
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Thursday, 8 May 2008
ON INDIAN RAILWAY NETWORK
Shortest station name: Ib, near Jharsuguda on the Howrah-Nagpur main line (South Eastern Railway).
Longest station name: Venkatanarasimharajuvariapeta (Halt). This is sometimes spelled with 'Sri' prefixed, making it even longer by 3 letters. on the Arakkonam-Renigunta section of the Southern Railway (the first station after Renigunta towards Arakkonam (just within the AP border). Station code VKZ.
Friday, 18 April 2008
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Indian Names Of Places
-abad From Farsi, 'populated' or 'settled'. E.g., Ahmedabad.
-adri Sanskrit (?) 'hill'. E.g., Narayanadri, Anjanadri.
-aranya Sanskrit 'forest'. E.g., Namisharanya.
-bagh Farsi 'garden'. E.g., Charbagh.
-bakkam, -vakkam Tamil, 'area' or 'neighbourhood'?? E.g., Nungambakkam, Villivakkam.
-bandar, -bandra Western India, 'port'. E.g., Porbandar.
-bari ?? Bengali 'house', Assamese 'orchard'. E.g., Alubari.
-basti Hindi 'settlement'. E.g., Dayabasti, Shakurbasti
bazar Mostly in UP/Bihar. 'Market'. E.g., Siswa Bazar.
cutchery, kacheri, kutchuhery (other variant spellings exist). 'Court'. E.g., Gonda Kutchuhery.
-chawni Hindi 'cantonment'.
-cheruvu Telugu 'lake'.
-dham ?? 'Temple'? E.g., Baidyanathdham, Gandhidham.
-dih ?? E.g., Manduadih, Pathardih.
-duar, -dooar ?? Perhaps from Sanskrit dwar, 'door', 'entrance'. E.g., Alipurduar.
-durg 'Fort'. E.g., Nandidurg, Jaladurg.
-eshwar, -eshwaram From Sanskrit ishwar, 'god', 'lord'. E.g., Ankleshwar, Rameshwaram.
-gachhi (variant spellings exist). From Bengali for 'tree'? E.g., Bamangachhi.
-ganj Northern & eastern India. 'Trading post', 'warehouse'? Perhaps from Indo-Iranian word meaning 'treasure'. E.g., Collectorganj, Daryaganj.
-gaon Hindi 'village'. E.g., Chalisgaon.
-garh Hindi 'Fort'. E.g., Chittorgarh.
-ghat Access point for a river with steps leading down, or a jetty. E.g., Digha Ghat.
-giri Sanskrit 'mountain'. E.g., Chandragiri.
-gola Bengali 'warehouse'. E.g., Lalgola, Bhagwangola.
-gram Sanskrit 'village'. E.g., Lakhmani Gram, Sewagram.
-gudi Kannada 'temple'. E.g., Basavanagudi.
-gunta Telugu 'lake'. E.g., Renigunta.
-guri, -gara Loosely, 'place' (Bengali?). E.g. Jalpaiguri, Mainaguri, Siliguri, Matigara.
-gutta Telugu 'hill', also -gudda in Kannada. E.g., Panjagutta.
-hat, -hati, -hatta, -het 'Market' or 'fair'. E.g., Guwahati, Jorhat, Sylhet.
kasba Arabic qasbah, a market town. Often used as a prefix.
kalan 'Big', the bigger of two towns/villages with the same name. E.g., Kosi Kalan, Jharonda Kalan.
khurd 'Small', the smaller of two towns/villages with the same name. E.g. Ugar Khurd, Renala Khurd.
-kere Kannada 'lake'. E.g., Arsikere.
-konda Telugu 'hill'. E.g., Golconda, Penukonda.
-kot 'Fort' or 'fortified town'. E.g., Rajkot, Pathankot. Perhaps a variant of this is -kotla ('fortification').
-kovil Tamil 'temple'. Variant spelling is -coil. E.g. Nagercoil.
