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This book is for my father
Subir Kumar Banerjee
CAST OF CHARACTERS
(IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)
Pom, Sarah, Pamela, Kamala: a peasant girl called by many names
Rhumi and Jhumi: Pom’s young twin sisters
Dadu and Thakurma: Pom’s paternal grandfather and grandmother
Baba and Ma: Pom’s father and mother
Bhai: Pom’s newborn baby brother
Jamidar Pratap Mukherjee: major landholder in Southeast Bengal. The jamidarni is his wife. His daughter is named Bidushi.
Dr. Andrews: Scottish physician at the Keshiari Mission Hospital
Nurse Das: nurse at the Keshiari Mission Hospital
Nurse Gopal: nurse at the Keshiari Mission Hospital
Rowena Jamison: British headmistress at Lockwood School
Abbas: Muslim driver for Lockwood School. His wife is Hafeeza.
Miss Rachael: Indian-Christian head of housekeeping for Lockwood School
Jyoti-ma: a sweeper at Lockwood School
Claire Richmond: British literature teacher at Lockwood School
Pankaj Bandopadhyay: Calcutta lawyer and Bidushi’s fiancé
Nurse-matron: nurse at Lockwood School
Rose Barker, also known as Mummy: Anglo-Indian proprietress of Rose Villa, Kharagpur
Mummy’s Roses: Bonnie, Lakshmi (also known as Lucky), Natty, Doris, Shila, Sakina
Chief Bobby Howard: senior police official in Kharagpur
Dr. DeCruz: physician
David Abernathy, also known as the Taster: acting chief of Hijli Detention Camp
Bernie Mulkins: Australian photographer
Jayshree and Tilak: brothel owners
Lina: oldest nonworking child at the brothel
Kabita, also known as Hazel and Zeenat: an Anglo-Indian foundling
Simon Lewes: Indian Civil Service officer, political sector
Mr. Lewes’s staff: Shombhu, chief bearer; Manik, cook; Choton, cook’s assistant; Jatin, assistant bearer; Promod, gardener; Farouk, chauffeur, later replaced by Sarjit and then Ahmed
Wilbur Weatherington: Mr. Lewes’s ICS colleague
Supriya Sen: Bethune College student; her younger sister is Sonali and younger brother is Nishan. Her parents, Mr. Sen and Mrs. Sen, also known as Mashima, own Sen Bookbindery and Publishing on College Street.
Supriyas’s friends: Ruksana Ali, a Muslim student from Calcutta, and Lata Menon, a Hindu student from Travancore and leader of the Chhatri Sangha student activist group
Arvind Israni: friend of Pankaj and a political activist
Bijoy Ganguly: friend of Pankaj and a political activist
Reverend John McRae: Scottish Presbyterian minister
Historical Figures Who Appear in The Sleeping Dictionary
Sarat Bose: Bengal Congress Party leader and elder brother to Subhas, from a prominent Bengali Hindu family of lawyers and activists
Subhas Chandra Bose, also known as Netaji: a former mayor of Calcutta, two-time Congress Party president, founder of Forward Bloc party, and commander in chief of Azad Hind Fauj government and Indian National Army
British governors of Bengal: Sir John Arthur Herbert, a conservative who served from 1939 until his death in 1943; Richard Gardiner Casey, an Australian appointed for 1944–46; replaced by Sir Frederick Burrows, the final British governor of Bengal, 1946–47, who did not favor partition.
British viceroys of India: Lord Victor Hope Linlithgow (the 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow) 1936–1943, a hard-liner against Indian independence; served the longest tenure of any viceroy in the Raj. Succeeded by Lord Wavell (Earl Archibald Wavell) 1943–47, who favored independence but was opposed by British prime ministers Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The last viceroy was Lord Louis Mountbatten, appointed in 1947 to oversee the transition to independence. Lord Mountbatten served as the first and only governor-general of the Independent Union of India (1947–48).
Mohandas Gandhi: Hindu lawyer turned activist, who is better known abroad as Mahatma Gandhi and by Indian followers as Gandhiji. He was the founder of India’s best-known resistance movement based on nonviolent protest. Married to Kasturba.
Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin: Muslim politician appointed as education, home, and chief minister of Bengal during British rule. He was also a former Muslim League head for East India and eventually because a prime minister of Pakistan.
Jawaharlal Nehru: Hindu lawyer and politician also known as Panditji; left-wing Congress Party leader mentored by Mahatma Gandhi, eventually elected first prime minister of the Republic of India.
Husseyn Suhrawardy: Muslim lawyer and politician who served as minister of labor and minister of civil supplies under Nazimuddin. During 1946, he was head of Bengal’s Muslim League party. He has been accused by some of inciting rioting on Direct Action Day, while others credit him with persuading the British government to bring army troops back to the city to put down the violence. Suhrawardy later became a president of Pakistan.
Rabindranath Tagore: world-famous Bengali poet, novelist, playwright, artist, and musician, 1861–1941. Tagore, known by his admirers as Gurudeb, was the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize. A longtime independence activist, he repudiated his British knighthood in 1919 as a statement of his desire for Indian freedom.
