Bhil A well-known dacoit of the Central Provinces. Tara Devi One of the Himalaya mountain peaks, near Simla. Tbag A highway robber, garotter. Thana A police station. Thakur A chief (among Rajputs). Thermantidote (heat antidote) A sort of winnowing machine fitted to a window aperture, and incased in wet tatties so as to drive a current of cool air into a house during hot dry weather (tatties are screens or mats made of the roots of a fragrant grass). 55 Tonga A two-wheeled car drawn by two ponies | curricle fashion, used for travelling in the hills. Tonk A state and city in Rajputana. "Tricbi" A contraction of Trichinopoly, a place on the S.E. coast of Hindustan, noted for its cigars — hence "Trichi" de- notes a Trichinopoly cigar. Tulwar A saber, used bv the Sikhs. 57 u Umballa A city and cantonment of the Umballa district, Punjab. Formerly the near- est station on the railway to Simla. 59 w Wababis A fanatical Mahommedan sect in South Arcot. Waler Horses imported from New South Wales are called " Walers." 61 Y Yabu A class of small hardy horse which comes from the highland country of Kandahar and Cabul. Yusufyaies Pathan tribe in Afghanistan. Zenana The apartments of a house in which the women of the family are secluded. 63 so * >\/ X^- % J* .. V— J> s*<Mk X • «*^v^*^ o ^o 1 **°^ • J • « ° «* * <LA o 1 ^ °^ 0* o •_* a ♦ ?7T* A : Xf : mm°. X** **gSk\ X^ ..s s A 0' o ^**. O * ^ * / 1 <<^ * Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 9 9 v. Treatment Date: April 2009 PreservationTechnologies £ A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 111 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 1 6066 (724)779-2111 o " o &' .' *o' ■ ■ (ft. "nt , l u » ii i t ' ■ • ^. 