Get Your "Kundis" to the D.C. Meetup, 3/25

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March 14, 2006

“Anyway monay, can I call you right back? I was in the middle of reports…”

“Ma? Please, really quick, ‘cause I’m writing something?”

“Vat?”

“Does kundi mean “ass” or “anus”?

Sigh. A deep breath is inhaled.

“This is for your website? Kundi is chunthi. Koothi means anus.”

“Let me be painfully careful— kundi and chunthi are like…the butt cheeks?”

“Yes, they are what I would like to kick right now, absolutely.”

“So, like, you could use kundi in the following context: “get your kundi on the dancefloor?’”

Another sigh is sighed.

“YES.”

“I knew it!”

“You knew what?”

“I knew it meant ‘ass’! Because you always said, ‘ninde kundi marredi!’ to the dog and I couldn’t see you meaning “Girl, move your anus!”

“Edi, I have to go. I will call you back, though not to teach you any bad Malayalam—”

“But I still don’t know what thendi means-“

“I love you. Good. BYE.”

:+:

Sheesh…the tribulations I endure, just to research important issues for this blog. ;)

Speaking of the Mutiny, our first-ever DC meetup is less than two weeks away. Are you excited? I’m excited. In fact, I’m so giddy to meet you, I’m testing out new brands of shimmery eye-shadow in anticipation (to see which will leave the most glittery residue on you when we air-kiss) and I will be wearing Aish-scara (so that I can blink a breeze, in case the weather is as “unseasonably” warm as it has been these last few days).

We didn’t pick a venue, but I have two very different ideas to offer you:

We could go to Adams Morgan’s Tryst, which is where I laid un-Aishscara’d eyes on Abhi for the first time or
We could keep things REALLY brown and do a brunch OR dinner of Mysore Masala Dosas at Georgetown’s Amma Vegetarian Cuisine. They are closed from 3:30 to 5:30 so we could meet early (12:30-3:30) and have plenty of time or meet later and have even more time (5:30-…5:30?).

Either way, if we are all madly in lowe with each other and we don’t want the magic to end, there are possibilities for further adventures near both restaurants. Thoughts? Arguments for me to relay to my saintly Mother about her Malayalam? Marriage proposals for Abhi? Let the comment-riots begin. ;)

POSTED BY anna @ 7:55 PM

142 comments

1 · daycruz on March 14, 2006 9:40 PM · Direct link

ANNA! You should have just asked me what thendi meant, I would have told you! Any ways, when someone says "Poda patti! Thendi! Narri"

It just means "Go, male dog! Vagabond! Stinky guy!"

How come malu cusswords suck?

2 · A N N A on March 14, 2006 9:49 PM · Direct link

daycruz? that was hilarious. :)

3 · dhaavak on March 14, 2006 9:55 PM · Direct link

ohh.. thanks for the tips on the eats... and probably will try them out in my next trip to DC probably not next week tho' - damn it, sign! sign! ... my last visit (and the first) was - uh- grey ... staying in some ugly spot near pentagon city - no place to run, couldnt find a place to eat... ended up eating at a chipotle's and a soy burger in a shmoetel - now that dosa... I could sink my teeth into that right about now.... mmm ... drool.

4 · Kenyandesi on March 14, 2006 10:02 PM · Direct link

my matako will be there...can NOT wait!!

5 · A Malayalee on March 14, 2006 10:06 PM · Direct link

Anna - I just left a comment on the playboy nehru article, but I'm feeling queasy about it so let me say it here instead, where the subject matter is highly appropriate....

I've always heard kundi = turd and chunthi = ass...and I thought, like, all malayalees knew this.....and I was hoping for an enlightened and/or sensitive malayalee to bring it up, since kundi was being bandied around willy-nilly (okay, I totally stole that from the office)....perhaps its a regional thing within kerala...hmm...nuff said.

6 · A N N A on March 14, 2006 10:13 PM · Direct link

a mallu-

there are definitely regional differences, and when i continue the convo i had w/my mom on one of my personal blogs, i'll get in to that. ;)

also? "theetum" is "poo", AFAIK.

7 · badmash on March 14, 2006 10:15 PM · Direct link

Anna - HAHA I can't believe that you had that conversation with your mom. Oh, I'm laughing so hard there are tears in my eyes... :D

Daycruz - Narri means "bastard". Here's how I know - I called someone that in Kerala, thinking that it just meant "smelly-guy" or something like that and he almost kicked my kundi for it. I was all confused until a cousin, who had watched the whole thing transpire, explained it to me.

8 · Rivka on March 14, 2006 10:23 PM · Direct link

well it would literally mean stinky guy but imply bastard, same for thendi. Even using poda with someone you don't know that well is considered offensive here in Kerala...we're a touchy people I guess:-)

9 · ryan on March 14, 2006 10:30 PM · Direct link

can readers come too? i just started a job in DC and will be moving there as soon as i find a place.

10 · A N N A on March 14, 2006 10:36 PM · Direct link

ryan, we would love to have you. :)

:+:

and just to clarify-- all are welcome: readers, lurkers, bloggers, haters, fembots, hobbits, lemurs...come oooooon down.

11 · siddhartha m on March 14, 2006 10:45 PM · Direct link

finally some news we can use! the endless debates about the us-india nuclear deal or the map of kashmir were getting a little monotonous. thanks ANNA for doing your thing.

speaking of meetups, my own oversize kundi will be jostling on the regular for subway space in new york city not long for now. vij, cicatrix, desidancer and the rest of y'all, stay tuned.

peace

12 · Abhi on March 14, 2006 10:47 PM · Direct link

The thing that makes me most nervous about these meet-ups is that you never know who people are because you haven't seen a real-life picture of them. What if I introduce myself to some random person thinking that they are there for the meet-up? Just to prevent any possibly embarassing situations, here is a recent picture of me so you will recognize me when I show up to the meet-up.