-madugu Telugu 'lake'. E.g. Jammalamadugu.
-malai Southern India, 'hill'. E.g., Sabrimalai, Kollamalai, Annamalai.
mandi Hindi 'Market'. Often a prefix. E.g., Mandi Adampur, Mandi Gobindgarh, Sabzimandi.
-mangalam Tamil, perhaps a camp for soldiers. E.g., Needamangalam.
-mer Perhaps 'mountain' from Sanskrit 'meru'. E.g., Ajmer, Barmer, Jaisalmer.
-nagar Sanskrit 'town'. E.g., Srinagar.
-nath Sanskrit 'lord', usually referring to deities/shrines. E.g., Ambernath, Parasnath.
-ner ?? E.g. Bikaner, Gajner.
-pahar Hindi 'hill'. E.g., Belpahar, Tinpahar.
-palli Tamil/Telugu. Also -halli, -alli Kannada. 'Village'. E.g., Thiruchirapalli, Jalahalli.
-palya, -palyam Kannada? E.g. Kalasipalyam.
-para Bengali 'locality'. E.g. Rangapara, Kendrapara.
-pat Haryana/Punjab. Probably 'rock' or 'plateau' from Sanskrit prastar. E.g., Panipat, Sonepat.
-patnam Southern India, 'port'. Several variant spellings. E.g., Masulipattanam.
-pet, -pettai Southern & western India. 'Marketplace'. E.g., Hospet, Jolarpettai.
-prastha Sanskrit 'established'. E.g., Indraprastha.
-prolu Telugu 'village'. E.g. Bhattiprolu, Gollaprolu.
-pur, -puri, -pura, -puram, -pore From Sanskrit, a town (walled city -- may also mean a city with a citadel or palace). E.g., Kanpur, Thiruvananthapuram. Also Singapore!
qila Arabic 'fort'.
-sandra Kannada? E.g. Chennasandra.
-sar Sanskrit, 'lake' (from sarovar). Mostly in northwestern India. E.g., Amritsar, Soodsar.
-serai, -sarai In medieval times, an inn or resting place for travellers. E.g., Mughalsarai.
-shahar Farsi 'town'. E.g., Bulandshahar.
-sthan Sanskrit 'place'. E.g., Rajasthan.
-tal, -talao, -talaiya Hindi, 'natural lake'. E.g., Nainital.
-tanr, -tand 'On the river bank' (Bengali?). E.g., Jamuniatanr, Tulsiatanr.
-ur, -oor, -uru, -ore Tamil/Kannada/etc. 'village'/'town'. E.g., Kadambur, Bangalore, Coonoor.
vihar Sanskrit 'garden', 'park'. E.g., Anand Vihar, Mayur Vihar.
-wada, -wara 'House'. E.g., Bhilwada, Teliwara.
-adri Sanskrit (?) 'hill'. E.g., Narayanadri, Anjanadri.
-aranya Sanskrit 'forest'. E.g., Namisharanya.
-bagh Farsi 'garden'. E.g., Charbagh.
-bakkam, -vakkam Tamil, 'area' or 'neighbourhood'?? E.g., Nungambakkam, Villivakkam.
-bandar, -bandra Western India, 'port'. E.g., Porbandar.
-bari ?? Bengali 'house', Assamese 'orchard'. E.g., Alubari.
-basti Hindi 'settlement'. E.g., Dayabasti, Shakurbasti
bazar Mostly in UP/Bihar. 'Market'. E.g., Siswa Bazar.
cutchery, kacheri, kutchuhery (other variant spellings exist). 'Court'. E.g., Gonda Kutchuhery.
-chawni Hindi 'cantonment'.
-cheruvu Telugu 'lake'.
-dham ?? 'Temple'? E.g., Baidyanathdham, Gandhidham.
-dih ?? E.g., Manduadih, Pathardih.