HINDI/BENGALI/ENGLISH GLOSSARY
I have used regional Indian and British spellings whenever possible, especially of the time and place.
aadab—a polite greeting made to and by Muslims
aey—an exclamation, like “hey”
almirah—a freestanding cabinet that locks
alpana—colored rice flour designs used to brighten a doorstep to welcome guests
Ananda Bazar Patrika—Bengali-language newspaper owned by same Indian publishing company as Amrita Bazar Patrika, an English-language paper
Anglo-Indian—a term that refers to persons with mixed Indian and British ancestry, and also to the British living long-term in India
anna—a small change coin; at the time of the story, four paise made up one anna, and sixteen annas made one rupee.
ayah—a female household servant to children or adults
baba—term to address one’s father
babu—a gentleman or professional
Baidya—Bengali Hindu caste of doctors prescribing Indian medicine, the second highest caste in the province
baksheesh—a tip or bribe
bearer—a head male servant; similar to a butler
bed tea—the first cup of tea of the day, usually served in the bedroom
Bengali—also known as Bangla, the language widely spoken by people of the northeastern state the British named Bengal. Also, a person from this region is called a Bengali.
beti—Hindi word for daughter
bhadralok—Bengal’s upper and educated class, composed of Brahmin, Baidya, and Kayastha castes; people born from the top of Brahma’s body
bhai—brother or male friend
bhisti—a water-carrying servant
boudi—term for eldest brother’s wife
Brahma—the creator in Hindu theology
Brahmin—the top priestly caste in Hinduism, believed to have sprung from Brahma’s head
bungalow—an expansive house favored by British residents, often two-story
burka—a long one-piece black cover-up worn by some Muslim w
omen
burra-saheb—big boss; female version is burra-memsaheb. (In parts of India outside of Bengal, saheb is spelled sahib.)
bustee—slum neighborhood
cabin—small, casual tea- or beer-drinking place
Calcutta—West Bengal’s capital city, which, until the building of New Delhi in 1911, was known as the crown city of the British Empire and the administrative capital of British India. Now it is known by the Bengali name Kolkata.
caste—a social level that a Hindu is born into; Brahmins at the top and Untouchables or Harjians at the bottom
chacha—a term for an uncle or respected close elder, used by younger people toward Muslim elders; a chacha’s wife is a chachi.
chai—tea. A chai-wallah is a tea-vendor.
channa dal—dried chickpeas
chapatti—unleavened round bread
chappals—sandals
Chhattri Sangha—a women’s students association founded in Calcutta
cholar dal—Bengali split chickpea dal flavored with coconut and sugar
chowkidar—a watchman; similar to a darwan but more likely to be employed by an office or business
coolie—a boy or man who carries things; still commonly used at train stations
dacoit—bandit usually operating in the countryside
dada—warm form of address meaning older brother. Also, a first name plus the -da suffix means the same thing.
dadu—paternal grandfather
dai—a midwife
dal—lentils cooked into a thick soup
Darjeeling—hill town in Bengal’s North, near foothills of the Himalayas; also a type of tea
darwan—a watchman; similar to chowkidar but usually employed by families to guard their homes
darzi—tailor
dharma—moral law combined with spiritual discipline specific to one’s life
didi—big sister; used literally or for close female friend
Digha—a seaside town in South Bengal, near Orissa
dhobi—a washerman
dhoti—a length of cloth that primarily North Indian men wrap and drape to cover their hips and legs
Dom—a low-ranking caste whose exclusive duties are the handling and disposal of corpses
dhonekhali—regional Bengali cotton textile, especially known for stripes and checks
Durga—the much-loved warrior goddess who is worshipped in Bengal in a weeklong puja followed by Diwali (Kali-puja in Bengal)
ghat—area of river close to shore that is used for bathing, washing clothes, and drawing drinking water
ghee—clarified butter used in cooking
goonda—like a dacoit but more likely to be organized criminals operating in cities
hartal—a work stoppage or strike
Hindi—most widely understood language in North India, in the past referred to as Hindustani. Its roots are a combination of the Sanskrit and Urdu languages
ICS—Indian Civil Service; an elite corps of administrators usually born and trained in Britain
imam—religious leader in Islam
INA—Indian National Army; an Indian-led force built from Japanese prisoners of war during World War II who fought alongside the Japanese in the hopes of gaining India’s freedom from Britain.
Indian Army—the military force serving under the British rulers of India that, by World War II, included Indian as well as British commanding officers.