13 · Ennis on March 14, 2006 11:00 PM · Direct link

You could all go in Guy Fawkes masks ...

14 · A N N A on March 14, 2006 11:13 PM · Direct link

The thing that makes me most nervous about these meet-ups is that you never know who people are

weird...they always find me just fine. ;) if you'd like, we can do name tags again, since that was SO successful at the last SMeetup in nyc...

siddhartha, i'm just doin' my job. thanks for noticing! :D

by the by, i'm in nyc monthly-- most recently last friday, as i mooched off the Vij at madras mahal, which is where that yummy photograph above was snapped-- i want to meet you! oh yeah, seeing pooja, cicatrix and DD would be fab, too. ;)

15 · dhaavak on March 14, 2006 11:36 PM · Direct link

speaking of meetups, my own oversize kundi will be jostling on the regular for subway space in new york city not long for now.

uhh... are we talking about this old man.

16 · beet-red on March 14, 2006 11:47 PM · Direct link

Did your mom say anything about "kundi" meaning "ass" and... "vagina?" (Oh my god, I feel like a kid whispering about condoms, tampons and puberty). In my family, it's always meant both and my whole life, the word has always been strangely profane (e.g. I would never talk about a "kundi" to anyone, but then again, I've heard little girls affectionately called "kundi-girl" by their mothers). Maybe it's just me, yeah, it probably is...

When I was a kid, about ten, a servant in my aunt's house used to chase me around, sit on me and then scare the hell out of me by saying "one of these days my 'front kundi' is going to eat you!" Fuck.

17 · badmash on March 14, 2006 11:59 PM · Direct link

Beet - whoa that's freaky!

18 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 12:02 AM · Direct link

awwww, beet-red...

i find it slightly adorable that discussing shame-shames inspires such a comment from you. ;) and i'm fairly sure that kundi doesn't refer to anything in front-- my mom would've mentioned it (and i would've blogged it!) if it did, so i'm confident that it...doesn't.

i think what your auntie's servant (what a sick fuck!) was torturing you with was...a threat involving an undi, though i've always been a bit confused as to whether only boys have one of those. i mean, when you're a toddler and they're being all cutesy and saying "mookeh (nose)...kanne (eye)...chevy (ear)" while pointing to each respective feature to teach you body parts, they never get to this stuff. in any case, i'm horrified that you went through that experience. eeeeek.

in other news, i can't believe i'm having this conversation via comments, though i know, i started it so i shan't complain. still, this is usually done face-to-beet-red-face and it generally involves inebriation, inappropriate jokes and giggling to sort out such significant matters. ;) i get the feeling that this is going to be SOME meetup. :D

19 · rversde23 on March 15, 2006 12:20 AM · Direct link

oh my sweet goodness. all this south indian lingo is dizzying. i wish i could spit some konkani for you all, but it would probably make sense to five people total.

k-back to ANNA's original question, I say Tryst cause of all the reasons. Or, Ben's Chili Bowl. ;)

20 · browngrlnwhite on March 15, 2006 12:28 AM · Direct link

well, i'm getting the feeling that i seem to be the one with greatest grasp of malayalma so far. yeah, i agree that there are colloquial differences in how the term is used, but i know people from all over kerala (some who speak more coloquial talk than other), and i've always heard kundi used as the equivalent of booty. so yeah, i think we should stop debating this.

i get the thing about the pervy servant. i've come across quite a few who are pervy in various ways.

PS- how come they never teach this in malayalam class

21 · dc desi on March 15, 2006 12:31 AM · Direct link

i say tryst for the animal biscuits with a tureen of cappucino!!

22 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 12:32 AM · Direct link

chai, i lurve me some tryst too, but i wonder if your choice is influenced by convenience? ;)

23 · A Malayalee on March 15, 2006 12:42 AM · Direct link

are there any other desis out there who get mistaken for somalian/ethiopian at tryst? i know there are a lot of east africans who hang out there...interesting how a lot of mallu girls get taken for somali girls...i've been guilty myself of getting it wrong the other way around.

24 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 12:46 AM · Direct link

A Malayalee-

From the link in my last comment:

..."Little Ethiopia" (apparently the aforementioned DCist decided against "little Addis Ababa", for obvious reasons) surrounded me as if I were in a bizarro version of Jackson Heights. The same little sub-street level cassette and DVD shops that you walk down a few metal or concrete steps to get to, all blaring their wares in a language I dont speak...the same random beauty parlors where practically no English is spoken and mais oui, restaurants galore...I suddenly became self-conscious as I always do around Ethiopians, since I am often mistaken for one to the point of being accosted by angry older "uncles" who demand to know why I don't speak my mother tongue, right after I innocently ignore whatever they initially say in Amharic to get my attention. Each of these exchanges is inevitably completed with a benevolent smile once they realise that I do, indeed, have quite the excuse for "neglecting my (their) culture" as well as the excited admission that I look JUST LIKE one of their cousins. That explains it, you see.

25 · A Malayalee on March 15, 2006 12:59 AM · Direct link

Anna - you're spot on :) I could also totally identify with the demands of "India or Pakistan?"...somehow its charming when I'm mistaken for an ethiopian...but not for a pakistani...not because of anything to do with the pure land but the fact that the speaker is ignorant about ethiopians looking nothing like pakis....

tryst is a great place for a dc meetup...perhaps with an appreciation of intimacy borne from sharing our mutual knowledge of dirty words, we might one day be able to have an SM brunch at Perry's, not far from Tryst :) complete with drag queens dancing.