-duar, -dooar ?? Perhaps from Sanskrit dwar, 'door', 'entrance'. E.g., Alipurduar.
-durg 'Fort'. E.g., Nandidurg, Jaladurg.
-eshwar, -eshwaram From Sanskrit ishwar, 'god', 'lord'. E.g., Ankleshwar, Rameshwaram.
-gachhi (variant spellings exist). From Bengali for 'tree'? E.g., Bamangachhi.
-ganj Northern & eastern India. 'Trading post', 'warehouse'? Perhaps from Indo-Iranian word meaning 'treasure'. E.g., Collectorganj, Daryaganj.
-gaon Hindi 'village'. E.g., Chalisgaon.
-garh Hindi 'Fort'. E.g., Chittorgarh.
-ghat Access point for a river with steps leading down, or a jetty. E.g., Digha Ghat.
-giri Sanskrit 'mountain'. E.g., Chandragiri.
-gola Bengali 'warehouse'. E.g., Lalgola, Bhagwangola.
-gram Sanskrit 'village'. E.g., Lakhmani Gram, Sewagram.
-gudi Kannada 'temple'. E.g., Basavanagudi.
-gunta Telugu 'lake'. E.g., Renigunta.
-guri, -gara Loosely, 'place' (Bengali?). E.g. Jalpaiguri, Mainaguri, Siliguri, Matigara.
-gutta Telugu 'hill', also -gudda in Kannada. E.g., Panjagutta.
-hat, -hati, -hatta, -het 'Market' or 'fair'. E.g., Guwahati, Jorhat, Sylhet.
kasba Arabic qasbah, a market town. Often used as a prefix.
kalan 'Big', the bigger of two towns/villages with the same name. E.g., Kosi Kalan, Jharonda Kalan.
khurd 'Small', the smaller of two towns/villages with the same name. E.g. Ugar Khurd, Renala Khurd.
-kere Kannada 'lake'. E.g., Arsikere.
-konda Telugu 'hill'. E.g., Golconda, Penukonda.
-kot 'Fort' or 'fortified town'. E.g., Rajkot, Pathankot. Perhaps a variant of this is -kotla ('fortification').
-kovil Tamil 'temple'. Variant spelling is -coil. E.g. Nagercoil.
-madugu Telugu 'lake'. E.g. Jammalamadugu.
-malai Southern India, 'hill'. E.g., Sabrimalai, Kollamalai, Annamalai.
mandi Hindi 'Market'. Often a prefix. E.g., Mandi Adampur, Mandi Gobindgarh, Sabzimandi.
-mangalam Tamil, perhaps a camp for soldiers. E.g., Needamangalam.
-mer Perhaps 'mountain' from Sanskrit 'meru'. E.g., Ajmer, Barmer, Jaisalmer.
-nagar Sanskrit 'town'. E.g., Srinagar.
-nath Sanskrit 'lord', usually referring to deities/shrines. E.g., Ambernath, Parasnath.
-ner ?? E.g. Bikaner, Gajner.
-pahar Hindi 'hill'. E.g., Belpahar, Tinpahar.
-palli Tamil/Telugu. Also -halli, -alli Kannada. 'Village'. E.g., Thiruchirapalli, Jalahalli.
-palya, -palyam Kannada? E.g. Kalasipalyam.
-para Bengali 'locality'. E.g. Rangapara, Kendrapara.
-pat Haryana/Punjab. Probably 'rock' or 'plateau' from Sanskrit prastar. E.g., Panipat, Sonepat.
-patnam Southern India, 'port'. Several variant spellings. E.g., Masulipattanam.
-pet, -pettai Southern & western India. 'Marketplace'. E.g., Hospet, Jolarpettai.
-prastha Sanskrit 'established'. E.g., Indraprastha.
-prolu Telugu 'village'. E.g. Bhattiprolu, Gollaprolu.
