Glossary

Explanation of Spelling

The web site uses the English dictionary as opposed to the American dictionary. Words spelt with an 's' instead of a 'z' (for example, "organisation") are not mis-spellings. Other such word usage will be the use of 'ou' in place of 'o' (like "colour"). Thank you, and hope this site has served you well.

Glossary of Indian Terms Used in the Web site

1. Aachman:
   A Hindu relegious practice which involves drinking Holy water. Most rivers are deemed holy in India, and the waters are consumed as part of the rite. The condition of the water does not stop people from drinking it, which can lead to disastrous consequences.
2. Ashta Chakra:
   In Sanskrit Ashta means eight and Chakra means wheel. Ashta chakra is a 8-spoked wheel used as a pulley to draw water.
   
3. Bhakra-Nangal project:
   One of the first two "multi-purpose projects" taken up in independent India. The Bhakra-Nangal power projects were built to provide irrigation, power, and improve the economy of the state of Punjab.
4. Bihar:
   A state in the Northern India. The present name of the state of Bihar owes its origin to the "Vihara" built by Lord Buddha who attained spiritual enlightenment on this land and preached love, peace and tolerance. The site of the present day state capital, Patna, was once home to Emperor Ashoka's capital city, Pataliputra.
5. Brahmaputra:
   Literally it means child of Brahma, the creator. The Brahmaputra rising in western Tibet, flows for some 1300 km through the the Himalayas, then turns south west and then south, joining the eastern-most branch of the Ganga (The Padma).
6. Feroze Shah Tughlak:
   With the accession of Jalaluddin Feroze Shah, the rule of a new dynasty (Khaljis) was established in Delhi. Feroze Shah, cousin of Muhammad, came to throne in 1351. He was not successful and could not control the rebellions which broke out in the different parts of the empire. However he is credited with numerous public welfare works, like construction of schools and hospitals. He established new towns like Ferozabad, Fatehbad, Jaunpur, Hissar, Firoza and Firozpur.
7. Ganda Nala:
   In the Hindi language, it means "dirty culvert".
8. Ganga:
   The Ganga, famous alike in legend and history, is considered the most sacred river by the Hindus. It covers the heartland of ancient Indian culture. It originates in the Himalayas and flows through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal to merge with the Bay of Bengal. Ganga and its tributaries Yamuna, Gomti, Garga, Sarda, Gandak Chambal, Son and Kosi, spread out like a fan across the plains of India. They form the largest river basin in India, with an area one quarter of the total area of India.
   
9. Jawahar Lal Nehru:
   The first prime minister of India (1947-64).
10. Kosi:
    A river in India. A tributary of the Ganga. Famous for its proximity to the Corbett National park, a tiger reserve in the Kumaon hills of Uttar Pradesh
11. Mathura:
    An ancient city whose origins fade into the mists of history. It is situated on the west bank of river Yamuna, 145 kms from Delhi. It derives its glory and sacredness from being the birth place of Lord Krishna.
12. Mehergarh:
    A city of the Indus-Saraswati civilisation, now a part of modern day Pakistan. There are references in the Rig Veda (the Ancient Hindu treatise) to cities and fortified settlements in Mehergarh.
13. Nana:
    In the Hindi language, this word stands for the paternal grandfather, Dada being the maternal grandfather.
14. Paani Morcha:
    In the Hindi language, Paani means water and Morcha means strife. As an organisation dedicated to the struggle for water conservation and the fight against pollution, this seemed an apt name to adopt.
15. Rajiv Gandhi:
    The late Indian prime minister and son of Indira Gandhi, also late prime minister of India.
16. Saraswati:
    A mythical river, said to converge with the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. It is now being said that Saraswati originated from the "Har-ki-dhun" glacier in West Garhwal along with river Yamuna. Based on the evidence provided by hydro-geological and archaeological studies, scientists are convinced that the mythological river, named after the Goddess Saraswati, was actually a major source of sustaining civilisation in this part of the subcontinent until about 2000 BCE.
17. Shah Jehan:
    Mogul emperor of India (1628-58), under whom the dynasty reached its zenith. Succeeding his father Jahangir, he extended Mogul authority into the Deccan plateau (eastern India), subjugating Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, and Golconda in 1636, but lost Kandahar in the northwest to the Persians in 1653. His reign marked the high point of Indo-Muslim architecture, with Delhi being rebuilt as Shahjahanabad, while the Taj Mahal and Pearl Mosque were constructed at Agra. On falling seriously ill in 1658,he was dethroned and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.
18. Sindhu:
    The Indus river, which the ancient Indians called the Sindhu, has lent its name to India. Its valley on both sides have been the seat of a civilisation, that was not only older also superior in many respects to the fabled civilizations of Sumeria and Egypt. This historic river has five major tributaries-the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, and the Sutlej. These in turn have inspired the name Punjab (punj = five & ab = river), the land of Five Rivers. The Indus rises from Mount Kailas in Tibet and traverses many miles through the Himalayas, before it is joined by its tributaries in the Punjab. Thereafter it passes into Sind (Pakistan) to merge with the Arabian Sea.
19. Swara Bhaskar:
    An Indian name. Swara, a feminine first name, means melody. Bhaskar, a last name, also used as a first name, stands for the Sun.
20. Tehri:
    Tehri township in the Uttarakhand region of Uttar Pradesh, where the Tehri Dam is under construction, on the Bhagirathi River. Tehri Dam is being built primarily for hydropower in the seismically active Himalayas, a region which is expected to experience a magnitude 8.0 earthquake in the next century.
21. Uttar Pradesh:
    Uttar Pradesh is one of the border states of the Indian Union. Its northern border, running along the Himalayas, touches Tibet and Nepal. Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan are situated on its western and south-western borders, Madhya Pradesh is to the south and Bihar is on its eastern border.
22. Yamuna:
    The Yamuna River rises in the Himalayas and flows south and southeast across northern India, past the cities of Delhi and Agra to join the Ganga near the city of Allahabad. The confluence of the two rivers is holy to Hindus.