26 · dhaavak on March 15, 2006 1:14 AM · Direct link

ha... funny, i've heard it from arabs and palestinians, that it's relatively easy to separate people with indian origins from those from pakistan - something to do with the eyes. of course - to the color sensitive - it's all one shade of brown from ecru to mocha - much the way no doubt that all europeans are 'white', be they spaniards, serbs, danes etc.

but really - this is positive - i truly believe reaching out to another means there is something in the other that what one wants to see - i am quite swarthy but it isnt unusual for polish grammies in my neighborhood to start talking to me in the cashier line in polish now and then.

of course i'm quite overflowing with contentment right now - a lab puppy ran over to me this evening on my walk and wanted to play - no doubt he saw something positive. it's a positive sign. i trust labs.

27 · Boston Bombayite on March 15, 2006 1:16 AM · Direct link

i wish i could spit some konkani for you all, but it would probably make sense to five people total.

hey do spit some out, will try and validate them for you.. :)

but which konkani? mangie, goan, karwar, saraswat, catholic?

28 · Amrita on March 15, 2006 1:31 AM · Direct link

and when is the next NYC meetup going to be then?

29 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 1:40 AM · Direct link

But you can get caught for saying stuff that seems completely innocent to you at first but someone else in the room will be horrified. For example, right after our church service, my friends and I were joking around about English movies dubbed in Malayalam. I proceeded to do Darth Vader's line from Star Wars:

"Lukos, Nyan ninde thantha ane"

(Luke, I am your father)

Apparently, Thantha is a very vulgar way to say father in Malayalam. I had no idea! Everyone in the church was absolutley stunned. I cleared my throat and went again

"Lukos, Nyan ninde appan ane"

Everyone was happy.. I think I came pretty close to gettin lynched there.

30 · Ravi the Lurker on March 15, 2006 1:45 AM · Direct link

Kit manta, Riverside? All these shame shames make me want to shower. Or eat dose.

31 · A Malayalee on March 15, 2006 1:56 AM · Direct link

okay this is my favourite mallu proverb: (my dad used to say this to me to shame me out of my last-minute ways...) kooran nokumbe chunthi thappua (translated: when you're looking to defaecate, you're still trying to find your ass)...how much more subtle can we be?

32 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 2:07 AM · Direct link

A mallu-

I thought defecate was "thooran" not kooran
Are you a thekkar or something?

33 · A Malayalee on March 15, 2006 2:20 AM · Direct link

daycruz - elaborate please? you might be right....

34 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 2:26 AM · Direct link

A mallu-
Thekkar- as in are you from the thek- or the South?
They might say things a little differentaly than me,
I'm from Trichur- and my thekkar friends always make fun of my accent.

35 · A Malayalee on March 15, 2006 2:30 AM · Direct link

half my family is from trichur too...they speak the purest form of malayalam there ;) it is after all home of the puram

36 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 2:45 AM · Direct link

daycruz wrote:

I thought defecate was "thooran" not kooran

...and he is right. :) it's the former. also? this is the most juvenile thread EVER. :D

37 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 2:48 AM · Direct link

That's what you get for stirring things up, Anna! Juvenile talk from yours truly...

38 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 2:51 AM · Direct link

Also, this is why I love Malayalam. When I'm sitting at the cafe with buddies and such... best way to make fun of people walking by.. good times, good times. Anna, next time you do a meetup in Portland (never) we'll do this.

39 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 2:53 AM · Direct link

daycruz,

never say never...i owe my uncle george and valsa auntie a visit. ;)

40 · Zimbly Mallu on March 15, 2006 3:00 AM · Direct link

Well I think my malayalam proficiency is not that bad (particularly in this context) ;-)
So here it goes:
Kundi = Ass, not Anus/Vagina or anything else.

A Malayalee :
Its "Thooran nokkumbol parambu thappua"
Literal translation : Searching for plantation when you have to attend nature's call.

In order to understand this proverb, you need to know that in olden days when there were no proper
sanitation (atleast among the poor in village), they just did it among the trees in areca nut / coconut groves.
Now you badly wanna go but you are seaching for a bunch of areca nut trees to hide and you cant find any!!
Got the gist? What this proverb means is you gotta plan ahead, not get stuck in the end when there's not real time :-)

Talking of Kundi, :) I remember this one time when I was a kid, we were travelling in train in Gujarat, me and my sis (she was 8 and I was 12) found a novel way to kill time - repeating a word over and over again till it finds a different meaning. I asked her to keep saying "Dinku" non-stop :-) There was just another guy sitting in that coupe and we didnt really care, Imagine my embarrassment when after some time that guy talked to my dad in malayalam!!

41 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 3:07 AM · Direct link

Anna....

You are kidding me...

George and Valsa?....

You know them?

Are we talking about the same people?

42 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 3:13 AM · Direct link

You're Neha's cousin??

43 · Camille on March 15, 2006 3:37 AM · Direct link

I'm not in DC, and I don't speak Malayalam, but I strongly vote for Tryst! It's one of my favorite places in DC, hands down, and definitely my fave cafe there.

44 · Taz Snow on March 15, 2006 5:13 AM · Direct link

Oooh, my tummy still hurts from all the laughing! Too mucking fuch, I say!

BTW, what does 'Poda Pulle' mean? I mean, should I deck a guy because he says it to me? Or can he get away with being glared at?

45 · midwestern eastender on March 15, 2006 5:37 AM · Direct link

but then again, I've heard little girls affectionately called "kundi-girl" by their mothers

My friend's Swiss girlfriend calls her daughter something that sounds like "shnooglifootz" which apparently translates as "snuggly c*nt." (yes Anna, guess what Cocteau Twins "fotzepolitic" means...) ;)

In Hindi class recently we learned "dunda", which made me and a Malayalee guy start giggling. The teacher was like, what? I replied that I'd only ever heard my British Asian friends use it in a rude manner. So of course the other students were asking, and the teacher exclaimed "It just means stick! You know, like when an old man holds his dunda!" ...which just made me and the guy laugh even more. ;)

I'm actually digitizing a client's footage of Kerala right now...I'll keep an ear out for people cussing on the beach!

