Of Crocodiles and Tigers and Hanging in Between A Picture book of Bengali Proverbs
by Damayanti Chakravarty
Of Crocodiles and Tigers and Hanging in Between A Picture book of Bengali Proverbs
by Damayanti Chakravarty
Printed: February 2012 Published: National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad All illustrations and accompanying stories are original works of the author. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Contact: damayanti.design@gmail.com
Preface If you have ever wondered about certain phrases being used in certain situations without actually talking about what is really happening, then this is the book for you. This picture book is aimed to be a fun way to get introduced to a treasure chest of Bengali proverbs. Soon you will begin to discover how you can use them confidently while talking to your parents and friends, and even when you are writing stories or essays.You will find pronunciations and meanings of all the proverbs explored here at the end of the book.
Haradhan and Haribala, married for twenty years, cannot stand each other. One shouts, the other screams. One complains and the other nags. Just as their neighbour Bijon babu was going for an afternoon nap, he noticed the couple quarrelling yet again. This time, for not remembering to get salt from the grocer’s. Always at each other’s throats, even their cat wonders how the marriage still lasts. Perhaps it is because these soulmates are actually made for each other.
뙳> ƒ¸à¤à ët ³> 냤ã, sighed Bijon babu to himself and went to sleep.
Rocky was aspiring to be the next big name in Bengali metal music. He would dedicatedly listen to his favourite bands, screaming the songs, air guitaring and perfecting his body gestures to get the right moves on stage. Sometimes he would even sit with the videos for hours and practise. Of course this daily routine did not go down too well with his jyathamoshai, especially when he wanted to sit down and meditate in the evening. after office He just did not understand how metal could be a form of music! It gave him indigestion. Truly,
A à¹* ìšïÈ ³àÎ A à¹* Τ¢>àÅ
Little Piklu was a curious boy. His mother always asked him to walk straight and make no eye contact with the older boys sitting round the corner. But yesterday he simply could not resist the temptation of finding out how Partho da and his friends never go to school or work and have so much fun playing cards all day. Before he knew it, he was laughing at their dirty jokes and learning how to gamble. When he reached home two hours too late and talked back to his mother in foul words, she gave him one tight slap and packed him to his room.You see
ë™ ™àÚ ºSàÚ ëÎÒü ÒÚ ¹à¤o
Pinky and Mili have been best friends since they were two. Yesterday while they had gone out for ice-cream, the next door dog, Banjo, sneaked in and playfully chewed up some of their toys. He even disfigured their favourite teddy. Pinky was furious and marched away, fighting to check her tears. When aunty said that she will get her no new toys until next birthday, she protested, saying that was still another five months away! Her mother would simply not listen to her pleas. Mili however refused to throw dear teddy away. After all,
ë>Òü ³à³à¹ ëW ìÚ A à>à ³à³à ® àº
Classes just do not seem to end. Writing, reading, listening, followed by more reading and more writing! Ms. Rosy, the class teacher, keeps a sharp eye so that all students think twice before even budging from their seats. But today when she left early due to an emergency at home, all hell broke loose. The corridors echoed with squeals of excitement, while the principal got complaints from other classrooms. He should have remembered to send in a substitute teacher, but now it was too late. It was a classic case of
¤à³å> ëKº Q¹ ëtà ºàR º tå ìº ‹¹
Tukai overslept in the afternoon and was late for the cricket match. He got ready like a tornado and raced out. At the staircase, he remembered that he would not be allowed to bat if he did not show his new 3D sticker to his friends. Now where could he have kept it? He came back, frantically looking for it as if his life depended on it. Under the bed, inside the cupboard, between the pages of some text book or maybe in his jeans pocket? Standing at the doorway, his mother laughed at the mess.
JìlØ ¹ KàƒàÚ áåWò ëJàò\à? Tukai grumbled and promised to clean up later.
This year the Puja Committee organizers at the Bansipara Sarbojonin Durgotsav unexpectedly got a lot of funds for the first time. Overjoyed at their luck, they decided to invite the famous Carnatic classical singer Shrimati Padmakumari to grace their cultural evening after the idol visarjan. The lights dimmed out and her beautiful voice boomed into the microphone. Slowly and steadily the crowd started disappearing as they were more eager to see Tinku Rani the Tollywood actress dance at another cultural event nearby. The organizers watched in disbelief and understood how they had engaged in
l üºå¤ì> ³åìv û à álØ àì>à
For Dolly, nothing made her happier than playing with cute little puppies on a lazy afternoon. So, when she passed by Dutta babu’s bungalow the other day, she automatically stretched out her hands, making funny clicking sounds to call out to them. What she had not anticipated was that their mother was closeby watching her every move. If only Dolly had taken care before feeding them she would have been saved from getting the painful tetanus shot. The doctor exclaimed,
[>ì\¹ šàìÚ Aå lØ æº ³à¹ìº, Didn’t you read the sign at the gate?
