The Meditating Cat Enlarged and updated second edition Mondira Sinha-RayPublished by Mondira Sinha-Ray partner: Paragon Publishing, Rothersthorpe 2nd edition published 2011 © Mondira Sinha-Ray 2011 Cover: ‘Biral Tapasvi’ (the meditating cat) by Jamini Roy. Gouache on card, 1940s (private collection, Nirmalya Kumar). Comments and suggestions about this book will be highly appreciated and any reports of errors may kindly be sent to: mondira@hotmail.com The rights of Mondira Sinha-Ray to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988, All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written consent of the publisher or a licence permitting copying in the UK issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, www.cla.co.uk. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. ISBN 978-1-908341-24-2 Publishing services by Into Print www.intoprint net Printed and bound in UK and USA by Lightning SourceContents Page Introduction 5 Acknowledgements 7 Methodology 8 Legend 9 Language origins 10 Chapter 1 aw @ 13 Chapter2 aa ST 28 Chapter 3 e, ee 8, & 45 Chapter4 u,rhB, @ 48 Chapter5 @ 52 Chapter6 0 © 63 Chapter7 k 66 Chapter 8 kh @ go Chapter 9 g 94 Chapter 10 gh @ 102 Chapter 11 ch BD 112 Chapter 12 chh & 122 Chapter 13 j & 126 Chapter 14 jh @ 133 Chapter 15 t B 135 Chapter 16 th 3 138 Chapter 17 d & 140 Chapter 18 dh GB 14. Chapter19 t © 144 Chapter 20 th & 152Chapter 21 d Chapter 22 dh Chapter 23 n Chapter 24 p Chapter 25 ph Chapter 26 b Chapter 27 bh Chapter 28 m Chapter 29 j Chapter 30 r Chapter 31 1 Chapter 32 s Chapter 33 sh Chapter 34 sh Chapter 95 h & ay 22 “ 31 Mu ea 7 3 4 @ Appendix I- Context and background Appendix II- Selection of new proverbs Bibliography Resources for equivalent proverbs. Subject Index 153 163 169 181 198 201 218 226 250 267 273 276 285 287 307 314 332 335 336Subject Index (by ID number) A Aashar 2-79. Ace = 15-11. Achieve 29-72. Action 28-94. Advice 28-34. Affection 2-50. Alms 9-47; 13-26. Anger 24-63. Antidote 29-78. Ants 24-66; 31-11. Appearance 2-23. Arjun 112. Arrow 28-81. Ash — 12-2,3; 27-6; 28-97; 29-68. Atonement 24-52. Aubergine 19-14,30. Auspicious 26-70. B Back 24-80. Badtimes 1-69. Baishakh 7-85. Bamboo 7-44; 7-89; 23-16; 26-24. Bananatree 2-31 Banyantree 6-1; 26-8. Bargain 21-12. Barkofatree 5-8. Battle 29-52. Beating (hiding) 4-7; 14-4; 19-24; 24-83,92; 28-83,111; 120; 34-36. Beauty 1-15; 13-32; 23-49; 24-8,10; 34-68. Bed 32-28; 34-23. Beehive 27-29; 28-125. Begging 27-+-26,27. Bengalees 26-25; 27-38. Belong 22-24. Betelleaf 24-47. Betray 28-88. Blow 7-96. Bindi 1-28. Bird 5-15,16; 24-32; 34-2. Birth 13-5,6. Bitter 24-55. Bitter-sweet 19-10. Blanket —_31-14,16. Blind 1-36,37.38; 7-71,72. Blessing 32-20. Blunder 24-36. Boasting 10-9. Blow —_7-96,97. Boat 10-15; 21-28. Body 9-37 to 40; 32-15; 34-28.Bow 22-3. Boy 12-12,13. Brahmin 4-3; 