46 · chick pea on March 15, 2006 6:08 AM · Direct link

i say tryst... and then head over to madam organs for old times sake (for me)
can't wait can't wait can't wait :)

47 · Al_Mujahid_for_debauchery on March 15, 2006 6:22 AM · Direct link

i know there are a lot of east africans who hang out there...interesting how a lot of mallu girls get taken for somali girls

Thats actually kinda silly. Somalians look nothing like Desis. Here is a photo journal of some Somalian women.

48 · Jai on March 15, 2006 7:35 AM · Direct link

this is the most juvenile thread EVER. :D

"Dirrrty South" indeed.....

49 · la ciudad de chocolate on March 15, 2006 7:57 AM · Direct link

yes finally; we be meetin' in my hood.
I'm down for anywhere that serves vegetarian.
Really looking forward to it!

50 · badmash on March 15, 2006 8:18 AM · Direct link

Taz - now "poda pulle" I have used without eliciting too much of a reaction. I think it just means "away with you, grass/straw". I prefer something a li'l more creative - "ninde kunde pullanne" (yo ass is grass).

51 · ST on March 15, 2006 9:24 AM · Direct link

Had to say it:

daycruz - that's funny because "thande" in kannada is the proper name for father, whereas "appa" is a informal name.

anna - i was young when the local boys in my village taught me this, but "kundi" in kannada refers to the front side.

it's sort of funny how words here and there in malli match kannada.

52 · Su on March 15, 2006 9:33 AM · Direct link

Anna,I always thought koodhi meant buttcrack..
My fav lines taught by my Mallu pals; "joli noki po patti" and "pee tinna po"

ST...as a hardcore Kannadiga, I know for sure "kundi" is the backside in Kannada...

I just can't bring myself to say the word for the front side... *runs away red faced*

53 · Mumbaikar on March 15, 2006 9:49 AM · Direct link

Daycruz said:

"It just means "Go, male dog! Vagabond! Stinky guy!"

I thought "patti" meant bitch and "naya" meant male dog. However in daily usage "patti" is used almost all the time irrespective of the gender. I never knew "naarri" meant bastard, i think it just means stinky guy

54 · Neha on March 15, 2006 9:52 AM · Direct link

Nyan Ninne Snaehikkunnu!

That's all I got.

55 · The Desi Nole on March 15, 2006 9:52 AM · Direct link

She does not post for a while and then overnight she has 50 odd comments. ANNA for president... Anyone ?

On a different note, I am still searching for comments related to the meet up and thinking if I should make the trip. There are gonna be a whole bunch of new faces...

And hold on ... were you guys not supposed to meet at Philly ? Or atleast that's what I thought. Whats up with that ?

56 · badmash on March 15, 2006 11:04 AM · Direct link

Aw, Nyangal ninne snehikunnu too Neha :)

57 · msichana on March 15, 2006 11:08 AM · Direct link

My kundi, ghaand, ass, matako, bund etc etc etc will be there for sure!

58 · Jai on March 15, 2006 11:10 AM · Direct link

You guys have all got Booty Fever.....

Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course (SM Standard Disclaimer)

59 · rversde23 on March 15, 2006 11:27 AM · Direct link

Boston Bombayite and Ravi the lurker:

you two made my day. konkani pride. i spit manglorean konkani and i literally spit it sometimes. on my del.icio.us, i have tagged a very special page for us konks. a page that brings me much happiness, for i can mutter these words underneath my breath while listening to folks on my bus or the metro. here is the wonderful page. enjoy my fellow konks, and commence the muttering.

from migale gandi to yours.

60 · green angel on March 15, 2006 11:35 AM · Direct link

A Malayalee:

Kandi = turd
Kundi = ass

I've always been totally confused by the whole Kundi vs Chanthi thing. For a long time, I thought Kundi was "vagina" and Chanthi was "ass"... then someone told me it was the other way around. Then someone ELSE told me they both meant "ass". I'm still not sure which is which.

Maybe it's a usage thing... meaning they derive their meaning by the way the words are used?

61 · Nita on March 15, 2006 11:35 AM · Direct link

well there's always putty penah as a mallu swear, (female dog)

62 · rversde23 on March 15, 2006 11:36 AM · Direct link

oh my...lookie here. i don't speak malayalam, so don't know how accurate this is, but it's a good jumping block for those who need to impress their keralite brothers and sisters.

63 · rversde23 on March 15, 2006 11:38 AM · Direct link

omg. the site has alot of NSFW pictures. sorry!!!!!!!!

64 · Joe on March 15, 2006 11:52 AM · Direct link

BEST and Vilest Malu cuss word EVER:

MAIRAY: pubic hair ...dad would call mom that in times of both anger and tenderness...cute eh?

65 · badmash on March 15, 2006 11:59 AM · Direct link

Hehe, I heard that "miray" in Tamil just means "hair". I can just see the scene where a Tamilian walks into a barber shop in Kerala and asks for a haircut! :D

66 · Mola Ram on March 15, 2006 11:59 AM · Direct link

I thought "patti" meant bitch and "naya" meant male dog. However in daily usage "patti" is used almost all the time irrespective of the gender. I never knew "naarri" meant bastard, i think it just means stinky guy

I could be wrong but as I understand it, "naya" and "patti" are Malabar and Travancore appellations of "dog."

i.e. "nayande mon" & "patti kutti"

67 · badmash on March 15, 2006 12:02 PM · Direct link

Oh an here's another one. I've been told that "aiye" in Tamil means "kaka". Manse (mind) is the same word in Mallu and Tamil. But when we say "Mansillaiye" (understand) in Malayalam, it means "kaka in the brains" to a Tamilian :)

68 · kannada_purist on March 15, 2006 12:04 PM · Direct link

Kannada equivalents:
kunde, kundi, tika, mukuli = arse
tunne = penis
tullu = vagina
chummi = penis or vagina (try to beat us here!)

