Lessons in Urdu

M and I attended the Midival punditz concert a few weeks back. We also got one of the cds as a gift from a generous friend.

One of the tracks that was playing in the car as we were driving back home, was based on Ghalib's poetry- " har ek baat pe kehte ho..ki tu kya hai. Tumhi kaho ke yeh andaz-e-guftagoo kya hai". (stay with me- this is relevant to the rest of the story)

Needless to say, for someone who's gradually becoming familiar with Hindi, this had the same effect a heavy metal song might have on Mayawati- zero comprehension but immense wonderment.

" So, what does gufta-gu mean"

" It's a nice way of saying conversation-but you don't really use it colloquially"

" So would it be right to say- 'mere ghar aa ja. gufta-gu karenge?'"

" hahahahahah. no. that just sounds like a proposition"

" but is it not like 'vaartalaap?'"

" yes. it is the urdu equivalent of vaartalaap- but you don't use it in everyday language unless you are reading the news.....at home!"

" so how would you use it?"

" umm, if I were to compose a poem and say 'aa baith mere ru-ba-ru. gufta-gu karenge" (yes- this was at my poetic best)

"......"

"why don't you call up S and tell her that hum uske ghar gufta-gu ka pradarshan karne aa rahe hain"

"???!!!! silly- pradarshan means display!"

"what does the song mean anyway- each time you ask me, who are you?"

"no no. It's more of a probe into what you are...think of it as 'tu cheez kya hai' types"

"simple-main cheez badi hoon mast mast"

*give up+ apology to Ghalib*

Heavy metal might not be a bad idea. The mayhem does not conceal very many words.