7-71; 7-80; 11-23; 24-88; 26-39,40. Break 23-17 Breath 23-37,41. Brothers 27-8 Bribe 10-22. Brick 3-3. Bride 5-43; 7-23. Bull 7-36; 22-11; 33-2.3: 34°39- Bush 14-6. Business 26-30; 28-123; 29-31. Cc Camel 4-5. Cards (playing) 19-9. Castle 32-39; 34-88. Cat 1-31; a-d; 5-45; 9-12, 23,49; 24-89; 26-47, 48, 49; 28-48; 28-113; 32-22; 35-2. Catch — 35-24. Cattleshed 35-5. Cause & effect 7-81. Cautious 2-38; 34-50. Character 1-52; 23-32; 34-90. Charka 23-42. Cheap 34-29. Child 2-75; 24-73,74335-3- Clap 5-32. Clergy 28-124. Clever 1-15.16; 26-77. Cloud 1-23; 10-3; 26-59; 28-114,115. Company — 7-121; 34-5. Conscience 26-56. Coconut 14-5. Control 7-32. Cook/ cooking 1-19; 1-63; 5°33; 12-12; 24-70; 28-122; 29-66; 34-87. Count 7-6. Cover-up 18-1; 22-15. Cow 2-19.33; 5-11; 8-6; 9- 16,17, 25; 10-6; 13-26; 21- 15,36,40; 27-9; 29-54. Crane/ heron 7-55; 35-1- Crazy 35-37. Creeper 31-4,6. Credit 2-36. Crocodile 7-110,112; 8-12; 13-1013. Crow 7-46 to 53; 14-1; 26- 86; 27-18, 32; 29-61; 32-17. Crowd 19-16. Cry 12-11; 30-14, Cuckoo — 7-119; 26-17. Curry 24-34. Curse 32-20. Custom 21-465 29-26.Cut 7-64; 22-17. D Dam = 26-6. Dance 19-2, 25; 23-1, 28. Danger 26-61; 29-18. Dark — 1-34; 2-51; 7-91; 24-90; 29-69. a 16-43 21-17 to 24; 29- 1. Deaf 7-87. Dead/ death 1-44; 13-6,22; 19-12,19; 22-1; 23-153 24-7; 28-18 to 21,68; 24-7; 29-22 to 245 31-15;32-41, Deceit / deceive 5-28. Decision 5-20; 35-13. Deer 2-57; 5-12. Delhi 21-25,26. Destiny 7-26; 27-3; 31-7. Dew 34-23. Dhobi 29-62; 22-25. Diamond 12-13. Disgrace 28-96. Dishonest 34-8. Dishonour 1-: Dismiss 25-8. Doctor 23-53. Dog 7-101 to 105; 28-68; 34-1. Doll 7-37. Donkey 9-33. Donor 10-23. Dream 5-1; 12-9; 34-61,86 ‘ta 89. Drum 23-44. Drunkard 32-29; 34-66. Ducks 35-1. Dumb 26-90. Dung-cake 10-19,20; 24-36. Durga/ Mahishmardini 28- 33- Dust 2-11. Duty 28-33. E Ear 7-68 to 70,74to 76; 21-42. Earn 13-24. Earth 22-5,6; 26-69. Eat 13-17; 24-48; 26-19, 89; 29-53; 35-7. Egg 10-26; 17-3. Endure 26-71. Enemy 10-13; 24-22; 28-1; 32-8 to 10. Elephant 1-71; 9-2,9; 21-395 28-23, 56,82; 32-44; 35-19, 20. Elixir of life 28-112. Ethical 23-64. Evil 21-40,41; 23-14. Expert 9-27.Eye 11-3,4,12,25 to 36; 21- 32) 32-31, F Face 28-86 to 101; 35-21. Faith 26-62. Family 16-8; 26-21. Famous 5-14; 19-4. Farmer 11-15. Fate 7-25 to 27,82; 19-23; 26-54,553 27-3,11 to 14; 29- 40,45’; 31-7. Father 26-35; 29-77. Favours 24-16. Fault 9-52; 24-25; 27-31; 29-10,49. Fear 27-5. Feelings 24-21. Feet —5-19,20; 21-48; 23- 46; 24-53,54,56. Festivals 26-42. Fever 9-35; 10-16; 27-25. Field 19-27. Fig 17-5. Finger 24-33; 34-77. Fire 1-5,6; 2-17.18; 10-7; 13-16; 24-19; 34-60. Firewood 7-65. Fish — 1-31,63; 7-3,28; 9-10; 10-29; 13-8; 22-7; 24-70,71, 72; 27-17; 28-35,43,44, 47 to 50; 32-18. Flattened-rice/chira 32-30. Flower — 25-5,6; 32-27. Fly 5-10; 28-45,46. Food 7-45 8-153 20-5; 28-102; 29-53; 35-7. Fools 23-51; 