Category Archives: Words

Discovering India in Delhi – 2

It is that time of year again–painting walls ruined by water seepage, or the dreaded सीलन. The painters are from Bihar, they say, from सीतामढ़ी, Mithila, Sita’s birthplace. What do you grow there, I ask, wheat and  rice, they say, so naturally … Continue reading

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Sambal, Thuvaiyal, Pachadi

Sambhar (southern Indian) and sambol (Sri Lanka, Malay): are these really connected? What about chammandi (Malayalam)? Does sambal simply mean sauce? Interesting, isn’t it, that sambal finds itself in South Africa? What does sambal have to do with thuvaiyal (Tamil)? Presumably … Continue reading

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