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FEATURED
ADVENTURES |
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PHYSICAL
FEATURES |
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PEOPLE
& CULTURAL |
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LOCAL LANGUAGES TERMS |
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In Gangtok and some other
bigger towns of Sikkim people understand and speak
English and Hindi. But in other places you may
have problems communicating so learning the following
Nepali survival phrases would be very useful. |
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Imagine you are trekking
your way towards the promised land and your knowledge
of Nepali is as good as your knowledge of Pali,
then you sure need help. But then what's this
website for ? Here is first-hand account that
will definitely give a boost in your endeavor
towards the promised land. Meet the Wanderer who
is exploring the mystical land of Sikkim, far
away from modern civilization where English is
seen but not spoken. |
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Our Wanderer knows Nepali
in bits but it is effective and helpful. He greets
people on way with folded hands and says "Namaste"
(common method of greeting people in Sikkim) and
the people are in his pocket. He is lost somewhere
and he asks for directions:
" Yo jaga ko naam kye ho? " (What's
the name of this place? jaga = place, naam = name,
kye=what ).
"Peri Bhanno Hous" (Can you repeat that?
Pheri = repeat)
"<destination> Kaha chaa? " (
Where is <destination>?" Kaha = where
)
" Khati time laag cha ? " ( How much
time will it take? Kati = How much ) |
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Satisfied, our Wanderer thanks
them " Dhanyanwad " (Thank you) and
marches on. On his way he comes across a beautiful
monastery and he knows he has to capture it in
his camera. He asks politely to the monks "
Ma photo linu shakchu?" (May I take a photograph?
Ma = I, linu shakchu = take). Thanking them, he
trudges on. Feeling hungry he settles on a road-side
restaurant and orders for snacks. |
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"Ek cup tato chay dinos
na" (Get me a cup of hot tea. Chay=tea, ek=one)
Pointing to one of the food stuff he asks "Yo
Kye ho?" (What is this ? Kye = What, yo =
this). He wants hot water " Tato pani "
or " Chiso pani " ( pani = water, chiso
= cold, tato = hot). When its time to pay the
bill " Bill lai dinos " ( Please bring
the bill. Lai dinos = please bring). Looking outside
he sees a vehicle moving towards his destination.
Rushing outside he halts the vehicle " Rhoki
dinos " (Please halt). The Wanderer asks
where the vehicle is heading for. " Yo <vehicle>
kaha zhancha " ( Where this vehicle is going?
Kaha=where). Our Wanderer is happy to know that
it is heading towards his destination. So he asks
for a lift, " Malai <destination> Lanus
". |
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Wanderer reaches a hotel
and asks for a room " Room kahli cha?"
(Do you have a room vacant? kahli = empty, vacant).
Next morning feeling refreshed, he goes around
hunting for souvenirs and strikes up a real bargain."
Khati? " (How much), " Khaseri? "
( How), " Kyena yati maungo? " ( Why
is it so costly? Kyena = Why, maungo = costly),
" Daam gata dino hos " (Please reduce
the price. Daam = price, gata = reduce). |
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Later Wanderer feels sick
" Jiyo Sancho Chaina " (I am feeling
ill) he tells and ask for the doctor, " Doctor
lai Bolia denu hous " (Please call the doctor.
Bolia denu = call for). |
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Later after recovering, he
offers " Dhanyanwad " to all those who
helped him and heads for home. All the local terms
he learned during his stay in Sikkim however remains
strong. When asked about his visit to Sikkim,
Our Wanderer smiles and says " Shaatis! "
(incredible) |
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