Glossary
adhyatmik : spiritual AIR : All-India Radio akhand : unbroken, uninterrupted akhara : arena; martial monastery AMU : Aligarh Muslim University archana : worship archanavatar : worship-incarnation, idol avarna : outside the varna system avatar : incarnation of a god Babarwadi : follower of Babar; Indian secularist Bajrang Dal : "Hanuman Team" bandh : closing, strike bhajan : devotional song, psalm bhakt : devotee Bharat : India Bharatiyatva : Indian-ness BHU : Banaras Hindu University BJP : Bharatiya Janata (Indian People's) Party (AI)BMAC : (All-India) Babri Masjid Action Committee BMMCC : Babri Masjid Movement Co-ordination Committee bodhi : awakening, enlightenment brahmin : varna of keeping and transmitting knowledge BSP : Bahujan Samaj (Masses' Society) Party burqa : veil covering a Muslim woman's face chabootra: : platform communalism : ideology championing the political unity and secular interests of a religious community Congress-I : Indira Congress CPI : Communist Party of India CPI(M), CPM : Communist Party of India (Marxist) crore : ten million dacoit : armed robber, criminal dalit : oppressed, downtrodden dharma : duty; world order; religion dharna : sit-down strike dhoti : cloth covering hips and legs DMK : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Dravida Forward Group) doordarshan : television: India's TV network ekatmata : "belonging to a single self", integrated-ness fatwa : Islamic juridical opinion, verdict garbha-griha : womb-house, sanctum sanctorum ghat : bathing-place gherao : lock-in strike goonda : street fighter, criminal Granth : Sikh Scripture granthi : reciter from the Granth guna : quality, characteristic gurudwara : Sikh temple Hadis : traditions of the Prophet harijan : "God's people", the untouchables HMS : Hindu Maha Sabha (Great-Assembly) imam : prayer-leader in mosque IPF : Indian People's Front IUML : Indian Union Muslim League janmabhoomi : birthplace janmasthan : birthplace jati : caste, endogamous group JD : Janata Dal (People's Group) jihad : Islamic war against the Kafirs Kafir : non-Muslim, Pagan kar seva : manual service khatib : reader in mosque kirtan : devotional chant kshatriya : varna entrusted with defending and ruling kula : extended family kulapati : "family-leader" ; vice-chancellor kurta : loose shirt lakh : one hundred thousand Lok Sabha : People's Assembly (lower house of Parliament, directly elected) mahant : temple high-priest mandir : temple masjid : mosque math : monastery, abbey millat : (the world Muslim) community MIM : Majlis-e Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (Muslims' Unity Council) MLA : Member of Legislative Assembly muazzin : man who calls the Muslims to prayer murti : idol mutwalli : mosque manager naib : deputy nambardar : village functionary nawab : honorific plural of naib; governor nirguna : without characteristics, formless PAC : Provincial Armed Constabulary padyatra : foot-march pagari : turban pajama : loose trousers panth : school of thought, sect parampara : teacher-pupil chain, tradition pradesh : state of the Indian Union PUCL : People's Union for Civil Liberties puja : devotional ritual qaum : nation, community raj : rule, British rule Rajya Sabha : States' Assembly (upper house of Parliament, selected via the State Assemblies) Ramzan : month of fasting for Muslims RSS : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps) rath : chariot rathyatra : chariot-march, procession sadbhavana : goodwill samiti : committee sampradaya : sect sanatana : eternal Sanatana Dharma: philosophia perennis; Hinduism sanskriti : culture secularism : doctrine of separating state and religion shuddhi : purification, (re-)entry into the Hindu fold shudra : varna entrusted with serving SS : Shiv Sena (Shiva's or Shivajis' Army) suba : province swaraj : self-rule, independence tabligh : Islamic religious propaganda, especially to weed out non-Islamic practices among Muslims talaq : Muslim unilateral divorce thekedar : contractor tilak : mark on forehead tirth : ford; place of pilgrimage tirthankara : "ford-maker", Jain sage UP : Uttar Pradesh, formerly United Provinces (of Agra and Oudh) upajati : sub-caste vaishya : commoner, varna entrusted with trade varna : "colour", four function-wise groups in society vedi : altar Vidhan Sabha : Legislative Assembly of the states VHP : Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) yajna (yagya) : sacrifical ritual zamindar : landlord zimmi : "protected one", non-Muslim tolerated in Muslim society
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