Wednesday, August 20, 2014

More Phrases and Use of Figures of Speech ( Euphemism) in Thanjavur Marathi

Use of Euphemism as a figure of speech in Thanjavur Marathi
Here are more phrases which are rarely used in today's Thanjavur Marathi. Interestingly, I found rampant use of Euphemisms in TM as a figure of speech.

 Mahine Jhaala Aahe महिने  झाला  आहे
 Literally means " the months have happened" Now the literal meaning neither makes sense nor grammar. However, the figurative meaning of this phrase refers to pregnancy. If a woman is pregnant, one would refer to this as .."thila mahine jhaala aahe"

 Paayen Dhoingu Yete पायें  धोइङ्गु  एते
Literally means, " I will wash my feet and come" . Well, this refers to "going to the bathroom." This is a typical example of using a soft phrase to describe something not mentioned in company.
This was probably born of the habit of washing one's feet after using the bathroom.

Parsapatees Jaoon Yete also used as Parsaan Jaoon Yete
पर्सा- पटीस जावून येतें / परसान जावून येतें
Means I will go the backyard and come.
The backyard in ancient times  was always used to house the toilet. And this is what is referred to in the above phrase. Another typical example of euphemism.

Haath Laamb हाथ  लांब
Means Hand is long. Of course it does not mean someone's hand is long in size; it means the person is a small thief and easily pockets what he/she finds. So instead of calling a person a thief, euphemism is again used here by saying "haath laamb"

 
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Avaringu Baise अवरीन्गु  बैसे
Cover yourself well and sit.  This has reference to modesty. Little girls used to generally be told.. avaringu baise.. cover yourself well and sit .
This is used even today, when I was going out in Delhi where there was a recent spate of chain snatching, my mother-in-law told me, " avaringu ja" meaning to cover myself so my chain is not visible.

Vichaar Nahi Vyavahaar Nahi: विचार नही व्यवहार नही
Neither will they ask, nor do they know  or Neither do they know the rules nor will they listen to advise! When someone does things independantly, not following the norms or customs or rules an also give no respect to the elders by asking them, we say, " they do as they like, vichaar nahi vyavahaar nahi"



Friday, August 1, 2014

Jewellery or Nugh as it is called by the Thanjavur Marathis

In Thanjavur Marathi, Jewellery is called 'nugh'.नघ  Long back , probably more when our ancestors settled in deep South,  all the women among our ancestors dressed beautifully in " reshamacha nau gajach lugda"रेश्मीची  नौ  गजाच लुगडा   and adorned themselves with a " bichhoda" बिच्चोडा in the center of which was a " rakhudi" राखुडी of rubies or a " phirivach phula".फिरीवाच फुला

Or sometimes the younger women wore a 'veni' वेणी  which was adorned with " venicha nugh" वेणीचा नघ  all along. Not to forget, sometimes this veni was achieved with a " gangavan". गंगावन

At the end of this veni was a bunch of 'gonde' गोंडे  sometimes even made of gold! 

On the nose was a " mukhra" ,मुखरा  a " nath"नथ  or a " bulaak". बुलाक . The ears had a " vajrach thod" वज्राच थोड or a " mothach thod".मोतेच थोड 

The forehead had a  tikamani. टीकामनी 

On the neck,( galanth) was a mothach mala, मोतेच माळा  garsoli, गरसोळी  sometimes kasech maal कासेच  माळा ; hands were adorned with sonyach kaankan सोनाचा  कांकण or mothach kaankan मोतेच कांकण 
On the arm was a bajubandh बाजूबंध or even nagbandh.   नागबंध

The fingers were adorned with 'mudhi ' मूधी  and sometimes 'vanki mudhi '. वंकी  मुधी

On the waist was a sonyach patta सोनाच पट्टा . The feet, not to be outdone had a pair of tinkling ' painjan' पैंजण and the toes had 'jodvi' जोडवी 

That completed the picture of a bejewelled Thanjavur Marathi woman of yonder days!

To those who recognize all the above jewellery, this probably is taking you back many years. But those who have no idea what I am talking about, well, this must be Greek and Latin.

Like what is " gangavan"? Where did  Ganga come in all this!!?

Interestingly, that is the very purpose of my blog.. to rekindle our language!And you can be sure I will be posting the details of all this jewellery with pictures where possible.

Until then...



In all Fairness!

There are a few familiar similes for measuring "GORAPAN" (Fairness in complexion) among the Thanjavur Marathis...

One that was popularly used in my house was ...
SOLATHE URLAGADDESKA GORI AAHEN!
सोलथे उरलागद्देस्का गोरी आहे
Meaning: She is as fair as a Peeled Potato.!
What a comparison! We have heard of 'Fair as a Lily', 'White as Snow' but this takes the cake!

Another comparison was....
PEETH LAAVLESKA GORI AAHE!
पीठ लाव्लेस्का गोरी आहे 
Meaning: She is fair as if smeared with Flour!
Another unusual comparison!

And as an anticlimax we have...
GORICHA GORAPAN DIWAS UJALTRA KALLAL
गोरीच गोरापण दिवस उगल्त्र कलेल"
Meaning: A fair complexioned girl's fairness will be known when it is daylight/morning.