Jilebi. Popular sweet of North India.
Karma. Hindu theological idea meaning desert or destiny. One’s actions continue to have their effects in another incarnation.
Khadar or Khadi Hand-spun cloth popularized by Mahatma Gandhi.
Khara sev. Fried savoury.
-ki – jai. Victory to –
Lavani. Bardic song.
Mahatma. Great Soul. This was what the people of India called Gandhi.
Mantra. Sacred verse, chanted on certain occasions.
Mull. Thin translucent cloth much liked by Indians as clothing.
Namaste. Word uttered while greeting another with folded palms.
Peepul tree. Ficus religiosa, considered sacred by the Hindus.
Pooja. Worship.
Pulav. Famed Islamic dish of rice and meat.
Pyol. Elevated and roofed veranda in front of a house.
Raghupati Raghava, etc. Devotional couplet mentioning the name and attributes of Rama.
Ramayana. Hindu epic, narrating the adventures of Rama.
Ram Dhun or Chanting of the name of the Hindu avatar,
Ram Nam Sri Rama.
Sadhu. Religious mendicant.
Sambhar. South Indian vegetable curry.
Sari. Hindu women’s dress.
Sewak Sangh. Social Service Association.
Shastras. Scriptures.
Sircar. Government.
Swaraj. Home Rule.
Subedar. Revenue official of pre-British days. Also a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army.
Thali. Sacred marriage-badge tied by husband round wife’s neck at wedding. Symbol of wifehood.
Tonga. Horse-drawn vehicle.
Zamindar. Big landowner.
Zigomar. Popular name for highwayman, robber, etc.
THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK
PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF
Introduction Copyright © 2006 by Alexander McCall Smith
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
US website: www.randomhouse.com/everymans
eISBN: 978-0-307-49692-8
A CIP catalogue reference for this book is available from the
British Library
v3.0
Mr Sampath-The Printer of Malgudi, the Financial Expert, Waiting for the Mahatma Page 69