Understanding and Enjoyment

Someone said long ago that Ignorance was Bliss. I would tend to put it a bit differently. You don't need to understand something in order to enjoy it. I don't understand classical music, as I don't know one Raga from another (pun intended). But that does not stop me from enjoying all of them (THAT one included).

This moment of understanding came from a recent outing - one to a friend's place where some authentic Punjabi food (no puns here) was offered and partaken. Rajma, Chawal, Phulka, sabzee and raita, can make a delicious meal, was the takeaway (no, the meal was not a takeaway kind).

Then, there is this place called Bong Adda in Belapur, which we visited for a meal. I don't understand Bong food, but I enjoy it, was the takeaway from here. Mostly, it was mutton. But there was the mandatory rasogulla (made with jaggery instead of sugar) and mishti doi (sweet yogurt/curd) to round it off.

Reminds me of a sign that I saw recently at a shop selling fish- Bengali Fish and Sea Fish, it said. Now, I did not know that fish spoke human languages. One lives and learns, I suppose.

Americanisms and Britishisms

Right now we have an American and a Brit on campus doing various things. So I was reminded of an old joke. A Brit and an American were taking a walk. The Brit looked around him, and as is the habit of his countrymen, wanting to make conversation, said, "Spring in the air."

To which the surprised American replied, "Why should I?"

Not sure what an Indian would have done in a similar situation. He might have brought a small spring coil and thrown it up in the air, maybe?

Anyway, there is funny communication that happens all the time. Another classic that I remember from my experience is the play on the word 'bus' and 'boss' thanks to some friends from Orissa and Kerala, where they mix up these two words with hilarious consequences.

The Bengali propensity to pronounce a 'v' as a 'b' leads to amusing exchanges if one is not used to it. We had a sentence in school that made fun of this Bengali trait. You have to say, "Venkatramana, Venkatramana, why are you walking in the verandah?", with all the Vs and Ws pronounced as Bs.

Gujaratis are hilarious with some words too. They say 'snakes' when they mean snacks, and 'rape' when they want to say 'wrap'.

Anjaiah, an old Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, was known for his lack of command over English and a few jokes became legendary. As in, he was shown around a hospital, and when they showed him the labour room where mothers in labour were housed, he praised the staff for taking care of their labourers (he used to be a minister for that Labour earlier). Well, let me not belabour the point. I suppose you got it by now. Say 'gotcha' if you did!