I come from a place where people believe that everything north of Chennai is North India. Technically it is correct.... but the people of AP and MP would not agree. Welcome to the land of Tamils where the Dravidian parties in their so called zest to maintain the linguistic culture ensured that there was no foreign language. Yes, and that sadly included Hindi. Ironically, the18th Tamilnadu Assembly passed a resolution for English to be the sole official language after a week long anti-hindi agitation in 1986. So I grew up along with millions of others, blissfully unaware of the perils of not knowing Hindi, till I got an offer from WHO to be posted in Hyderabad.
That’s how I landed in the 'North-of-Chennai' India. My Hindi was at its infancy. Those days, thanda pani referred to Mr Dhandpani, a lungi clad Madurai man showing his striped chadhis. Azhagiri is gonna send his goons after me for maligning the name of his kingdom !!!
(Party game - Who can pronounce Azhagiri's name correctly?)
I am a quick learner. I started picking up Hindi sans grammar, understandably so, since my driver was my 'Wren and Martin'. A perfect win–win situation - I pick up Hindi and he picks up English. Flash forward seven years when I quit WHO, I remained an excited Hindi virgin.. having flirted but still waiting...:-(
I once excitedly declared to my friends that I picked up great shoes at ‘Mokki ‘ (spelt Mochi). I had assumed it to be an Italian chain like Mocha the Italian coffee. My friends ROFL (rolled on the floor laughing) saying it was pronounced Mochchi meaning 'the cobbler'. They now call me Mokki.
As of now, for me Yeh Saali Zindagi translates to ‘His sister-in-law’s life’, Khan is pronounced as Kaan (not from the epiglottis) and grammar is largely Hyderabadi. Parson could mean anything from yesterday to yesteryears. And the letters I T C H can be suffixed to any letter /word excepting B.
My worst nightmare is when any of my patients have a problem with a medicine, I dread to say "leave it" in Hindi 'cos I still have’nt figured out whether its ‘ch’ with a ‘dh’ or its ‘ch’ with a ‘dd’. I just smile and tell, "leave karo".
Well done Mokki....Love your 'tongue in the cheek' humour....lekin tum hindi bolne ki koshish mat CHODH na....;))
ReplyDeleteSadhna, it's a good piece.
ReplyDeletekeep up the good work !
George
awesome..vj!!!! need to once make u say"leave it" in pure hindi...;-)
ReplyDeleteCould not have agreed more with archana...will definitely make you say the 2 magical words...LEAVE IT....well written as always...love underlying the humourous tone in your blog always :-)
ReplyDeletereal good one :)... I guess we shud start talking in hindi to you :).......
ReplyDeleteThanx all … looks like I have to abort my Hindi improving attempt!
ReplyDeleteHey !! Nice read.......like the light humour throughout :) Keep blogging
ReplyDeleteThats a fantastic job of blogging and the contents are truly hilarious. Its something that will appeal even more to Hyderabadi's. which reminds me of an accusation that north Indians made on a Hyderabadi's saying they use gaalis to express anything......to which the Hyderabadi responded saying..." kaun Maakada Bola ? :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats and keep up the blogging spirit...
good one Sadhna , well yes keep it to "Leave karo" with ur patients , you can try the pure hindi version with friends :)
ReplyDeleteI remember ..Once Rajiv Gandhi was addressing a rally somewhere just before the elections he started his speech with "Hum loosay ya jeetay(whether we loose or win..)...."and he continued.It was said about him that he thinks in English and try to talk in Hindi.Whatever it was this line of his was quite entertaining then.
ReplyDeleteGood blog,Mochi.:D
how cute is this?!!!
ReplyDelete- Manjari