Khalsa bole | |
---|---|
Gar Gaj Bole, Nihang Singh de Bole, Khalsa de bole | |
ਖ਼ਾਲਸਈ ਬੋਲੇ, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਬੋਲੀ, ਗੜਗੱਜ ਬੋਲੇ | |
Pronunciation | Ḵẖālasa'ī bōlē, Ḵẖālasā bōlī |
Era | 17th or early 18th century to present |
Early forms | |
Gurmukhi | |
Sources | Punjabi and its dialects (mostly), Old Hindi, Persian |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | – |
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Sikhism |
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Khalsa bole (Gurmukhi: ਖ਼ਾਲਸਈ ਬੋਲੇ or ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਬੋਲੀ; Ḵẖālasa'ī bōlē, Ḵẖālasā bōlī; meaning "words of Khalsa"; alternatively transcribed as Khalsa boli) is a bravado-based language variety developed and spoken by members of the Akali-Nihang sect of Sikhism.[8] It has also been described as a coded language.[9]
Other common names for the lect are Gar Gaj Bole (ਗੜਗੱਜ ਬੋਲੇ; meaning "words that thunder"), Nihang Singh de Bole ("words of the Nihang Sikhs"), Nihang Bola ("Nihang speak"), and Khalsa de bole ("words of the Khalsa").[10][11]
The dialect encompasses the Sikh philosophical concept of remaining ever optimistic, known as Chardi kala.[12] The unique dialect serves martial and mental objectives, such as helping the speaker and listeners remain in high-spirits in the face of adversity.[13][14] It serves as a verbal act of dissent in the face of troubling circumstances.[11]
"There is a great degree of general Sikh ambivalence towards the Nihangs and their deras. There is no real knowledge but through the construction of the Sikh past by ragis and dhadis and others involved in the invention of Sikh tradition, they seem to have made sacrifices for the faith and qaum. One possible consequence of their relative isolation could be the development of coded language. Sekhon (1997: 229) attributes these different meanings of the words as metaphors of optimism and belief in the inevitable achievement of the goal: 'Taking a meal of parched gram of necessity a Nihang would describe himself as eating almonds. Even now onions for Nihangs are silver pieces, rupees on the other hand mere pebbles, and a club the repository of wisdom.’ "
— Pashaura Singh, Louis E. Fenech, The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies (2014), page 380
Some claim it was invented by Banda Singh Bahadur, the early 18th century Sikh general and martyr.[10]: 120 Sikh scholar, Piara Singh Padam, claims it originated earlier in the 17th century, during the time of the Sikh Gurus.[15] The dialect developed during the period of intense persecution of the Sikhs by the Mughal and Durrani empires in the 18th century.[16] During that period, Sikhs vacated for the mountains, jungles, and deserts to escape the genocidal policies enacted against them.[16]
"Guru Gobind Singh would rename some of the smaller or weaker Singhs in the ranks of the Khalsa Army. He would bestow them with lofty titles such as ‘Dharti-Hallaa Singh' (literally, the Earth-shaker). This would not only send fear and doubt deep within the ranks of the enemy soldiers, but encouraged the Singhs in the Khalsa Army to fight heroically with courage and confidence and honour the names given to them by the Guru."
— Nihang Darshan Singh, audio recording, July 2006[17]
The dialect is still used by some modern Sikhs, especially the Akali-Nihangs.[18] Many modern Nihangs are ridiculed for using their dialect.[11] They are often the target for jokes by outsiders.[11]
Khalsa bole sources its vocabulary from "a mixture of Punjabi, Old Hindi, Persian and other dialects used in various regions of India".[19][13]
No. | Word or phrase | Figurative meaning | Literal meaning | Reference(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | akāl dan | wooden club | dispenser of wisdom | [10]: 120 | |
2. | quilla dhana | urination or defecation | collapse/conquer a fort, Chittor or Multan | [8][18] | |
3. | Nihal Kaur | blanket | Sikh woman's name, meaning "content princess" | [13] | |
4. | larki | green chillies | girl | [13] | |
5. | rupa | onion | beautiful, beauty, silver pieces | [13][9][20] | |
6. | dhid phookni, tid fookni | tea | stomach burner | [13][20] | |
7. | thokhay baj | (spoon) of sugar | [13] | ||
8. | akaash pari | goat | sky fairy | [13] | |
9. | larraaki | refers to an individual with a martial spirit | red chillies | [13] | |
10. | akkar-bhan | fever | [13] | ||
11. | sukha | Cannabis concocted beverage (bhang), tranquilizer | peace of mind, happiness, pleasurable | [13][20] | |
12. | araakis | horses | [13] | ||
13. | thanedaar | donkey | station house officer | [13] | |
14. | Qazi, Kaji | cockerel[note 1] | judge in the field of Islamic jurisprudence | [13][20] | |
15. | chhauni | undergarments (kacchera) | encampment | [13] | |
16. | aflatoon | quilt | braggart, bragger, boaster | [13] | |
17. | aandey | potatoes | eggs | [13] | |
18. | aring baring | lying down | wrestling | [13][20] | |
19. | Basant Kaur | corn | combination of Basant (Spring festival) + Kaur (princess) meaning "spring princess" | [13][20] | |
20. | billa | Englishman | tomcat | [13][20] | |
21. | bhuchanger | children | snake | [13] | |
22. | chugal | mirror | back-biter, tattler | [13][20] | |
23. | DC | limper | [13][20] | ||
24. | dhullay | meat | [13][20] | ||
25. | gobinday | watermelon | [13][20] | ||
26. | gobindyia | carrots | [13][20] | ||
27. | jahaj | cart | ship | [13][20] | |
29. | sarb ras | salt | essence of life | [13][20] | |
30. | siropa | beating | robe of honour | [13][20] | |
31. | tehsildar | intelligent | tax official of a tehsil (administrative unit) | [13][20] | |
32. | Teja Singh | train | Sikh man's name, meaning Fast[21] Lion | [13] | |
33. | athak savārī | pair of shoes | tireless mount | [10]: 120 | |
34. | charāī karnā | to die | to invade, charge or set out on an expedition | [10]: 120 [22] | |
35. | lakh netarā | blind in one eye | one with 100,000 eyes | [10]: 120 | |
36. | mast, mastana | empty of personal supplies | in a state of ecstasy, carefree | [10]: 120 [20] | |
37. | savā lakh | approach of one Nihang Sikh | 125,000-strong army | [11][10]: 120 [18][22] | |
38. | eating almonds | eating parched gram | [9] | ||
39. | rupee | pebbles | rupee currency | [9] | |
40. | a quarrelsome woman | red chilli | [16] | ||
41. | garamjal | beverage concoction made
of cannabis and hot water |
hot water | [16] | |
42. | smoking | kissing a female donkey | [16] | ||
43. | golee | medicinal pill, tablet, or capsule | bullet | [23][24] | |
44. | veer | brother | brave | [15] | |
45. | fauj | oneself | army | [15] | |
46. | mithe parshad | old bread, leftover roti or chapati more than a day-old | sweet and blessed bread or sacrament | [15][20] | |
47. | tar pulaw | dry meal | aromatic gravied rice | [15] | |
48. | langar mast | nothing to eat, hunger | happy time, intoxication | [15][22] | |
49. | chhapa maarna | showing up spontaneously to the homes of friends or relatives | guerilla ambush, surprise attack | [15] | |
50. | Dharamraj di dhee di sewa | being ill | being cared for by the angel of death's daughter | [15] | |
51. | jān bhai | personal horse | dearest brother, blood brother | [15][20] | |
52. | Pathan sira | cauliflower | Pashtun head[note 2] | [15][20] | |
53. | chhilad | money | tree bark | [15] | |
54. | silk | Jute (bast fibre) | [15] | ||
55. | budhiye | young lady | old lady | [15] | |
56. | panjwan | clarified butter, ghee | [15] | ||
57. | chaiwan | cooking oil | [15] | ||
58. | chup | sugar | silence | [20] | |
59. | choona | flour | lime-stone powder | [20] | |
60. | panj ratnee | wine, alcohol | five jewelled | [15] | |
61. | titari | karela (bitter melon or bitter gourd) | [15] | ||
62. | karadhee | radish | [15] | ||
63. | garday | rice | [20] | ||
64. | samudar | milk | ocean | [13][20] | |
65. | kastoora | pig | musk | [20] | |
66. | kesar | turmeric | saffron | [20] | |
67. | badam | groundnuts, chickpeas, grams | almonds | [20] | |
68. | aaracaa | horse | [15] | ||
69. | harni | louse, lice | [15] | ||
70. | baaj | iron rod | hawk, falcon | [15] | |
71. | bhuchangee, bhuhhangi | son | snake | [20] | |
72. | aakarhpun | fever or bodily illness | arrogance | [20] | |
73. | miserable pony | Arab or Iraqi steed | [22] | ||
74. | bata | iron bowl | [20] | ||
75. | birajkay | seated | holding court | [20] | |
76. | gurh | jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) | [20] | ||
77. | heeray | white hairs | diamonds | [25] | |
78. | hulla | hurry | blast of eastern winds | [20] | |
79. | jhatanga | goat | [20] | ||
80. | kulga | baldy (bald person) | [20] | ||
81. | laraki | chilli, spice | shrew | [20] | |
82. | mamla | money | revenue | [20] | |
83. | morcha | endeavour | front line | [20] | |
84. | parsram | axe | [20] | ||
85. | patwari | cat | tax-collector/village accountant | [20] | |
86. | bhootni | rail locomotive | female ghost | [20] | |
87. | subhedar | sweeper | governor/warrant officer | [20] | |
88. | theekar | body | shell | [20] | |
89. | dhokhay baaj | spoon | imposter | [20] | |
90. | vaheer | mobile | [20] | ||
91. | ghorrhey | jutti shoes | horses | [20] | |
92. | shaheedi maar | punishment to the guilty | a martyr's beating | [20] | |
93. | sawaayaa | A little | one and a quarter | [20] | |
94. | haraa pallaa | grass | green rice | [20] | |
95. | sheesh mahal | shanty | palace of mirrors | [20] | |
96. | swarag | calamity | heaven | [20] | |
97. | hazaar mekhee | worn-out scarf | [20] | ||
98. | gurmukhi parshad | coarse grain | blessed sacrament from the mouth of the Guru | [20] | |
99. | dabrroo ghusrooh | individual lacking in Sikh conduct | [20] | ||
100. | sleeping | daughter of the angel of death | [20] | ||
101. | blind man | wide-awake hero | [26] | ||
102. | half-blind man | argus-eyed lion | [26] | ||
103. | deaf man | man in the upper storey | [26] | ||
104. | baptised Sikh | brother of the golden cup (actually an iron vessel) | [26] | ||
105. | to be fined by the community for a fault | getting one's salary | [26] | ||
106. | big stick | lawyer | [26] | ||
107. | to speak | roar | [26] |