[Himachal GK] Glossary of Local Terms of Himalayan/Himachal People

The topography of Himalayas presents them as unique natural monuments. Himalayas have been regarded to be the toughest topography on this planet; still these heavenly mountains have nurtured and preserved, a rich, warm and lively culture. Being isolated from the rest of world, these Himalayan wonderlands still preserves local dialects.

Difficult to communicate sometimes, however communication barrier can be surmounted by usage of the local terms which will bridge the gap of the modern world with them.


Aari:   Small saw which is operated by single person


Anar/Daru:   Pomegranate (a tropical fruit with many seeds), Punica granatum

 
Angoori:   Grape vine, Vitis spp.

 
Angora:  Type of goat

 
Aonla:  Emblica Officinalis

 
Arbi:  Colocasia species

 
Barter system:  A system in which purchase and sale of animals, farm produce and goods is based on exchange basis

 
Bathu:  A leafy vegetable, Chenopodium album

 
Belcha:  Spade

 
Ber:  Zizypus mauritiana (an important fruit tree)

 
Berka:  Threshing pole

 
Beul:  Grewia optiva

 
Bhains:  Salix tetrasperma

 
Bhang:  Cannabis sativa, a multipurpose narcotic plant

 
Bharal:  Animal found in cold desert of Himachal Pradesh

 
Bhera:  Indigenous medicinal plant, Terminalia chebula

 
Bileha:  Pick axe

 
Bori:  Sack (Bag)

 
Buckwheat:  Fagopyrum species  whose grains are used as a food

 
Chakkala-Belan:  Rolling pin and board used for making chapatis

 
Chakki:  Hand mill

 
Changpass:  Changra goats (type of goats) owner

 
Changthang:  Name of place in Ladakh bordering with Tibet

 
Cheenee:  A millet crop, Panicum miliaceum

 
Chhang/Ghanti:  Alcoholic drink made from rice, Avena saliva starch

 
Chhini:  Chisel

 
Chikri Khilna:  A kind of spade to dig

 
Chilgoza Seeds:  of Pinus gerardiana, which considered as valuable dry fruit

 
Chir pine:  Pinus roxburghii

 
Chola:   A woollen dress

 
Chukor:  Partridge found in cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh

 
Chulai:  Leafy vegetable (Amaranthus viridis)

 
Chuli:  Prunus armenica, wild apricot

 
Chullah:  A fire place for cooking

 
Chum:  Cross breed of yak and cow used for milk

 
Chutsa:  Chisel

 
Daach:  Big sickle to cut wood

 
Dachi:  Sickle to cut grass

 
Deodar:  Cedrus deodara, timber yielding species of Himalayan forests

 
Desi:  Indigenous/local

 
Dhan:  Sheep and goats wealth /paddy

 
Dhar:  High mountains

 
Dora:  Rope tied at the waist by both men and women

 
Gaddis:  Semi-nomadic tribal of Kangra and Chamba districts of HP

 
Gainti:  Pick axe

 
Galgal:  A fruit of citrus (Citrus pseudolimon) family

 
Gandasa:  Sharp blade fitted to wooden handle

 

Ghasni:  Grass land

 
Ghee:  Fats made from vegetable and animal's milk

 
Ghoom:  Hammer

 
Gur/shakkar:  Crude sugar

 
Hal:  Wooden plough

 
Havan:  A religious ceremony

 
Heeng:  Asafoetida spp. (dried exudate)

 
Hukka:  Device for smoking tobacco

 
Jalga:  A perennial wild spice plant, Phytolaca acinosa

 
Jeth:  Summer month

 
Jhabbal:  Jumper/Crowbar

 
Jonks:  Leechs

 
Kachnar:  Bahaunia variegate

 
Kail:  Pinus wallichiana (Blue pine)

 
Kaimal:  Mallotus philipinensis

 
Klam/Dambu:  Grafting operation used in horticultural crops

 
Kalijiri:  Centratherum antheminticum

 
Kanda:  Highest point where cultivable lands are found above the village


 
Kangoo:  Comb for combing wood

 
Karnu:  A local tree

 
Karolari:  Saw

 
Kasi:  Hoe

 
Kath:  Pyrus pashia

 
Katha:  Acacia catechu, Commercial product of khair tree

 
Kera:  Large sieve

 
Khads:  Water streams

 
Khair:  Acacia catechu

 
Khaliyan:  Courtyard or a small ground used for threshing their field crops

 
Kharif:  Crop season from May-June to Oct.- Nov., main crops of this season are maize, paddy, pulses etc.

 
Khasipine:  Pinus kesia

 
Kassi:  Hoe

 
Khati: Dugout structure to store rain water

 
Khatti:  Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) storage pits

 
Khawaja:  Diety

 
Khejri:  A multipurpose nitrogen fixing tree (Prosopis cineraria)

 
Khet:  Fields

 
Khirak:  Celtis australis

 
Khurpa/Khurpi:  Hand hoe

 
Kikar:  Acacia nilotica

 
Kilni Khilna: A small equipment used for digging 

 
Kilta:  A wooden container

 
Kodo:  A millet crop, Paspalum serobiculatum

 
Kongni:  Millet, Setaria italic

 
Kudal/Kudali:  Hoe

 
Kuhal/Kuhl:  Small water channel used for irrigation purposes

 
Kuldebta:  Village deity

 
Kunish:  Alnus spp.

 
Kuth:  Saussurea lappa, a commercial cash crop

 
Lota:  Container generally used for drinking water and watering plants

 
Mahotar/dhingri/guchhi:  Edible fungus

 
Maina:  Name of bird

 
Mash:  Leguminous crop used as pulse (Vigna radiata)

 
Masur: Leguminous crop used as pulse (Lense esculanta)

 
Meryana:  Ulmus leviegata

 
Methi:  Trigonella foenum graecum, Fenugreek (important spice)

  
Pudina:  Mint (Mentha spp.)

 
Moi:  Leveller

 
Moong:  Leguminous crop used as pulse (Vigna mungo)

 
Moori:  Concentrated alcoholic drink

 
Nallah/Nalla/Nallaha:  A mini water stream

 
Navratras:  A set of auspicious nine days in Hindu religion

 
Neem:  Azadirachta indica

 
Nihani:  Chisel

 
Papiha:  Name of bird / Great Barbet

 
Pashimna goat:  A special type of goat which produced very soft wool

 
Pattu:  A woollen blanket

 
Phafra/Phaphra:  Buckwheat (Phagopyrum spp.)

 
Phanani:  A bow shaped device used for combing wool

 
Phawara:  Spade

 
Rabi crop:  Crops like wheat, mustard etc. grown during the months of Oct.-Nov. to April-May

 
Rajmash:  A pulse crop (Phaseolus vulgaris)

 
Safeda:  Eucalyptus spp.

 
Sarkanda grass: A wild long grass used for thatching houses (Saccharum spontaneous)

 
Sarson:  Mustard (Brassica compastris)

 
Soolini Mela:  Local fair of Soolini deity

 
Sua:  Wooden pin

 
Taklu:  A special spindle device

 
Tambaku:  Tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum)

 
Tatihari:  Name of bird

 
Thali:   Plate

 
Titar:   Partridge

 
Tokra:   A big wooden container

 
Tokru:   A small wooden container

 
Toon:   Toona ciliate

 
Toot:  Moms alba

 
Tor:   A multiple wild plant, Bauhinia vahilii

 
Urd:  Leguminous crop, Vigna radiata

 
Zira:  Cumin (important spice)


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