69 · siddhartha m on March 15, 2006 12:14 PM · Direct link

this is an amazing education. you guys should put a password on this page and charge for access. move over berlitz.

i think sepia mutiny should begin a line of "roots trip" products aimed to promote cultural awareness and reconnection among the diasporic youth. the series of swear-word primers (with interactive online teaching modules) would be a great flagship launch product.

70 · Sonia on March 15, 2006 12:36 PM · Direct link

Wow .. this thread is definitely going to bring SM a lot of sketchy hits from the search engines =)

71 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 12:40 PM · Direct link

WAY to focus on the negative, soni-a ;)

72 · YesKay on March 15, 2006 1:31 PM · Direct link

I am surprised no one so far has mentioned "lauda" or "laude-ke-baal".

73 · najeeb on March 15, 2006 1:44 PM · Direct link

I thought "patti" meant bitch and "naya" meant male dog. However in daily usage "patti" is used almost all the time irrespective of the gender. I never knew "naarri" meant bastard, i think it just means stinky guy

This is all true.

"MAIRAY: pubic hair ...dad would call mom that in times of both anger and tenderness...cute eh?"

This is a pretty derogatory word in malayalam and AFAIK, not something dad would call mom :)

74 · DJ 88 on March 15, 2006 2:03 PM · Direct link

when someone says "Poda patti! Thendi! Narri" It just means "Go, male dog! Vagabond! Stinky guy!"

I think a more modern translation of "thendi" would be a bum. Embarrassingly enough, I had to look up the meaning of vagabond and I was way off on what I thought it meant. And a lot of the mallu curses are more offensive than their literal translations would indicate (i.e. narri, pulle)

But I think in the "what does kundi mean?" debate, I put one more vote in for ass. I'm no expert of the language, being born and raised in NY most of my life, but I did live in Kerala for 3 years (from age 11 to 13, prime curse-learning years).

75 · Joe on March 15, 2006 2:17 PM · Direct link

"MAIRAY: pubic hair ...dad would call mom that in times of both anger and tenderness...cute eh?"

This is a pretty derogatory word in malayalam and AFAIK, not something dad would call mom :)

Oh, they know that...dad doesn't really do that anymore, he has tempered in his old age...but hey, when we were young it was tossed around; what can I say, they were the product of a lowe marraige; maybe the passions were more heated then; and then again maybe they were just a very weird couple...I miss the good old days, when dad, would yell across the room, 'Edi mairay, where is my socks?'...its like some people co-opting the word bitch, or ass-licker, or what-have-you as a term of endearment as well of derision. Only couples really in love do that; or at least that I've made myself believe that. Warped, I know :-)

76 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 2:33 PM · Direct link

Awww, Joe...I think it's cute. Especially if your Mother had a similar term of endearment for HIM. ;)

77 · Kenyandesi on March 15, 2006 2:40 PM · Direct link

A Tamilian:
I think you need to stop sniffing your kundi (Tamillian version). The fumes are affecting you.

78 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 2:44 PM · Direct link

with regards to the disagreement which started all of this, manish was using the MALAYALAM word "kundi". so rants about how "his tamil is off" are neither well-taken nor necessary.

79 · badmash on March 15, 2006 2:45 PM · Direct link

Yo Tamildude - yeah we left the stifling climes of Tamil Nadu for greener pastures, but we brought our magnificent culture, delicious food, picturesque landscapes and all of the beautiful women along with us.

... oh and the Communism too ;)

80 · Sonia on March 15, 2006 2:50 PM · Direct link

WAY to focus on the negative, soni-a ;)

hey, i just want to see a list of the phrases that bring people to this site after google picks up on this thread =)

81 · Southie-Dadi on March 15, 2006 2:56 PM · Direct link

For the record I wish disavow myself from "A Tamilian", as it was our exchange that prompted a multitude of South Asian expressions on the defecation organ. It was never my intent to initiate any form of hate speech nor spout vile, nonsensical horse manure on Southern Indian history/culture. Obviously the word has separate connotations in the pantheon of Dravidian linguistic diversity, and as much as it prompts me to cringe, I respect SM's nuanced usage of it. However, keep the cusswords from other languages coming, because if it isn't your own, it doesn't prompt as much discomfort.

82 · A N N A on March 15, 2006 3:02 PM · Direct link

For the record I wish disavow myself from "A Tamilian", as it was our exchange that prompted a multitude of South Asian expressions on the defecation organ. It was never my intent to initiate any form of hate speech nor spout vile, nonsensical horse manure on Southern Indian history/culture.

*applauds*

83 · Mousepad Marauder on March 15, 2006 3:02 PM · Direct link

A discussion on the word "kundi". How enlightening! Lookup some of the common cusswords on urbandictionary.com if you have some time to kill. ex: chutiya.

84 · Ray on March 15, 2006 3:16 PM · Direct link

Ah! this is enlightening, i have learnt more malayalam swear words in the last 6 hours than I knew in the last 40 years. See, as a "Marunadan Malayalee" I focused more on Urdu and Hindi cuss terminology than Malayalam. Better late than never. Stimulating topic, indeed!! Special thanks to the link in #62 ;-)

85 · Joe on March 15, 2006 3:24 PM · Direct link

Especially if your Mother had a similar term of endearment for HIM. ;)

Haha...that reminds me of a good she used sparingly...she didn't cuss as much...
Kazhaveride mon ...and that one I''ve never figured out... Son of a Kazhaveri...what the hell is a Kazhaveri? Anyone?

86 · enlightened!! on March 15, 2006 3:37 PM · Direct link

That was zimbly funny. I had a parrot in India, who used to say kundi kundi. His name was mani kutty. sometimes he used to get confused and say kudni kudni. LOL.
Have fun everybody!!

