Govind

'Mara roya, khabochiama pani bharinee dubi maro'.   'Stupid, fill some water in a puddle and drown yourself in it!'

'Aaa suu lohi piee chee'  'Why is he bothering me by drinking my blood! '

Baar ver sae bavo bolyo, Ghu ghu ghu ghu!

The one above--  silent for a long time, says nonsense on waking because it may be that the brain is empty.

Kankare kankere paar bandhai ne tipae tipae sarovar bandhai- it pays to have patience

Sau suta jage tyare khoja khiched maagee  Wanting something at the wrong time

Bhes bhagode, chaas chaagodee ne gharma dhamadham   Useless haste

Kankhma chokru ne gamma gotvu  Kid on your shoulder, ou looking all over town without realizing it!!

Suudi vachee Sopari- stuck between a rock and a hard place

Vandravanma dosi dang muki avi- in the forest the old lady left a baton (It is a rude one).

Taru maru saiyaru, ne maru mara baapnu.  What is yours is mine, and mine is mine too.

Kya jaav cho? Where are you going.  Kya kyana kaan kapwa.  Do not ask.  It is bad luck to ask where you are going?

Char made chotla to bhange otla,  A home will be in tatters when 4 women meet.

My barber, Murray is a wise man, but has a chronic snuffly nose because of some form of allergies told me at one of my hair and beard cut, that he always remembered his mother's saying and emphasising it,  'Get what you like or you will have to like what you get.'  Just remembered,  in a similar light 'Get it first, but first get it right'. 

(Ever notice that Barbers make good money, all cash, not much outlay, but do not maintain the shop in good order, like repairs etc.?)

'Hale handla kusti kare chee'- vessels are wrestling- because they are empty.  = we have nothing to eat!

My uncle (I shall include others in this column), Pragji Makan Waghela said at one time,

Dhing dhing dhinga, sandhiyana linda, morni pichi, utter beta vichi.

You said it repeatedly when someone was bitten by a scorpion- ---, 'camel's scat, the feather of a peacock, scorpion, please leave'.  (I wonder how it worked, but sure was cheap medicine!)

My aunt, Jamkur Keshavji Bhadresa, a pretty woman, her teeth showing would say this.  It was her squatting in her dark Sari, over some ashes where a fire once was lit, 3 stones regularly placed, and a metal kettle was placed on it to make some 'chai', as she murdered her metal utensils with the ashes!

'Anderi, Kanderi tipni tenn, boll mistan ketla vaiga, een, meen ne teen.'  In other words, what time is it? Three o'clock in a round about way!

'Khabochiama paani bharinee dubi maro'- Put in some water in a puddle and drown yourself!  In other words, you are useless!!

(Pragjikaka was unfortunate that his son's had Haemophilia, a horrible disease.)

Does anyone know this long poem?  Please help me.

De Daniyana kulama.  Duniyo ke ram ram, Bhangya khambhargam

Tya hati eek bakri, bakri na hathma kantho, chabuk laine choto

Chabuk padi culama, de daniyana kulama----

Bhens aagaad bhaagvat= Read a holy book to a buffalo (pearl before a swine).

Ooho chindhee muhane, ne muho chindhee oohanee     in other words everyone passes the back and no one takes responsiboity, e.g. General Colin Powell and the war in Iraq.  'I didnot do it, they gave wrong information.'

Sauu suuta jagee tyaree khoja khichhad magee  -  when it is late at night when someone wants to eat.  

                                     ###**************$$$$$$$$$$$*************$$$$$$$$$$$$*****####

(In Nyeri, every afternoon it is nice and warm.  While men (in their heart attacks prone!) go off to work gathering more and more money, and oblivious of the hazards attendant, the women are faced with free afternoons.  After lunch, which comes after serving their masters lunch and packing them off to work, while kids are at school, they are faced with the prospects of passing the afternoon in an enjoyable fashion.

In Nanjibhai's household, Zaveben is stirring.  The daughter in laws are up, and have tea boiling and ready for the afternoon.  she gets up and partakes of the tea.  The tea is hot, so some of it is poured into the saucer, and each slurp is preceded by a noisy blow in an effort to cool it.  Then a sip is enjoyed in a heavenly bliss.  The slurp has to be loud, partially sucking air as well as some tea.  When the saucer is empty, more tea is poured into it.  The pouring itself has to be noisy, with the cup rousting with the saucer in a noisy manner trying to show who is boss.  Then the ladies in reverance- Mukta, Rambha, Dinu, Kamla look to her for direction as to best way to spend the afternoon.

She instructs them to wear their best saris.  Everyone's Sari has to be matching, beautiful and not clashing.  Arrangments are made to go at so and sos house, or another family is expected for a visit.  In earlier days, there were no phones and even electricity was a late comer.

Then they all march to somebody's house, where they are received with pleasure.  Everyone sits on the floor.  Again cups of tea, and 'nasto' is partaken of.  At the same time, gossip starts.  It can go on and on, but as there are no men, it is not possible to report on them, except it would appear that Freemason have gathered in their mass secrets.  At the end some 'Mukhwas' of beetlenuts, crushed expertly right in front of you with a 'sudi' and other stuff that is a mixture of seeds.

After it is over, the ladies march back home to prepare supper for their masters, who are erratic in their arrival times, then they all sit together on a table, leaving the women in the kitchen where they are slaving away, and consume enormous amounts of food.  At times so much that little is left for themselves.  They never complain, as they know that these slave drivers deserve the best.  Also at the same time, the men also feed the dog and the cat if it is around!  They gaive out huge burps of satisfaction as they prepare for even another round to go to the shop, where they may gossip, or go into a corner office where they would count all the day's takings, get the Bank Deposit book ready for the next day.  Close the shop with multiple mltiple locks, and go home, dreaming of another successful day at work, or of going to Nairobi and buying more stock if they are running low.

Afica watches this scenario repeating over and over and shakes his head as he feels sorry for these creatures of habit who do not realize that life is passing them by and the fruits of their labor is enjoyed by somebody more then they themselves.

Night comes, and everyone is tucked into their rooms in their beds, in a house that has multiple rooms as everyone lives under one roof, dreaming of continuing success next day.  If things have been dishonest, it is O.K. as there may be another set of books, or just pray to the appropriate Godess, Laxmi here, and all is forgiven, and dishonesty is proceeded with with a clear mind and a clear conscience.