26-79; 28- 109 to 111; 29-59. Friend —1-18,72; 9-24,36; 21-11; 29-24; 34-71; 35-2, 9 Frog 7-115; 26-84,85; 34-48; 35-19,20. Fruit 28-40; 29-74. G Ganesh 9-54. Ganges/ Ganga 9-1; 23-18; 27-10. Gem 2 . Ghee 1-393 24-23,50,51; 34-77,87. Ghost 24-87; 27-34 to 36; 32-16; 34-62. Gibberish 2-64; 35-4. Ginger 2-44 to 46; 24-3. Girl 12-12,13; 28-116 to 118. Give andtake 5-31; 23-48. Goat 24-39; 26-15. God 1-25; 37,40; 8-18,19; 13-21,25; 21-6,43,44; 22-13; 27-1,41; 28-70,72; 29-34,60, 75176; 35-11. Goddess 29-76; 33-4.Gold 7-63; 11-1; 27-19; 28-5; 34-78 to 8o. Goldsmith 34-74,75. Good 2-53. Good deed 32-33,34. Goods 28-41; 30-29. 300d sense 2-14. Gossip 24-15; 29-29. Grapes 2-30. Grass 10-17,24; 19-26. 23-57; 29-39. Gravy 2-56. Greed — 1-14,24,26; 2-70; 31-15. Green banana/ plantain 7-42. Grief 28-50; 34-23. Groom 1-39. Guest 1:25; 28-43. Guilt 16-3. Guru 5-42; 9-45; 23-31. Gratitude H Habit 1-53; 29-28; 34-90. Hair 11-21,22; 29-66; 31-16. Half 1-60 to 62. Hand = 35-18,21 to 27. Hanging 2-28. Happiness = 2-26.52: 22-2; 24-38,61; 29-71; 34-61 to 64. Harassment —23-20,29. Harm = 24-28. Hay 8-3. Head 7-79; 28-57 to 68. Headache 28-57,58. Heart 1-34. Heaven 2-6; 19-37; 23-0; 30-16; 34-8,28,82 to 84. Hell 13-18; 23-12. Heron / crane 26-1. High Court 26-26. Hilsa fish 1-31; 3-6. Hindu 35-33- Home 2-21 Honest 34-8 Honey = 2=2; 285,99. Honour = 1-45; 29-30. Horse 9-33; 10-23 to 26. House 10-4,5. Humility 1-20; 21-53; 26-52. Humour = 1-57. Hunger 8-16; 24-84. Husking pedal 4-13; 18-7; 26-79. I Ideas 29-11. Idle 1-65. In-laws 26-77; 28-80; 32-42, 43.Indulgence 7-103. Ink 2-47.48; 9-42; 28-96; 35-21. J Jackal 34-15. Jackfruit 3-1; 7-67,97; 9-29; 24-29; 31-10. Jagannath 16-5. Jewel / jewellery 13-15. Jilebi, 13-20. Journey 5-24. 2-17,18; 21-1; 4-15; 24-82; 26-9; Judgement 35-15- K Kajal (kohl) 11-32; 32-31. Khoi (puffedrice) 4-4. Kick 28-63. King 26-9; 34-85. Knife 28-85. Knot 26-2, Knowledge 26-77 to 80. 72,3: 14-2. Kohl see kajal. Krishna —_7-73,116. 23-33 24-41; Koee L Ladder 9-30; 24-37. Lakshman 22-4. Lakshmi 1-43; 10-11; 28- 84; 30-27; 31-1,2; 34-533 35- 27. Lame 24-2. Lamp 24-23,90; 27-2; 34-72. Language 5-17; 9-45. Lanka (Srilanka) 1-17; 7-84; 29-64; 31-5. Lantern 2-27. Lastrites 24-64,65. Laughter 2-52; 29-10; 35- 32,38. Lazy 1-4,65; 7-61,106,108, Leach 13-30. Leader 9-26; 24-58. Learning 1-67; 7-1; 9-46; 12-12; 16-7; 22-17,17; 23-40, 50; 40,49; 24-75,86; 26-51, 525 31-12; 34-85. Lies 14-8. Life 2-60,67; 3-8; 11-2,10, 12,17,373 1321; 16-8; 17-25 19-21 tO 23,32; 21-2,17,19,50 to 53; 22-19,21 to 23; 23- 2.15, 46 to 48,53, 57 to 60; 24-4, 5,24,28 to30,35,56,83; 26-7,61,76;27-6,17,30,31,43; 28-6,35,78;29-7,11 to 13, 55 to 57,66; 34-37. Lime paste 9-42. Lion 34-55,56. Listen 5-6; 28-11. 