87 · Wantok on March 15, 2006 3:57 PM · Direct link

A Tamilian -

Kundi means anus in Tamil? First time I've heard that. I've lived in Madras for a while and am very certain that Kundi means ass in Tamil too. "soothu" (sorry, had to say it to explain it)- I think means anus. Anyway, who cares, its all in good fun.

88 · the pagal one on March 15, 2006 4:15 PM · Direct link

I only hope that i'm able to remember some of the 'useful phrases' that i have learned today and apply them in real life.. like, for example, at the DC meetup..

89 · Rani on March 15, 2006 4:40 PM · Direct link

have to put in my 2 mallu cents:

chanthi / chunthi -> definitely means ass or butt cheeks
koothi -> definitely means anus

as for the kundi debate, it generally means butt cheeks but can sometimes be used to refer to the rectum, which is where i think people confuse it to mean anus...

the best translation of thendi is a loafer...
kazhverda monay / molay ----> is the male & female version of son of a bitch not in its literal translation but in the equivalent meaning implied... "po kazhvere" kind of means "fuck off", but literally means "go die"

stuff like "naari" (stinky), "pulle" (grass)...take on a new meaning in the context of an insult (just as insults between friends take a different meaning)...

badmash, you said "poda pulle" to someone and didn't get a reaction? ...surprising..

90 · rversde23 on March 15, 2006 4:41 PM · Direct link

not a problem ray. i hope you enjoyed the words and not the NSFW pics. ;)

91 · Jai on March 15, 2006 4:50 PM · Direct link

I think "Thavalayolee" and "KaldaRavana" are the funniest and most surreal ones.

92 · badmash on March 15, 2006 5:00 PM · Direct link

Rani - well, he just kinda laughed (at me)! :)

93 · daycruz on March 15, 2006 5:00 PM · Direct link

Looks like my comment about my grandfather earlier was deleted. It was a joke, people! A tamillian, I apologize, I lived in Tamil Nadu and know Tamil very well. Didn't mean to insult ya..

94 · badmash on March 15, 2006 5:01 PM · Direct link

OMG - Jai, where did you learn these words??? Are they from the website? :D

95 · Wantok on March 15, 2006 5:05 PM · Direct link

"Thavalayolee" - Is that Tamil? If so, does that mean what I think it does,i.e. frogs? Thats is surreal.

96 · Jai on March 15, 2006 5:07 PM · Direct link

Badmash,

Yes they're from the link supplied earlier by "rversde23". As a north Indian (obviously) I don't know any Southie words, apart from the Sinhalese phrase "Oi yappe". My friend who told me that phrase alleges it has something to do with, er, "girlcrushes", but I don't know if he's telling me the truth.....

97 · Eddie on March 15, 2006 5:40 PM · Direct link

Wantok:

What does soothu moodikan po! mean?

98 · Sin on March 15, 2006 6:04 PM · Direct link

Frankly, I'm stunned. :)

Anna, please have a lemon martini at Tryst for me! PLEASE. Or go to the Reef! Or Local 16!!! I miss them all so.

99 · Mumbaikar on March 15, 2006 6:15 PM · Direct link

"Kundi" means flower pot in Marathi. As a kid i couldnt stop giggling when i heard our friendly neighbourhood "kundi wala" selling flower pots or when a Maharashtrian aunt would say that this is a nice flower to put in the "kundi"

100 · Jai on March 15, 2006 6:17 PM · Direct link

Thavalayolee" - Is that Tamil? If so, does that mean what I think it does,i.e. frogs? Thats is surreal.

Maybe some guys get turned on by that "ribbit" sound frogs make, or the fact that when the dude finishes, the frog's launched like a rocket and makes a bright green splat on the wall opposite.

Unless it's all going on outdoors, of course, in which case you have all these frogs being fired into the air from suspicious-looking Mallu guys doing questionable things in bushes.

101 · PSU on March 15, 2006 6:36 PM · Direct link

Sigh!! Kundi in Hindi means the bolts for the door. Kundi daalo
would put my brother and me into peals of laughter.
Kundi Kholo Kundi Daalo

102 · chick pea on March 15, 2006 6:37 PM · Direct link

not to distract from the fun conversation that is going on above..but what are the final plans/times/etc for March 25th? just have to get a few other things scheduled in that day as well in my DC jaunt... and abhi.. love your picture.. here is my self-portrait :)

103 · ggg on March 15, 2006 6:39 PM · Direct link

OK listen up biatches!

KUNDI = BUTT

KUTHI = ASS

BUTT vs ASS. The word kundi gets thrown a lot around kerala. Kuthi is much more serious curse word. Ex. KUTHIMON = asshole. Kazhuveride Mon = Fucker. Pulayadi Mol = Whoring Bitch. Kunna = Dick.

So the next time you see a mallu, knock yourself out!

Bye 10dz

104 · Kenyandesi on March 15, 2006 6:44 PM · Direct link

my vote would be Tryst late afternoon (4.30 onwards)

it looks like it'll be great fun :)

105 · Zimbly Mallu on March 15, 2006 7:11 PM · Direct link

PSU:

How about "Darwaaje pe kundi lagao" (Latch the door)
:-D

106 · Lola Kutti on March 15, 2006 7:19 PM · Direct link

Suprirsing no one made any references to "Lola Kutty".

Search Link

107 · Abhi on March 15, 2006 7:38 PM · Direct link

I like Tryst but it seems like we may have a lot of people. Wouldn't a restaurant be more private? You can only re-arrange so many couches, chairs in Tryst until you become a large blog or have to break up the group into several smaller sub-mutinies. Maybe we should wait to see how many people RSVP before settling on a venue. Just a thought.

