Words often conceal more than they convey. Today, we’ll be unpicking, unpacking, and more, a word we use countless times every day, but are only getting to know now. Waghaira, our very own etcetera, is a word we use here, there, and everywhere. It’s ...continue reading

Last week I dropped in on an old friend for dinner. Since I had arrived early - around 5-ish - her mother offered tea, which I was only too kind not to refuse. Cutting to the chase, we had tea. It was around 6:15 and we started noshing in on some sna ...continue reading

The interplay between a word’s literal and colloquial use often results in discoveries beyond interesting! In this blog, we’ve dug out a familiar - yet not-completely-known word - that might raise your eyebrow to the top ...continue reading

Last time around, we picked a tiny, tiny word ‘Jaa’ to lay bare how words actually build our everyday lexicon. Continuing the series, here I am bringing you another little word that has enabled several other words to come to their feet ...continue reading

As odd as it may sound, the smallest piece in a puzzle is often the most central to its coming together. It’s also the one that takes the least space and eventually can’t find its place on the maze, at all!  On the maze of words too, there are tin ...continue reading

Urdu was born in the 12th century from the regional Apabhramsha of northwestern India. This newly-born speech was a breed of amalgamation of the Hindu and Muslim cultures (during the 12th to 16th centuries); a composite product of Ganga-Jamuna tehzee ...continue reading

During the Victorian times, one unsaid phrase of caution was known by all women alike: ‘You must know how to say no. ...continue reading

This verse above by Faiz Sahab is inarguably among the most adored couplets of Urdu language. But besides its evocative imagery and nostalgic vibe, do you know what’s the secret behind Ghazal-lovers reciting it over and over, like a cryptic Mantra ...continue reading

How funny it is that the moment we hear someone go on a rant about their guts and grits, we know it's an act of bravado and almost instantly blurt out, ‘BaDe Tees Maar Khan Ho!’. But do you know how this backhanded compliment-cum-saying came about ...continue reading

Whether it’s Eid or Diwali; the daughter graduating or the son grabbing his first job; bringing home your first pet dog or that dog giving birth to a pup, however modest or momentous the occasion is, our expression is almost always the same, ‘Mubarak ...continue reading