Ingrej—an English person or people
Jagannath—a reincarnated form of Shiva, god of destruction. The most famous Jagannath temple in India is in the state of Orissa.
jamdani—a type of Bengal handloomed sari known for gossamer weave and fine embroidery. There are many kinds of jamdani saris including a dhakai, from the Dhaka area of East Bengal, extremely fine and chosen for parties and special occasions.
jamidar—landowner. His wife is a jamidarni. In other parts of India, he would be called a zamindar.
jao—command to go
jelebi—fried lentil flour sweet
Kali—fierce goddess who is very popular in Bengal
Kayastha—the record-keeping caste of Hindus, usually judged third highest in Bengal
khadi—homespun cotton cloth made famous from Mahatma Gandhi’s home-spinning campaign
Kharagpur—a railway-dominated town in south-central West Bengal (called Khargpur by Europeans)
Krishna—Hindu god of love, also the charioteer of Arjun in Mahabharata
kedgeree—a mixture of rice, dal, and spices often served at Anglo-Indian breakfasts
kurta—a pajama tunic with drawstring waist trousers; worn in the past primarily by Muslim men
Lakshmi—Hindu goddess of wealth and abundance
lathi—stick weapon
luchi—puffed fried wheat bread
ma—a term to address one’s mother or a very young girl
mali—a gardener
mashima—aunt, especially a senior aunt, also children’s nurse; means mother’s sister or very senior female servant (can be shortened to mashi)
masho—a mashima’s husband, a warm form of address for older men
maund—an equivalent of 82.6 pounds, often used to describe weight of a large sack of rice
memsaheb—a term of address for a gentlewoman. (In parts of India outside of Bengal, saheb is spelled sahib.)
mishti doi—baked yogurt pudding
Murshidabad—a town in Bengal known for producing natural tussar silk saris with broad red borders favored by middle-aged, married women
namaskar—the Bengali version of the namaste greeting; said aloud and signified by folded hands
Napit—the barbering and nail-clipping caste
nawab—royal ruler, also called a maharajah in other areas
neem—tree with fragrant soft twigs used for cleaning teeth
paan—betel leaves that are wrapped around a filling and chewed after meals to freshen breath and serve as a psychoactive stimulant
paisa—one-penny coin. At the time of the story, four paise to one anna, sixty-four paise to a rupee.
pakora—spicy, savory fried snack
pallu—end section of sari that hangs over the shoulder or covers hair
pandit—Hindu priest; also a respectful prefix used for great leaders, such as Pandit Nehru
papadum—chickpea flour cracker bread
Parsi—a follower of Zoroastrian faith, refugees from Islamic Iran
phuchka—a street-food snack, miniature puffed breads stuffed with spiced vegetables
phuluri—Bengali vegetable fritters. Elsewhere they are called pakoras
pillau—a Bengali rice dish with Persian roots
puja—the act of worship, or religious holiday
punkah—ceiling fan
purdah—the custom of keeping women indoors away from others’ gaze, practiced by Muslims and some Hindus
quisling—a World War II–era word for traitor; inspired by the surname of the Norwegian official who assisted the Nazis in Norway
rickshaw—a two-wheeled cart that is pulled by a human running or riding a bicycle
rupee—the Indian unit of currency. During the time period of the book, forty rupees equaled one US dollar.
saheb—a term of address for a gentleman, high-ranking Indian or English
salwar kameez—a long tunic with drawstring waist trousers worn primarily by Muslim women at the time of this story. Later on, this dress was adopted by Indian women of other religions.
sari—a wrapped eight-yard-length of cloth that is a traditional Indian woman’s dress
shingara—a Bengali vegetable- or meat-stuffed pastry similar to a samosa
Shiva—the god of destruction, husband to Durga
shondesh—a Bengali milk-based sweet
Sikh—a follower of Sikhism, India’s third major religion
sleeping dictionary—the metaphor used by the Dutch and British colonialists to describe girlfriends who also taught them languages and customs
&nbs
p; Sudra—a person belonging to one of the lower castes believed to have sprung from Lord Brahma’s legs
sweeper—a person from the caste of floor washers, toilet cleaners, and night-soil removers
tiffin—packed lunch eaten away from home, served from a tiffin box, a circular set of stacked tins with a carrying handle
tika—pigmented substance applied to forehead as symbol of Hindu blessing, usually red vermillion powder
Thakurma—paternal grandmother
tonga—a horse-drawn two-wheeled carriage with a shaded seat for passengers behind the driver’s platform
topee or sola sopee—hard-brimmed pith helmet
Urdu—language spoken by Muslims in South Asia with ties to the Persian language
Vedas—the four religious texts of Hinduism
Vishnu—Hindu god of protection
wallah—a person who sells something, like a newspaper-wallah, corn-wallah, etc.
wog—disparaging term used by colonials to refer to Asians, especially those suspected of intellectual or social ambitions
zari—gold thread embroidery for a textile
FRAGMENT OF A LETTER FOUND BY THE ARJUN CLEANING AGENCY IN 1947 AT 22 MIDDLETON STREET
Middleton Street, Calcutta
. . . concerning a long-running rumor that I know to be fact: your hiring of a native female as your assistant. Several colleagues have already called into question her background. The young lady may speak four languages; that is not unusual in this land of polyglots. As Mr. Pal has explained, it is highly unlikely that any upper-caste Indian would permit his daughter to work. Another on staff has ascertained that the boarding school from which your assistant claims to have matriculated does not have any record of past enrollment.
The women of Calcutta are alluring. It is easy for a man to lose his head. I recommend that you terminate this employee if, in fact, she has been hired for pay. And . . .
BOOK ONE
JOHLPUR
Spring and Summer 1930
Thunderous clouds loom in the sky
It’s the middle of monsoon,
I wait anxiously on the riverbank
The Sleeping Dictionary Page 1