Dear Listers, Let me take a plunge into this oft-discussed topic of transliteration of Sanskrit-Hindi and other words of Indian languages into the Roman script, the idea being to reproduce the original sound as faithfully as possible. This was vexed question in the Colonial times too, with many competing ways of performing this task. There is little to prefer one over another, all coming out with some imperfection in the end. For 'Maharajah' it is just a question of whether, to the ear of an English speaker, the word ends with a slight blowing out of air representing 'h'. There is little to prefer one answer over the other, neither really hitting the target. That is because of one more oddity of the Indian pronunciation and of the grammar of Sanskrit. The Sanskrit noun and pronoun has eight declensions and three numbers (single, double or plural) and are conjugated according to the end vowel or consonant. The root word rAjan (king) has nominative singular 'rAjA' ( 'the King' as in 'the King is sitting on the throne.) Its vocative singular is 'rAjaN' (O King). The stylized 'h' does not appear anywhere nor does the short 'a' vowel at the end of 'maharaja'. The Romanized spelling has adopted this short 'a' but articulates it as if it were the long 'a' (may be indicated as 'aa' or 'A'. Thus neither 'maharaja' nor 'maharajah' is faithful to the original. I would say that in using this word in English speech, use it as it is now routinely used. Making it sound exactly like the original may appear mere pedantry. In writing the word, use whatever takes your fancy, both are inaccurate! This inability of the Roman alphabet to faithfully reproduce a Sanskrit word is best illustrated by the word 'Himalaya' (hima + Alaya or 'snow's house' or 'Abode of snow'). It is pronounced by speakers of English as 'HimalayA' with the long 'A 'coming at the end and all other 'a's being short. In Sanskrit and in all current Indian languages it is actually pronounced as 'HimAlaya' because that is how the two component words sound when you say them in one breath without pause. (This is an instance of a 'sandhi' (joining two vowels, extremely common) and a 'samAsa' (forming a compound word out of two or more component words, equally common.) If I employ the Indian way of pronunciation of Himalaya in English speech, the person speaking with me does not understand it. To pronounce Sanskrit 'a', let the air blow out of the throat without any shaping and hold the lips closely open, for Sanskrit 'A' let the air blow out of the throat in the same way, but drop the lower jaw a little wider. If you want a brief encounter with Sanskrit grammar, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amredita and related Wikipedia entries. Whitney's Sanskrit grammar is at http://tinyurl.com/5n5yl7 or http://books.google.ca/books?id=RFAIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=sanskrit+grammar+eight+cases&source=web&ots=igTR-Jf2EY&sig=Lm-5zcVa6Uz6qiYU42-Z5vdl6vU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA1,M1 Arvind Kolhatkar, Toronto, September 01, 2008.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/09/01/news0380.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Aug 13, 2008 Chennai's German Connection It's curious, but there is a German connection to celebrating Chennai's heritage and in moving on to gleaming chrome and glass structures over the debris of some century-old stately mansions. After all, while the wars ravaged much of Germany forcing large scale rebuilding, there are still some cities where the old quarters have been lovingly restored and walking down these streets is like going back in time. Which is perhaps why over the rubble of the Admiralty House, a German firm of architects has been contracted to build a new secretariat. Roland Herrmann, Consul General, in Chennai for the Federal Republic of German, who has grown up seeing his country in modernising mode, thinks there are parts of Chennai which brings to mind its charming past. His government has funded the recent exhibition which was presented by the Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, Chennai, and included a small collection of the photographs taken by E U F Wiele and Theodor Klein, two German photographers who had settled down in India in the 19th century. As Gabriele Landwehr, director, Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, put it, "Wiele and Theodor were so good they were chosen as the official photographers of the British Governor of Madras." [snip] Full story (may require free registration) at - http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20080813&fname=chennai&sid=1 --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Excerpts from Calcutta : Society and Change: 1690 - 1990; The Bengal Army, by Samaren Roy; Rupa & Co. 1991; pages 39 to 47 Online at http://sankalpa.tripod.com/roots/s1bengal.html#contribution006 This is a part of the webpage devoted to ''The Roots of Bengal'' - http://sankalpa.tripod.com/roots/s1bengal.html --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar Nagpur, India