6Liver 24-62. Lotus 7-72; 9-55. Love 26-6; 27-24. Luck 7-24 to 27. M Mad 24-38,39. Maestro 6-5. Magie 11-16; 27-20. Mahabharat 28-31. Man 2-49; 5-5; 7-122; 8-6; 19-34; 22-16,26; 23-13; 26- 7; 28-50,69,71. Married life 34-54. Master 29-79. Meal 29-53. Meddle 25-11. Medicine 34-26. Mess 14-7; 19-6. Milk 9-41; 21-33 to 37; 29-54; 34-44. Million 31-8. Mirage 28-26. Miser 19-5. Misunderstood -16. Molasses 29-9; 31-11; 34-73. Mole 12-7,8. Money 1-58.59: 2-24.25, 74; 7-5.7,8,9; 12-9; 15-1 to 10; 25-10; 31-9. Monkeys 32, 33- Monks 1-32; 21-27; 23-33; 28-8,107. Mooli/raddish 4-6. Moon = 1-54; 2-10; 3-9; 11- 5,8,9- Moori 29-39. Mosquito 28-27 to 29. Mother 2-32; 7-109; 26- 10; 28-38,50,76, to 80,81, 122; 29-25. Mountain 24-18 to 20, Mourn 7-46, Mouse = 3-4,5. Moustache 9-49,50; 32-22. Mouth 28-89 to 105. Murder = 34-33. Muslim 35-34. Mustard /oil 11-30; 23-24; 32-16. 7-99; 26-22,23, N Nectar of immortality 1-55. Needle 11-13; 12-5,6; 34-65. Neighbour 24-42. News 7-114; 8-20; 28-13. Non-sense 2-16; 35-4. Non-violence 1-75. Nose 23-19 to 27,45; 32-40; 35-18.oO Obstacle 24-12; 32-33. Ocean 34-23,41. Occurrence 23-10. Offence 31-3. Offerings 35-10. Oil 13-7,11; 19-29,30; 24- 53; 25-10. Opposite 35-33. Opportunist 8-10; 23-47; 24-29,30; 26-16. Opportunity 29-68; 34-70. P Pancakes 24-27. Patience 24-96; 34-16. Patriot 5-44,47. Paper 7-54. Parents 2-63: 6-6; 24-60, 61; 34-58. Pearls 4-14; 26-33; 35-31. Pen 35-22. People 8-4; 26-13,74 to 76; 28-30; 29-32,34; 32-3, 4.5- Pigeon. 10-18; 26-43; 27-28; 34-64. Pilgrimage 19-20. Pitcher 7-34; 8-13; 10-2; 12-135 27-7; 32-38. Place 22-14; 34-9. Plant 9-51. Poison 21-32; 26-63,65,66. Politeness 27-2. Pond — 23-35; 24-69,70. Poor — 1-64; 7°57,585 9-13 to 15. Posture 19-36. Pots 29-80. Poverty 1-42.52; 17-1; 21-6, 17. Power = 21-2513-33. Praise 29-41; 32-6. Problem — 9-53; 27-39; 28- 109. Precious 34-8,50. Pretence 19-17. Pride 1-17,19,20; 2-41; 9- 22. Promise 27-21; 35-14. Protector 29-65. Punishment 31-3. Purchase 7-94. Pure 22-26. Puffed-rice 29-39. Q Quarrel 26-31. Queen 32-36; 34-69. R Radish / mooli 4-6.Rain 1-23,68; 2-7; 9-9; 28-108,114; 29-8. Rama 5-34; 23-18; 28-23; 30-17 to 19; 34-76. Ramayana 30-17; 34-32. Ravana 29-64; 34-59. Relationship 24-89; 26-35; 32-42; 35-12. Relatives 19-13; 23-8; 26-14; 27-23; 28-74,77 to 80; 29- 29; 32-42. Religion 22-9,10,11; 26-1; 29-13. Remark 13-9. Repent 9-4:1-13. Respect 2-58; 32-48. Responsibility 21-16; 28- 57,58. Result 25-1; 34-16. Reward 26-49; 29-50. Rhinoceros 9-7. Rice 1-40.41; 4-11; 5-45; F-Al; 9-12; 10-12; 22-12,13; 23-56; 24-37,50,51,55,78; 25-9; 26-50; 27-18,19,27; 28-89, 106; 32-30,32; 35-3. Rice pudding 24-55. River 8-1; 23-4 to 7; 24-9; 26-87; 34-41,92. Robbery 21-23. Rose 9-56. Rules 5-36; 24-91; 26-53. Rush 24-20, Ss Sadness 2-26; 35-32. Salt 8-16; 13-30 ; 23-56, 67; 29-41. Saraswati 30-27. Saturday 32-11. Saturn 32-12,13. Seeds 4-10; 26-44,68. Sense 33-1. Self 2-42.63. Servant 29-79. Shave 5-7. Sheep 9-3; 27-36,37. Shell 32-19. Shield 