The sum of all our parts

By Uma Kumar

Image credit: Omar Lopez on Unsplash  

My husband teases me about being stuck in the 70s and 80s where my preference for Hindi movie songs is concerned. I protest and point out that I do enjoy listening to new songs, too, but the following story goes to show that he may be right.

Before we were able to listen to any song and to also watch any video clip on our phones, we used to rely on audio cassette tapes. I had a box full of tapes of my favourite songs and always had music playing as I did chores around the house. My neighbour Muriel loved the sound of many of those and even had me tape Asha Bhosle’s Raat baqi, baat baqi... for her.

She would also often ask me what certain words meant and I would tell her that this was a great way to learn a new language.

One day I was listening to Nazar ke saamne, jigar ke paas and she asked me to translate the words for her.

Jigar stumped me. I had never given it much thought, but why would someone be close to your liver? Because that’s what jigar means in Hindi – liver!

I asked my mother the next time we spoke on the phone and she began to laugh.

In songs, the lyricists used it to mean heart or to denote close friendships, she explained. I shared that new-found knowledge about old songs with Muriel. 

What’s your story? Every newcomer, no matter how savvy or where he or she comes from, has a story to share about their early days in Canada. Do you want to share your story? E-mail it to us at canadaboundimmigrant@rogers.com.