Just to add fuel to the flame, Sylvia and Manaia, the word baranda in Spanish (and maybe in Portuguese and therefore getting to India via the early Portuguese immigrants) means that part of the railings fencing off a terrace or balcony on which we lean (i.e. the top part). Barandilla (literally a small baranda) means the railing which we hang on to when going up or downstairs (the bannisters). Now maybe (grin) veranda(h) is not of Indian origin at all and was the corruption of the Portuguese/Spanish word used to describe those railings around an outside space of a house for sitting on (a terrace) and, by extension, the space itself. Regards Denise Hughes-Weston

A great service for Family Historians in the UK. Begin forwarded message: there is a new map website at http://wheresthepath.googlepages.com/wheresthepath.htm The 'split' page shows a) the map and b) the image of the place from space, side by side. Places can be searched by name ( even apparently down as far as street names) and the zoom and positioning facilities make for ease of movement around the chosen page. It only covers the UK. ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.

Leaves from a 230-year old book: A Voyage from ENGLAND to INDIA in the year MDCCLIV (1754) (also, a Journey from PERSIA to ENGLAND In 1758 and 1759, By the way of BASSORA, BAGHDAD, MOSUL, DIARBEKIR, BIR, ALEPPO, LATHICHEA, LEGHORN, FLORANCE, .....) By: EDWARD IVES, Esq ; Formerly Surgeon of Admiral Watson's Ship and of his Majesty's Hospital in the East Indies LONDON: FIRST EDITION, 1773 Information and photos from the book online at http://www.ctesiphon.com/Voyage%20from%20England.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Tuesday, December 26, 2000 http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/12/26/stories/0226000m.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Of badshahs, white sahibs and black natives THE HINDU - Folio May 2, 1999 The significant developments in 19th century Europe shaped the British concept of leisure in India. Colonial leisure tradition evolved keeping a sensitive finger on the political pulse of colonial masters, even as it derived and improvised upon the Indian forms of entertainment and relaxation popularised by the Mughal rulers. Indeed the colonial context added the distinction of civil and military leisure forms; and finally by the end of the 19th century, modes of leisure and its spatial boundaries had been neatly divided along racial lines as well: entertainment for the "white sahibs" and those for the "black natives". http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo9905/99050240.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002 The town of Thomas How many of us know that there was a fort, nearly twice the size of Fort St.George at the Southern end of what is today called Kamarajar Salai (Madras/Chennai)? And that it was called Fort San Thome? http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/25/stories/2002092500130300.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

The Tribune of Chandigarh published a special supplement on Thursday, May 10, 2007, to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. Worth reading: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070510/1857/index.htm --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Dear Listers, I received a message purporting to be from the Microsoft Corporation and offering to upgrade my official copy of Windows XP/Vista and providing a link for it. The language was exactly what it would be in a genuine communication. However, my antivirus software alerted me that the message contained a threat and I deleted the message. This is for your info should you receive such a mail. Arvind Kolhatkar, Toronto, August 31, 2008

Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar wrote: > Saturday, August 9th, 2008 > > 1824 First-Hand Hookah in Calcutta,India > > http://www.thehookahlounge.org/2008/08/09/1824-first-hand-hookah-in-calcuttaindia/ > I remember, many moons ago when I was very young, being fascinated by a picture belonging to my grand mother of a connection of ours smoking a hookah, my guess is that it dated from the mid-1800s. I had always wondered what was actually smoked in them, not realizing then that the origins of tobacco were not in Virginia or even Turkey. I did enjoy the link to other hookah pages; but I still wonder if other ingredients might be added to the tobacco, if I recall correctly my relative looked positively spaced out! Yours Aye Andrew Sellon The great obstacle to the improvement of commerce with the Ashantee people (besides the jealousy natural to barbarians) is our rejection of the slave trade, and the continuance of that detestable traffic by the Spaniards. While the Mission was in that country, one thousand slaves left Ashantee for two Spanish schooners on the coast. – How is an African monarch to be taught that he has no right to turn human creatures into rum and tobacco? Rev. Sydney Smith 1771-1854, Canon of St. Paul's.

