CC 2.1 Situation

In this lesson a foreign visitor asks a Delhi native how to get to the Qutub Minar. This lesson includes vocabulary for talking about location and distance, asking questions about actions in the present (habitual and in progress), and some food and cooking terminology.

CC 2.2 Strangers

In the real world, it would be unusual for a young woman like Ruhie to accompany a stranger on a wild goose chase across Delhi or invite him home for a meal. Likewise a foreign tourist might not trust someone he/she has just met in the bazaar. This being said, South Asian hospitality is famous and if you travel in South Asia, you will certainly be invited to visit the homes of people you have just met. Use your judgment.

CC 2.3 Asking Directions

For various reasons, getting accurate directions is nearly impossible in South Asia. People will assure you it is “not far” or “right here” when in fact your destination might be many kilometers away.

CC 2.4 Henna

Henna (mehndi) is a paste made from the leaves of a plant. When the paste is applied to the skin and left for several hours it dyes the skin a dark red color. When squeezed out of the narrow opening of a conical tube, henna can be used to make intricate designs. It also has a pleasant fragrance which remains in the skin for several days. In South Asia women (and sometimes men) will have henna applied to their hands on special occasions or just for fun.

CC 2.5 Sites in Delhi

This is the first lesson featuring sites in Delhi, the capital of India. The story begins in Dilli Haat, a famous handicrafts market. From Dilli Haat, the characters go to Lodi Garden, where they wander amid tombs of the 15th century Lodi dynasty. They then make a stop at India Gate, one of the landmarks of British New Delhi, to watch a monkey show. Eventually they get to the Qutub Minar, a national monument and World Heritage Site built in the early 13th Century.

CC 2.6 Clothing

Dustin’s upper garment is a “kurta” or traditional Indian long shirt. His lower garment is called “pajama” (this word is now used in English for a sleeping suit but in fact it is a Persian word meaning a “leg-covering”). Ruhie is wearing “shalwar qameez” which is the most common garment ensemble for women in Northern India and Pakistan.

CC 2.7 Monkey Show

The monkey show is a common sight in public places and tourist areas. The showman plays a little drum and the monkeys dance and perform little skits. Dancing bears were outlawed in India several years ago: monkey shows may be next.

CC 2.8 Auto Rickshaws

The vehicle Dustin, Ruhie, and Gulshan take from India Gate to the Qutub Minar is called an auto-rickshaw, or auto for short. They are also called “three-wheelers.” They are an inexpensive way to get around the larger cities of India, although they do not fare very well in collisions. All autos in Delhi now run on CNG (compressed natural gas) and as a result pollution levels have fallen dramatically.

CC 2.9 Puri

There are many different kinds of bread in South Asia. Puri is a flat bread that is deep fried until it puffs up. Very tasty!

CC 2.10 Fantasy Song

Hindi-Urdu films always contain song sequences: often the “picturization” of the song is all in the imagination of the hero or heroine. Dustin imagines himself on a rooftop across from the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur. The song is from the Indian film “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.”

CC 2.11 Hospitality

In South Asian culture, a guest must be fed even if she/he has stopped by without invitation or just for a few minutes. The bare minimum is “chai” or a cold drink with cookies or salty snacks, and a full meal is not unusual. Your host can be very insistent in pushing you to eat more, heaping food on your plate unbidden, and acting hurt if you refuse. The art of polite refusal is essential to survival in South Asian culture.