18-5. Shiva 22-13; 32-24 to 26. Shiver 20-2. Shoes 13-26 to 30; 32-32. Shy 28-89. Shyam 32-45 to 46. Silence 28-126,127. Silver 34-79. Simul 32-27. Sin 9-11; 24-52; 28-10; 31-15. Sing 9-34. Sita 34-32,59,60. Situation 1-49. Skin 11-33; 28-119. Sky 2-4 to 13; 28-60.Slap 34-36. Sleep 7-111; 29-58; 32-35. Smell 9-39; 10-30. Snake 1-71; 7-118; 21-34 to 37; 34-44 to 49. Snake charmer 34-49. Son 7-109; 29-25,77- Sorrow 1-69; 35-8. Soul 2-43. Sound 1-73; 7-47; 8-13;11- 29; 32-38. Speak 5-46; 7-15; 11-29; 32-7- Speech 21-3;28-9,91 to 94; 101; 29-5; 35-2- Spider 28-39. Spinach 7-57; 26-89; 32-18. Spleen 24-67. Squirrel 7-66. Stab 24-81. Stealing 11-20. Step 5-18. Stitch 26-58; 28-93; 34-22 Stick 29-46; 34-45. Stomach 24-83 to 86; 27-5. Stone 1-34; 10-14; 13-1; 18- 6; 27-29; 34-80; 35-26. Storm 14-1. 2-79. 24-13; 5-18. 13-33; 29-46. Story Street Strong Student 12-4. Suffering 21-30,31; 29-37. Sugar 11-18. Sugar candy 28-85. Sun 11-5; 13-16; 34-72. Sweat 9-21; 28-67. 2-22: 29-9 34-42. Swindler 16-1,2. Sweet Swim T Taal 1-2; 23-35. Tail 31-13. Talk 5-23; 24-40; 29-5. Taste 2-54. Teach 2-59. Teeth 21-13,14; 29-48. Thief 1-21; 11-38 to 47; 23- 61; 25-3; 29-36; 34-70. Thorn 7-22,45; 24-12. Thought 27-21,22. Thumb 26-81. Thrift 29-57. Thunder 26-59;28-62;29-8. Tiger 2-20; 4-12; 7-10; 13- 10; 16-6; 21-15; 24-57; 26- 27,28,29; 29-69. Time = 7-90; 21 — 17 to 24; 34-16 to 19,46; 34-16,17,19 to 22. Tin soldier 19-7. 10"He who knows proverbs can settle disputes." Yoruba saying WHAT'S INSIDE? Identification number Cross reference Reference 1 Appendix 4 ‘ Boig “We Tyce Se BRET © x50-15 RLsp.Mw Literal — L: Trying to cover up the fish (on the dinner meaning plate) with spinach. interpretive I; To cover up inadequately, ineffectively, meaning J em ©: Paper over cracks. Similar prover. That which has horns ean not be wrapped from English — [Afr.J. orother The stench of something rotting can't be languages hidden with incense /4/r.). Mondira Sinha-Ray was born in Calcutta. She was educated in India and the UK, where she earned her Ph, D, in Economic Geography from University of London, She has pursued a life-long career in teaching and has been extensively involved in teaching the Bengali language to children in UK schools. She has also served as a Principal Examiner for GCSE Bengali. She holds a Diploma in Interpreting and serves as an Examiner for the Institute of Linguists and also a Local Authority interpreter of the Bengali language. She is ve passionate about keeping an individual's mother tongue and culture alive while teaching English to non-English speaking students. She is deeply involved in voluntecring with a focus on the minority ethnic communities, Mondira Sinha-Ray lives in Buckinghamshire, UK with her husband and they have a son, daughter-in-law and ewo grandsons. ISBN 978-1-90834L-24-2 || RRP: £15.99