The Glossary and Media Guide
Glossary and Media Guide:
Sailing in Samsara: Saraswati and the Swan
- Samsara can be considered, arguably, as either a verb or noun. It refers to the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth that governs the natural world. To be caught in a state of samsara is to be constantly repeating the same motions in different “clothes.”
- Saraswati , consort of Brahma, is one of the three main goddesses of Hinduism, her other avatars (or versions of self) are Lakshmi (consort of Vishnu) and Durga (consort of Shiva). Saraswati is the goddess most often connected with arts, learning, truth, and forgiveness. Identified with the Sarasvati River, her name means (roughly) “the flowing one” or “she who has lakes and pools.”
- Swan - Saraswati is often depicted sitting on a swan, or standing near one.
- For more info on Saraswati, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswati
- For more information on Lakshmi, see below.
- For more info on Durga and other Hindu goddesses, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_Goddess
Thambi: Tamil word meaning “little brother” - generally used as a sort of pet name. For Sara to call Jack this, being the younger of the two, shows significant disrespect.
Oof!: An expression in Indian English used to show distress or frustration.
Yes-yes: I intensification of meaning through doubling is common in Indian English, most often used with adjectives. (ex: She has such a red-red sari.) This particular feature is utilized throughout the work.
Ammah: “Mother” in several India languages such as Tamil and Malayalam. Alternately spelled “amma”. Pronounced “um-ah”.
Accha: an interjection similar to “oh” in English that shows a wide range of emotions, positive or negative.
Kya: Hindi word meaning “right.”
Wallah: denotes occupation or the act of performing an attached action. For example, the taxi-wallah is the taxi driver.
Isn’t it: another feature of Indian English meriting mention. Question tag often replacing “no?” in standard English.
Yani: loosely translated as “meaning” in Urdu. Ex. She went to the store, yani she did not do her homework.
Salwar: or more commonly Salwar Kameez. Refers to either the pajamas, of pajama pants, of traditional Indian clothing. Generally a tunic, of varying length, and tapered pants (the tight version being called “churidar”). See for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salwar
Kurta: mid-thigh to knee length tunic worn by Indian men. Sometimes used to refer to a formal pajama set.
Choli: tight, midriff-exposing blouse worn beneath a sari. For more info see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choli
Tight Slap: expression in Indian English meaning “hard slap.”
Aiyaiyo: South Indian interjection - usually Tamil - denoting concern or pain. Also translated to mean, loosely, “oh no!” More commonly shortened to aiyo. Ex: Aiyo! I ate too much. Aiyaiyo I’m getting so fat now.
Dupatta: long scarf worn by Indian women with almost every type of outfit. Can be used as a shawl, draped over the head, or worn across the shoulders. For more info see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choli
Oh foe!: used in place of “oh no!” in Indian English.
A note on the Indian English utilized within this work: I’ve chosen to view Indian English in a broader, less regionalized sense because I see Saraswati - and Jack - as having living throughout the subcontinent. Indeed, Saraswati has good reason to speak many language s and to use snippets of each. She is an emblem, in many ways, of Indian-ness in this piece. For more info on Indian English, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_English
Recommended Media:
Bharat Natyam dance (video):
- http://youtube.com/watch?v=P6UtY6z2evo
- http://youtube.com/watch?v=W_XW9FLOJfM&mode=related&search=
- http://youtube.com/watch?v=tyAEpDu354E
Kathak, the dance most commonly performed by courtesans (video):
Aishwarya Rai - the inspiration and model for Saraswati - performing in the kathak style for the film Umrao Jaan: