The names of Hindi gods and goddesses such as Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Mahadeva, Brahma, Shiva, Kamadeva, Lakshmi, Kali, Durga and Shakti, names of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and Hindu mythological characters like Rahu and Rakshas are now found in English lexicons. With the spread of Hindu spiritualism and Hindu philosophy Vedas, Vedanta, Purana, yoga, yogi, guru, mahatma, karma, nirvana, pranayama, Kaliyuga, tantra, mantra, puja, maya have all found a place in English dictionaries. So is the case with Indian titles such as nawab, raja, maharaja, shah, sultan, sultana, zamindar, jagirdar, sirdar, which have been absorbed in the English language.
Hindi and Hindustani words like cummerbund (Hindustani kamarband) meaning waist-belt, ryot (Hindi raiyat), kutcha or cutcha (Hindi kachcha), pucca or pukka (Hindi pakka), nulla or nullah (Hindi nala), khidmutgar (Hindustani khidmatgar) meaning a servant, chintz (Hindi chint) meaning spotted cotton-cloth, baksheesh (Hindustani bakhshish) meaning a tip, dacoit (Hindi dakait) meaning robber, sorbet (Hindustani sherbet), jungle (Hindi jangal) meaning forest, adorn the English language. Maidan, bazaar, zila or zillah, bhang (a narcotic drug), bhishti (water carrier), trees like neem, pipal (pipal) bael (bel) and mahua, mahout (Hindi mahawat), Pindari (a mercenary freebooter), loot (plunder), bulbul, bund (an embankment or dam), khaki (dust coloured cloth), kheda (an operation to catch wild elephants), chela (a disciple), kachahri or kicheri (a courthouse), bandar (monkey), machan (a platform up a tree for hunting), kalmadan, bundook (a rifle), dak, dal (pulse), thug, bigha (a unit of land measurement), lakh, crore, raga, badmash, (rogue), nautch meaning dance, madrasa or madrasah (a school), tonga (Hindi tanga), sepoy (Hindi sipahi), durbar (Hindi darbar), gadi (Hindi gadi), yojan (an old Indian unit of distance measurement), serai (Hindi sarai), chutney (Hindi chatni), durrie (Hindi dari) meaning a cotton carpet, also used as a piece of bedding, baloo or balu (Hindi bhalu) meaning a bear, chital (a deer), chuddar (Hindi chaddar), a sheet worn as a shawl in India, chukor (Hindi chakor) meaning an Indian partridge, chupati (Hindi chapatti), kheda or keddah (Hindi kheda) meaning an operation for catching wild elephants, langur (a species of monkey), chillum (Hindi chilam), choky (Hindi chauki), chowkidar (a watchman), chaprassy (Hindi chaprasi), cheetah (Hindi chita), chatta (an umbrella) are some token examples culled out of a very large number of Hindi words adopted and absorbed in English. Happily, this trend seems to be continuing. Not only Hindi but some other Indian languages too have contributed to the English vocabulary. The English words coir and betel have evolved from the Malayalam words kayar and vettila respectively. Similarly, curry and cheroot have their origins in Tamil words kari and shuruttu. Mongoose, the killer of snakes and rats, got its English name from the Marathi word mangus.
Hindi and Hindustani words like cummerbund (Hindustani kamarband) meaning waist-belt, ryot (Hindi raiyat), kutcha or cutcha (Hindi kachcha), pucca or pukka (Hindi pakka), nulla or nullah (Hindi nala), khidmutgar (Hindustani khidmatgar) meaning a servant, chintz (Hindi chint) meaning spotted cotton-cloth, baksheesh (Hindustani bakhshish) meaning a tip, dacoit (Hindi dakait) meaning robber, sorbet (Hindustani sherbet), jungle (Hindi jangal) meaning forest, adorn the English language. Maidan, bazaar, zila or zillah, bhang (a narcotic drug), bhishti (water carrier), trees like neem, pipal (pipal) bael (bel) and mahua, mahout (Hindi mahawat), Pindari (a mercenary freebooter), loot (plunder), bulbul, bund (an embankment or dam), khaki (dust coloured cloth), kheda (an operation to catch wild elephants), chela (a disciple), kachahri or kicheri (a courthouse), bandar (monkey), machan (a platform up a tree for hunting), kalmadan, bundook (a rifle), dak, dal (pulse), thug, bigha (a unit of land measurement), lakh, crore, raga, badmash, (rogue), nautch meaning dance, madrasa or madrasah (a school), tonga (Hindi tanga), sepoy (Hindi sipahi), durbar (Hindi darbar), gadi (Hindi gadi), yojan (an old Indian unit of distance measurement), serai (Hindi sarai), chutney (Hindi chatni), durrie (Hindi dari) meaning a cotton carpet, also used as a piece of bedding, baloo or balu (Hindi bhalu) meaning a bear, chital (a deer), chuddar (Hindi chaddar), a sheet worn as a shawl in India, chukor (Hindi chakor) meaning an Indian partridge, chupati (Hindi chapatti), kheda or keddah (Hindi kheda) meaning an operation for catching wild elephants, langur (a species of monkey), chillum (Hindi chilam), choky (Hindi chauki), chowkidar (a watchman), chaprassy (Hindi chaprasi), cheetah (Hindi chita), chatta (an umbrella) are some token examples culled out of a very large number of Hindi words adopted and absorbed in English. Happily, this trend seems to be continuing. Not only Hindi but some other Indian languages too have contributed to the English vocabulary. The English words coir and betel have evolved from the Malayalam words kayar and vettila respectively. Similarly, curry and cheroot have their origins in Tamil words kari and shuruttu. Mongoose, the killer of snakes and rats, got its English name from the Marathi word mangus.
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