-pur, -puri, -pura, -puram, -pore From Sanskrit, a town (walled city -- may also mean a city with a citadel or palace). E.g., Kanpur, Thiruvananthapuram. Also Singapore!
qila Arabic 'fort'.
-sandra Kannada? E.g. Chennasandra.
-sar Sanskrit, 'lake' (from sarovar). Mostly in northwestern India. E.g., Amritsar, Soodsar.
-serai, -sarai In medieval times, an inn or resting place for travellers. E.g., Mughalsarai.
-shahar Farsi 'town'. E.g., Bulandshahar.
-sthan Sanskrit 'place'. E.g., Rajasthan.
-tal, -talao, -talaiya Hindi, 'natural lake'. E.g., Nainital.
-tanr, -tand 'On the river bank' (Bengali?). E.g., Jamuniatanr, Tulsiatanr.
-ur, -oor, -uru, -ore Tamil/Kannada/etc. 'village'/'town'. E.g., Kadambur, Bangalore, Coonoor.
vihar Sanskrit 'garden', 'park'. E.g., Anand Vihar, Mayur Vihar.
-wada, -wara 'House'. E.g., Bhilwada, Teliwara.
Thursday, 20 March 2008
FOOD
Some stations on IR are famous for the regional specialty food items available there. Below follows a list of some of them. Compiled by Sukrut Thipse.
Pune - Tea, Misal, and Patties in the canteen
Karjat - Batata vada / vada pav (Potato snack)
Lonavala - Chocolate Fudge / Cashewnut Chikki (cashewnut brittle candy)
Neral - Seasonal Jambhool fruit
Khandala - Seasonal Jamoon fruit (plums)
Solapur - Kunda (sweet barfi)
Kolhapur - Sugarcane juice
Miraj - Saar and Rice
Hubli - Hubli rice (Curd rice (yogurt rice) with onions, chile peppers, and pickles)
Mysore - Dosa
Tiruchirapalli - Bondas in several variations
Hyderabad - Chicken biryani
Calicut (Kozhikode) - Dal vada
Quilon - Rasam
Mangalore - Egg Biryani
Ernakulam - Fried yellow bananas
Nagpur - Bhujia, and oranges
Guntakal - Mango jelly
Chennai Central - Samosas, idli, dosa
Rameshwaram - Idiuppam (Rice Noodles)
Agra - Petha (candied pumpkin)
New Delhi - Aloo chat (tangy potato snack)
Indore - Farsan
Ahmedabad - Vadilal ice-cream
Surat - Undhyo (mixed vegetables)
Ranchi - Puri bhaji
Howrah - Sandesh
Amritsar - Lassi, Aloo paratha
Bangalore - Vada sambar, fresh fruit juices
Jaipur - Dal bati
Gandhidham - dabeli
Varanasi - Seasonal amrud fruit (guava)
Gorakhpur - Rabdi (a sweet made of milk and sugar)
Guwahati - Tea (Assam blend)
Madurai - Uthappam (spicy lentil/rice pancake)
Ajmer - Mewa (Mix fruit)
Vasco-da-gama - Fish curry/cutlets
Ratnagiri - Mangoes, dried jackfruit
Vijayawada - Fruit juices
Rajahmundry - Bananas
Daund - Peanuts
Tirupati - Ladoos, sevai
Londa - Jackfruit
Allahabad - Motichur ladoos
Ambala - Aloo paratha
Puri - Halwah
Bhubaneshwar - Dal and rice
Coimbatore - Sambar-rice, tamarind-rice, lemon-rice
Dehradun - Salted cucumber
Gwalior, Bhopal - Boiled chickpeas with chile peppers
Surendranagar - Tea with camel's milk
Anand - Gota (fenugreek fritters), and milk from the dairy farm there
Khambalia Junction - Potato/onion/chili fritters
Dwaraka - Milk pedhas