108 · Boston Bombayite on March 15, 2006 8:19 PM · Direct link

you two made my day. konkani pride. i spit manglorean konkani and i literally spit it sometimes. on my del.icio.us, i have tagged a very special page for us konks. a page that brings me much happiness, for i can mutter these words underneath my breath while listening to folks on my bus or the metro. here is the wonderful page. enjoy my fellow konks, and commence the muttering.
from migale gandi to yours.

riverside that page is the money!

Zonyachea...Qualwont ..wow..they roll off the tongue superbly...

and who knew we actually had one called Bonkmari..that's absolutely classic .. ROTFL

so many good words..i'm gonna retire my old favorites like chutiya, BC and MC..
it' hightime cuz I think Yumricans are getting wise to some of them..especially chutiya..so it's good to diversify :)

109 · thenga on March 15, 2006 8:24 PM · Direct link

andi = dick {both american nick names!!!}
kundi = ass {mostly used by youngsters, both in reality and as a word ;) }
chandi = ass {the word used mostly in literature and by elders}

mandi = stupid female...

you could; chinda = thought.

you shud just have asked....!!!

110 · thenga on March 15, 2006 8:31 PM · Direct link

once i was in pune at a small grocery store...I heard a a pretty woman asking...

"char andi de mala" something like that in marathi.the word andi was very well pronounced and echoed....MAN !!! i started laughing out loud in the store and not a mallu around to share my feelings..obviously people around me started getting irritated....i had to escape from there...(odi thalli)....

111 · kashtam on March 15, 2006 11:09 PM · Direct link

Never thought the day would come when I'd read kundi, thendi and worst of all mairay on SM! Alas, what can I look forward to next?!?
Can I wear a lungi to the SM meetup? I'll wear undies boxers, I promise.
Can we get SM t-shirts with the word kundi on it? I'll buy atleast 50 5 of them, I promise.

112 · kannada_purist on March 16, 2006 12:24 AM · Direct link

"Kundi" means flower pot in Marathi

I think that was derived from another Dravidian word "kunda". kunDa in Kannada means pot; "hoo(vu)-kunda" means flower pot.

113 · Anshi on March 16, 2006 1:03 AM · Direct link

"Kundi" in Punjabi means a lock on the door!

114 · gtf on March 16, 2006 1:43 AM · Direct link

rversde23, that link is good ! Except for a few obviously literal translations of Americanisms, it is pretty accurate.

Brings back memories )

and to add my two bits to the discussion

Chundy and asanam are polite terms for bottoms across Kerala. In the Malabar, Kundi is an acceptable substitute and won't raise too many eyebrows.In Central Kerala, however, it is used only when politeness is not intended.

Andi is normally used for balls ( lit. nuts ) but sometimes for dick. And Nari (lit. stinky) is used not to denote somebody stinks, but that somebody's actions are really vile and they stink. Hence a person who does really f*up stuff is a Nari.

115 · MadMan on March 16, 2006 9:33 AM · Direct link

Anna, vaire pani illiye? ;)

116 · Kenyandesi on March 16, 2006 9:52 AM · Direct link

I like Tryst but it seems like we may have a lot of people. Wouldn't a restaurant be more private? ... Maybe we should wait to see how many people RSVP before settling on a venue. Just a thought.

fair enough, but can we pick a time? I still vote for late afternoon onward :)

And Abhi, (and any other e. african asians (or those who love us)) Msichana, Chickpea and I are planning a little meet up so we can gorge on desified e. african food (makai, mogo, maandazi, matoke, kachri-bateta...ok, well we'll see what we can do :)and speak our warped gujrati/punjabi/swahili, so if anyone is interested please let me know in advance.

Kwa heri ya kuonana

117 · Alfie on March 16, 2006 10:40 AM · Direct link

After seeing our home team win a match a bunch of us mallus went cheering

"Ethae nammal jaichirikunnu, elevaraum Kazhi addi!Kazhi addi!"
Translated to [We have won the match everyone clap their hands!,clap their hands!]

A bunch of my tamil friends go rolling on the floor laughing hard

Kazhi addi mean to "whack of" in Tamil

Next time around Tamilians I keep my kazhi addi to myself. :))

118 · A N N A on March 16, 2006 11:03 AM · Direct link

abhi raises VERY valid points-- on the weekends, it may be difficult to get an entire "area" at a joint as popular as Tryst...it also can get very loud and someone else pointed out to me offline that people are often smoking there, which can be unpleasant if you want to spend more than 10 minutes hanging out/need to shout to be heard. oh, and they turn the wifi off on friday nights, so THAT little perk is out. ;)

like kenyandesi, i would prefer an evening-ish meetup, b/c it turns out that i may be in new york that morning. perhaps that would be easy for atl's bean, as well? i'm starting to think that Amma at 5:30ish might be our best bet. i know the people who work there, the all-wegetarian food is wonderful (and cheap) and they won't care if we take over the whole damned place.

can i get an early headcount?

ryan?
dc desi?
a malayalee?
la ciudad de chocolate?
the pagal one?

i don't have contact info for any of you, so you'll have to shpeak up. :)

people i CAN harangue via email =

chai
chickpea
kenyandesi
msichana
abhi

so...i guess we've got an "official" count of six?

119 · chick pea on March 16, 2006 11:07 AM · Direct link

i'm down at 5:30... i think kenyan desi and i will meander our way down from baltimore :)... can't wait can't wait.. and when you do get a final head count ms. anna, let me know.... surprises galore :) ---the bean from hotlanta... yes.. we're baked pure goodness..

120 · chai on March 16, 2006 11:20 AM · Direct link

im down for ammas. if anyone is interested, i'm going to catch "wall snatchers" at the old staple center before hand. email me if interested.

121 · Kenyandesi on March 16, 2006 11:28 AM · Direct link

Ammas at 5.30 then...I was talking to a sometime lurker/infrequent commenter friend who can't make it. He's jealous. He should be.