I love Charles Allen's easy to read books and his understanding of the subject below, is bound to appeal - to me . The book title sounds tantalising ! Thanks for alerting us John Wishes Sally ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Feltham" <wulguru.wantok@gmail.com> > G'day folks > > > A book by Charles Allen, > You might like to know that Kipling Sahib: India and the Making of > Rudyard Kipling 1865-1900 will be released on 4 September 2008. >

Fantastic! When can I get a copy? ;-) Sylvia > > Sunday , May 11 , 2008 > > Cartographer's Calcutta > > http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080511/jsp/calcutta/story_9248219.jsp > > --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Dear All   As mentioned earlier, following is the final list of photographs we had taken.   Anette DAWSON died 05 Jun 1931 Arthur Ed KENNEDY died 28 Sep 1853 BYRNS died 15 June 1858 Edward MARTIN Died 03 Dec 1919 Elizabeth wife of John DOYLE died 21 April 1813 Elizabeth wife of Robert UPSHON died 23 Jan 1843 Eugenie Jane Mary wife of FERNANDEZ died 09 Jan 1883 Francena DSOUZA died 30 Dec 1958 George Edward son of James and Matilda Rose DOYLE died 21 Aug Georgiana wife of J FORD Died 27  March 1884 Gladys Bridget DROZARIO died 11 August 1943 James CLEARY died 21 July 1860 James Francis CONROY died 17 May 1942 James Lewis Augustus COTTER 03 Jun 1852 John BYRNE Born 26 May 1891 Died 12 July 1892 Josephine Mc LAUGHLIN died 09 April 1944 Lydia Georgina wife of J GILL died 30 March 1887 Marian Laura PINKE Died 10 Dec 1925 Mary LEONARA daughter of Thomas and Johanna LAWS and wife of DESMIER died 23 Jan 1888 Sgt DONOHUE died 21 Feb 1850 If anyone would like a particular photo please contact me offline and shall send them.   Regards Kevin Win a MacBook Air or iPod touch with Yahoo!7. http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset

G'day Dave, On 29/08/2008, at 6:50 PM, Dave Barnett wrote: > Keep GMT all year Move to Queensland. ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.

Nizam of Hyderabad: Fifth on the Forbes 'All Time Wealthiest' 11 April 2008 http://helloji.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/nizam-of-hyderabad-fifth-on-the-forbes-all-time-wealthiest/ --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

This looks like a good companion to our old Hobson-Jobson: Sahibs, Nabobs, and Boxwallahs: A Dictionary of the Words of Anglo-India by Ivor Lewis [Hardcover: 278 pages Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 12, 1992) ISBN-10: 019562582X ISBN-13: 978-0195625820] *** This new dictionary not only presents the known vocabulary of Anglo-India, but also provides the sources, etymologies, and usages of the words of the past 350 years. With an extensive historical introduction and register of references, this complete source offers a lively and scholarly history of previous lexicographical work in this area as well as a socio-linguistic analysis of the growth of Anglo-Indian words and their use in the literature of India. One of the most interesting things about the English language is the way its vocabulary has expanded over the centuries, borrowing new words for new and old concepts from other people and places as need and whimsy require. Ivor Lewis has devoted a great deal of effort and energy to uncovering the wonderful diversity of the English vocabulary of South Asia. Each entry in the dictionary provides an etymology for the word and when it entered the English vocabulary, as well as an OED-style citation of its earliest usage. Word sources range from the biographical and geographical to the philosophical and mercantile. It really is a fascinating overview of modern and antiquated words, the vast majority of which are/were rarely (if ever) heard off the subcontinent. Adding to the value of the book is a 44-page introductory essay that explains the principles used in deciding which words to include in the dictionary, as well as an overview of the English language in South Asia. *** 7 used & new available from $53.15 at Amazon. http://tinyurl.com/5gg3g6 http://www.amazon.com/Sahibs-Nabobs-Boxwallahs-Dictionary-An glo-India/dp/019562582X --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Re: Yummy >From: Andrew Sellon <andrew@sellon. vispa. com> >Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:07:28 +0100 >Why, I wonder, in the UK, does one never see a paw paw larger than a dough-nut? >Yours Aye Andrew Sellon Andrew & listers I would like to know the size of Andrew's 'dough-nuts' ad what type they are? Are they 'ring', 'jam' or 'cream', not counting 'yum-yums'? To ask if a paw-paw in the UK is never larger than a dough-nut one has to wonder how large dough-nuts are outside of the UK. In south London where I live I have seen paw-paws the size a marrow (about two-foot long and ten inches wide) The smallest I have seen must be about ten inches long. This morning there were small mangos in the shops about six inches long - dough-nut size. Reg in London