Some Important Words Note from Meetings With The Maharaja
Bombay: A city, now Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra and an important center of Indian film industry.
Maharaja: head of an erstwhile princely state; the title has since been abolished.
Tinge : colouring, touch, trace.
Demeanour: behaviour, outward manner.
Sullen-looking: sulky looking. This means that the sofas are dark and heavy.
Paintings of the calendar variety: paintings that are too bright and vulgar, such as are to be found in cheap calendars. indecorously warped: inelegantly bent, twisted or damaged.
Jaisalmer: A city in western Rajasthan that was founded by a Bhatti Rajput prince, Rao Jaisal, in 1156 AD. In 1294 AD, the ruler of Jaisalmer seized a treasure caravan of Alauddin Khilji, who retaliated by sacking Jaisalmer after a siege of eight years. Khilji was 'repulsed' or resisted for eight years.
Encroachment: intrusion.
moot question: basic question.
Drawl: speak slowly prolonging the vowels.
lustreless: dull.
Word: begins with a capital since it is the royal utterance through which permission is to be given for making the film. The capital letter suggests the importance of the utterance.
In slow motion: a term taken from film making, a technique by which the pictures move more slowly than is normal.
Kufri in the Simla Hills: in Himachal Pradesh, above the snowline.
Mirage: an optical illusion caused by refraction of light on the heated air; especially the visual impression of a stretch of water at some distance in the desert.
Fortress town: a town built in and around a military stronghold.
Emblems: symbols, to indicate the imaginary kingdom of Halla.
Caparisoned : adorned.
Kumar Bahadur: the title of the royal cousin.
Trundle : roll on wheels.
Shrouded : covered The Maharaja's daughter was sitting behind the curtain.
Intruder : an unwanted entrant.
Thronged : gathered.
Shuffle off : to go off dragging one's feet.
Revved up : accelerated.
Manuscript: hand-written text.
Vault: an enclosed space covered by an arched roof.
Haveli: a house, with an open inner courtyard surrounded by rooms, generally the residence of a prosperous family.
Chandigarh: a well-planned modern city, partly in Punjab and partly in Haryana.
Bagha Byne: Robi Ghosh, the actor playing the part of Bagha.
Dholak : drum. In the film. Bagha's 'dholak' has magical qualities.
Saffron Jaisalmer marble: a variety of stone special to Jaisalmer, having a soft golden colour. The fort itself is built of this. The stone objects are polished, hence they gleam or shine. The stone has been polished so exquisitely that it makes the visitors breathless with delight and surprise.
However, they do not have the hard brightness or 'luster' of gold. They have a subdued shade and 'gold' is therefore said to have turned 'ascetic' or austere.
Muslim craftsman: To make stone float on water is a very rare skill. To give stone such lightness is a traditional craft. The Maharaja regrets that there is no one left in India to carry on the tradition.
Premiere: first show.
0 Comments