Glossary
Glossary
ander inner, hidden room of house
accal older sister
amma mother
avatar a religious leader, a god incarnation
batooras rooms in which to store fuel cakes
buthil substitute
camasu small girl’s dress
chirag lamp of clay dish for oil and wick
caravanserai inn
dharma duty
dhoti a man’s wear of long strip of cloth wrapped around torso
devadasi a servant of the gods, dancing girl, temple prostitute
ghat a platform for cremation
ghee butter boiled and skimmed
grabha-griha womb house in temple, the inner shrine
himsa torture in prison to secure a confession
Iyer ordained pastor, teacher
Jorabodha ceremony of awakening the god
karma law of cause and effect
mantra the name of a Hindu demon used in meditation
monsoon rainy season ushered in by wind
mudra hand gestures in a dance
nirvana state of nothingness, union with a god
Put hell
putra Sanskrit word for son, meaning “deliverer from hell”
pyre woodpile for burning a dead body
rupee worth 20 ¢; sixteen rupees = 1 English pound; one rupee = 16 annas; one anna = 12 pies
sari Indian woman’s dress
suttee voluntary cremation; word originally meant “faithful wife”
sunnyasin Indian religious beggar
tamasha celebration
yupa sacrificial post in temple, where animals were slaughtered
zenana harem