Viramgam - Fafda (ganthiya), Poori + Alu-bhaji
Pendra Road - Samosas
Manikpur - Cream
Thanjavur - Salted cashewnuts
Bharuch - Peanuts
Maddur - Maddur-vade
Chinna Ganjam - Cashewnuts
Gudur - Lemons
Panruti - Jackfruit
Virudunagar - Boli (a thick sweet flat bread)
Sankarankoil - Chicken biryani
Srivilliputtur - Paal kova (a soft milk-based sweet)
Manapparai - Murukku
Fatehabad-Chandrawatiganj - Gulab Jamun
Mehmedabad - Samosa
Shamli - Aloo tikki
Gajraula - Tea
Vadodara - Flavoured milk
Pune - Tea, Misal, and Patties in the canteen
Karjat - Batata vada / vada pav (Potato snack)
Lonavala - Chocolate Fudge / Cashewnut Chikki (cashewnut brittle candy)
Neral - Seasonal Jambhool fruit
Khandala - Seasonal Jamoon fruit (plums)
Solapur - Kunda (sweet barfi)
Kolhapur - Sugarcane juice
Miraj - Saar and Rice
Hubli - Hubli rice (Curd rice (yogurt rice) with onions, chile peppers, and pickles)
Mysore - Dosa
Tiruchirapalli - Bondas in several variations
Hyderabad - Chicken biryani
Calicut (Kozhikode) - Dal vada
Quilon - Rasam
Mangalore - Egg Biryani
Ernakulam - Fried yellow bananas
Nagpur - Bhujia, and oranges
Guntakal - Mango jelly
Chennai Central - Samosas, idli, dosa
Rameshwaram - Idiuppam (Rice Noodles)
Agra - Petha (candied pumpkin)
New Delhi - Aloo chat (tangy potato snack)
Indore - Farsan
Ahmedabad - Vadilal ice-cream
Surat - Undhyo (mixed vegetables)
Ranchi - Puri bhaji
Howrah - Sandesh
Amritsar - Lassi, Aloo paratha
Bangalore - Vada sambar, fresh fruit juices
Jaipur - Dal bati
Gandhidham - dabeli
Varanasi - Seasonal amrud fruit (guava)
Gorakhpur - Rabdi (a sweet made of milk and sugar)
Guwahati - Tea (Assam blend)
Madurai - Uthappam (spicy lentil/rice pancake)
Ajmer - Mewa (Mix fruit)
Vasco-da-gama - Fish curry/cutlets
Ratnagiri - Mangoes, dried jackfruit
Vijayawada - Fruit juices
Rajahmundry - Bananas
Daund - Peanuts
Tirupati - Ladoos, sevai
Londa - Jackfruit
Allahabad - Motichur ladoos
Ambala - Aloo paratha
Puri - Halwah
Bhubaneshwar - Dal and rice
Coimbatore - Sambar-rice, tamarind-rice, lemon-rice
Dehradun - Salted cucumber
Gwalior, Bhopal - Boiled chickpeas with chile peppers
Surendranagar - Tea with camel's milk
Anand - Gota (fenugreek fritters), and milk from the dairy farm there
Khambalia Junction - Potato/onion/chili fritters
Dwaraka - Milk pedhas
Viramgam - Fafda (ganthiya), Poori + Alu-bhaji
Pendra Road - Samosas
Manikpur - Cream
Thanjavur - Salted cashewnuts
Bharuch - Peanuts
Maddur - Maddur-vade
Chinna Ganjam - Cashewnuts
Gudur - Lemons
Panruti - Jackfruit
Virudunagar - Boli (a thick sweet flat bread)
Sankarankoil - Chicken biryani
Srivilliputtur - Paal kova (a soft milk-based sweet)
Manapparai - Murukku
Fatehabad-Chandrawatiganj - Gulab Jamun
Mehmedabad - Samosa
Shamli - Aloo tikki
Gajraula - Tea
Vadodara - Flavoured milk
Thursday, 28 February 2008
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