Saturday, January 21, 2012

10 Words that only a Hyderabadi will understand

Having been asked to discuss a theme called 'Salaam Hyderabad' recently I have been thinking ever since about what is the true test for a Hyderabadi. Here is a preliminary list of words that I will put up and to which we can keep adding along the way - of things that only Hyderabadis understand the meaning of.

1) Kaiku
This is an invitation to engage in a long discussion on anything because one can keep saying Kaiku for ever and at one point the other person will have no answer. Roughly translated it means 'But why?' but its only a rough translation. Only a Hyderabadi will not take this seriously and launch into giving answers forever.

2) Parson
Technically means 'day before' or 'day after' but this is a time frame that extends from three days to about ten years and more and no Hyderabadi ever takes this literally. 'Parson hi mila bhai' could mean a few months or years ago.

3) Cutaan marna
This is a Hyderabadi expression for those who maro 'cuts' on their motorbikes i.e. weave through traffic in a zig zag manner.

4) Pauna
A milky version of chai available only in Irani cafes.

5) Potti patana/ lighting maarna
Potti patana was made famous by Amitabh in his song in one of his movies as he tries to patao Hema Malini. This process is also called 'lighting maarna', a term that only Hyderabadi would understand. The person who maros lighting is called a 'lighter'.

6) Abich aatu
Technically means 'I will come just now' but as with 'Parson' it could be his polite manner of saying he is going away to the USA for ever. In all likelihood you will next meet that person after many many decades.

7) Darkhari
This is a Hyderabadi term for a 'dada' or a 'don'. And from it comes words such as 'darkhari pana' which means doing things that 'darkharis' do.

8) Latkor
No meaning exists for this word that I know of. It means something completely below par, detestable. Like 'latkor kaaman kaiku kar reyaaron'

9) Chillar
A close relative of latkor, 'chillar' is of a lesser intensity than 'latkor' and more acceptable version of something downright cheap.

10)  Sarak gaya
Hyderabadi for having lost it. Or a noun that explains it all - 'birak'.

Next, some of those things that Hyderabadis like to eat in their Irani cafes.

8 comments:

Chitra said...

Hari, you forgot two more which I remember from early days in Hyd: nakko and howla. :-)

Harimohan said...

Thanks Chitra.

How did I forget Nakko - the most emphatic of all NOs, the mother of all NOs. If you have to say NO emphatically, then it better be a Nakko, which normally seals it.

And of Howla also much praise is due (there used to be a variant called Howlet during school days). This Howla is a term for a fool, called ever so affectionately as in 'Howla hain yaaron' or sometimes 'Howle ho gaye kya'. Normally the howla in question does not mind being called the Howla - it is so euphemistic.

Thanks Chitra, send me more as you think of them.

Dr. Seven said...

Another variant of Howla is Howlfit! Another word that comes to mind is Kirkiri (or maki kirkiri, if you want to start another Monkeygate!)And of course, there is the positive "How" to go with Nakko.

Harimohan said...

How yaaron. Aisa kaisa bhool gaye? Thanks Dr. Seven for adding two wonderful words

Dr. Ranjani said...

Thanks Hari for the insider look at Hyderabadi lingo. Now I truly feel like an outsider!

Harimohan said...

Ranjani, now you know the words. Use them liberally.

Unknown said...

Baigan mei mila dethum!!!
Khundal khudal ke maare!!!
Pindey ki meri!!!
MAA KI KIRKIRI!!!
chindhi choran!!
Hallu bol rey!!
Baigan ke baata nakko kar bhai!!
parson ich hua iska shaadhi(may be a decade)!!!

Harimohan said...

Thanks Venkat, for adding to the list :)