122 · msichana on March 16, 2006 2:30 PM · Direct link

Sweet...

Anna, my man will come along too. So your official count is 7. Hehe. Where is this ammas place again? And it's five thirty on the 25th of march, right?

123 · Kenyandesi on March 16, 2006 2:49 PM · Direct link

Amma's: 3291 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007

124 · ente mone! on March 16, 2006 9:55 PM · Direct link

hmm.. interesting discussion.
haven't read mallu talk online for quite some time.
you guys heard of mallu chorichu mallal? i.e. mallu spoonerism?

125 · dhaavak on March 16, 2006 10:52 PM · Direct link

Unfortunately I will miss the grand gettogether by a week. I will swing around to Amma's though to partake in the delicious dosai though

Need a little bit of guidance from a local. Please. Can you recommend a reasonable hotel on the orange line around bethesda? the most reasonable deal i am getting is something in vienna. i've tried orbitz and expedia but the cherry blossom thing seems to be suckign all vacancies. I'm hoping there's a little non-chain hotel/inn in your know that might be reasonably priced. Pls email and a HUGE thank you!!!

sorry to butt in your thread Anna - hope you dont mind? :-)

126 · A N N A on March 16, 2006 11:05 PM · Direct link

honey, bethesda is on the RED line. :) you're getting vienna b/c it's on the orange. ;)

127 · dhaavak on March 16, 2006 11:13 PM · Direct link

oops... swap that then... i need to be on the red line . -thx Anna - i'm getting vienna because the wolftrap motel (yes there's such a motel) is the best deal under $250/night I can get right now :-)

128 · Kenyandesi on March 17, 2006 8:21 AM · Direct link

Dhaavak check out hotels.com. I can usually find GREAT (4-5 star) hotels for $99-$120, especially over weekends...

129 · Cinammon Rani on March 17, 2006 12:08 PM · Direct link

I'm in, but parking isnt very good at Ammas!!!

130 · Cinammon Rani on March 17, 2006 12:13 PM · Direct link

Kenyandesi, I may not be E.African, but does S.African count? :) Anyway my husband is E.African and I know he would love to throw around some swahili. Anyone know any Afrikaans?

131 · Kenyandesi on March 17, 2006 12:55 PM · Direct link

Cinammon Rani, You and hubby are MORE than welcome to come...email me (unbwogable AT gmail DOT com) and I'll send you all the details...

baya dankie!

132 · A N N A on March 17, 2006 10:14 PM · Direct link

I'm in, but parking isnt very good at Ammas!!!

take the metro. :) when i was in grad school, i walked to Amma's every single day from GW (foggy bottom: blue and orange lines).*

that calorie deficit you rack up via a very pleasant walk down Penn. Ave/M st will be obliterated by your third bite of dosa. ;) if you don't feel like walking, take the 32 from farragut west. easy-peasy, nimbu-squeezy.

*and you wonder why Amma lowes me. :D

133 · dhaavak on March 19, 2006 12:19 PM · Direct link

Hello: Thank you for your tips in reply to #125. made the reservation. maybe i'll run into you, no? :-)

134 · TamBrahm on March 21, 2006 3:51 PM · Direct link

Wow, this has been quite educational in terms of Mallu swear words. I'll have to show the huz who is half-mallu. As a Tamilian, I can confirm that kundi= ass/asshole, I don't know if there are distinct words. Ditto 'soothu', but in Brahmin speak 'soothaamaattai' is actually a polite word for ass.

And just to clarify, 'mairu' does mean just hair. The context makes it mean pubic hair. My mom would always say 'tala mairu' or 'head hair' so it could never be misconstrued! Tam Brahm lingo is pretty different anyway, I only have to open my mouth to identify my lineage (which, interestingly, is mixed).

I need an education in Tamil cusswords. I know all the choice Hindi ones. :)

135 · MaluMan23 on June 3, 2006 2:19 PM · Direct link

What the hell is going on in here? How man ppl here seriously wants to constantly read the definition for ASS in malayalam?

KUNDI/CHANTHI = ASS
KOOTHY = ANUS

DONE OK??? Lol im jk, i just had to add to this funny messaging board.

136 · darx on June 19, 2006 5:09 AM · Direct link

Preemptive blabber blocker

Kundi/chunthi = ass
Koothi, Kotham (derived from gudham) = anus
Patti = dog (gender neutral)
Koothichi = bitch
Koothipatti = bitch (dog)
Avaradhi = sexual vice (adjective)
Thayoli = motherfucker
Pannu = fuck
Pooru = vagina, cunt
Kunna = penis
vanamadi = masturbation
Mula = breast
Kanth (maybe derived from cunt)= clitoris

137 · A N N A on June 19, 2006 8:14 AM · Direct link

Aside from those first three, I've never heard of any of those words. Anyway, kundi is now an accepted part of SM lingo, for all brown people, no matter where they are from. There's no need to get in to the rest of this because I'm never going to use anything besides that word to raise eyebrows when I'm writing.

138 · DIvyaa on September 5, 2007 11:51 AM · Direct link

Guys,
What Koodhi/Koothi or pundai means is vagina. Kundi is buttocks not anus. :)

For all this visit http://indiancinemasala.blogspot.com

139 · Escargot on April 23, 2008 6:53 PM · Direct link

Wow, now that (nbr 136) was officially offensive.Kaka theetum to all.

140 · Escargot to go on April 23, 2008 7:01 PM · Direct link

Okay, now that's (136) officially offensive.Kaka theetum to all.

141 · timeismoney on September 26, 2008 9:45 AM · Direct link

It is good to know bad words first to know th language. I am non mallu man . I have mallu tamil, telgu friends. I like to reconfirm that they are teaching correct words

TIM

142 · kamadevan66 on December 14, 2008 2:13 AM · Direct link

very good kotham njan nakkum manappikkum enikku istamanu kothathintay smell

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