brahmin
the highest ranking of the four varnas, or social castes, in Hindu society
caste
the hereditary classes of Hindu society, believed to indicate a person's destiny
charpoy
a bed consisting of a frame hung with tape or ropes
dip one's beak into
a euphemism which Balram frequently uses to describe sex
ghat
a flight of steps leading down to a river
gulab jamun
a cheese-based dessert, similar to a dumpling
Halwai
an Indian caste destined to be sweet-makers; Balram was born into this caste
laddoo
a ball-shaped sweet made with flour and sugar
maharaja
a Sanskrit title for "high king"
Mother Ganga
a colloquial name for the Ganges River, the river which runs through India and Bangladesh, and which is sacred to Hindus
munna
a Hindi word translating to "boy"
Namaz
A Muslim prayer consisting of four units
Naxals
Naxals are militant Communist groups operating in India; they are considered to be terrorists
paan
a stimulating, psychoactive combination of betel leaf and tobacco or areca nut; it is chewed for a while and then spit out
Ramadan
the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed as a month of fasting
rickshaw
a passenger cart usually pulled by a man
rupee
the currency of India, currently worth 0.015 USD
tuberculosis
an infectious disease of the lungs caused by bacteria, and which is often diagnosed when the sufferer spits blood
vada
a savory snack similar to a fritter
vitiligo
A skin disease, common among the poor in India, that causes a lightening of skin pigment