It has been three days since Tina came back home from school with fever. That meant no watching TV, no playing with the kids in the colony and no junk food. While thakuma suggested beetroot juice, the maid came with a trusted ayurvedic medicine, mother kept giving her cold compress till she sneezed, and doctor uncle scared her with a sharp tipped syringe. She felt helpless and frustrated. If only they all came to one conclusion and let her rest, she will be back in school in no time. Don’t they always say..
"[‹A ÎĸàÎãìt Kà\> >Ê
Bibhoo chor was a notorious thief in Das-para. He could wipe anyone’s house clean of all contents within a matter of five minutes. He knew all nooks and corners, and had skeleton keys of all shapes, sizes and combinations. Tonight he misjudged the time and entered Mrs Dasgupta’s house while she was still awake. A feisty old widow living alone for years, she for one knew how to handle crooks. Soon as he tried to exit through the main door she hollered and took him by surprise with a broom. Bibhoo, unable to think better, jumped out of the window, only to realize they were on the 15th floor. She heaved a sigh a of relief,
\ìº Aå ³ã¹ l àR àÚ ¤àQ No way out!
뙳> ƒ¸à¤à ët ³> 냤ã
Pronunciation: Jemon Dyaba Temon Debi Literal Meaning: A Goddess fit for the God Contextual Meaning: Made for each other
Aà¹* ìšïÈ ³àÎ A à¹* Τ¢>àÅ
Pronunciation: Karo Poush mash karo sharbonaash Literal Meaning: For some it is a beautiful winter, for some it spells doom Contextual Meaning: What is good for one may be hated by someone else English Equivalent: One man's meat is another man's poison
ë™ ™àÚ ºSàÚ ëÎÒü ÒÚ ¹à¤o
Pronunciation: Je jae Lanka-e shei hoy Rabon Literal Meaning: Whoever goes to Lanka becomes Ravana Contextual Meaning: Even good people fall prey to bad influence English Equivalent: Spoiled apples spoil the good ones
ë>Òü ³à³à¹ ëWìÚ A à>à ³à³à ® àº
Pronunciation: Nei mamar cheye kana mama bhalo Literal Meaning: Better to have a blind uncle than have no uncle at all Contextual Meaning: Something is better than nothing English Equivalent: Half a loaf is better than none
¤à³å> ëKº Q¹ ët à ºàR º tå ìº ‹¹
Pronunciation: Bamun gelo ghar toh langol tule dhar Literal Meaning: When the Brahmin leaves for home, the farmers put away their plough Contextual Meaning: When the leader is gone the subjects will make merry English Equivalent: When the cat's away the mice will play
JìlØ ¹ KàƒàÚ áåWò ëJàò\à
Pronunciation: Kharer gadae chhoonch khonja Literal Meaning: To look for a needle in a stack of hay Contextual Meaning: Very difficult, almost impossible to find English Equivalent: Needle in a haystack
lüºå¤ì> ³åìvûà álØ àì>à
Pronunciation: Ulubone mukto chhorano Literal Meaning: To scatter pearls in the ulu (a local weed) forest Contextual Meaning: Offering something of value to someone who does not know how to appreciate it English Equivalent: Throwing pearls before swine
[>ì\¹ šàìÚ Aå lØ æº ³à¹à
Pronunciation: Nijer paye kurul mara Literal Meaning: To hack one's own feet with the axe Contextual Meaning: Inviting trouble voluntarily English Equivalent: To dig one's own grave
"[‹A ÎĸàÎãìt Kà\> >Ê
Pronunciation: Odhik shonyashi-te gajon nashto Literal Meaning: Too many sanyasis singing together will spoil the Lord's song Contextual Meaning: When too many get involved with a task, there is chaos English Equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth
\ìº Aå³ã¹ làR àÚ ¤àQ
Pronunciation: Jale kumir dangae baagh Literal Meaning: Crocodile in the water and tiger on land Contextual Meaning: Having to make a choice between two equal dangers English Equivalent: Between the Devil and the deep blue sea
Acknowledgements I am extremely grateful to my project guide, Chakradhar Saswade, for letting me take up this project and believing in me although I approached him at the last hour. He helped me gain confidence in myself and pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of. I also thank all my language teachers who have taught me in school and college for making me fall in love with words. I would not have been able to do this project sitting in Gujarat if I had not called my family in Calcutta for help, who patiently clarified all my doubts every now and then. They were my sounding box whenever I had a new idea or story. Lastly, I would like to thank all my friends in NID who openly praised, criticized and motivated me. This book is very close to my heart and I hope to continue with similar projects in the future.