Haraam
'Haraam' is such an amazing word. Very poetic and sweet sounding. I have often wondered what it really meant, having heard it over and over in hindi cinema and then in college in its other more famous incarnation 'haraami'. Today I finally googled its meaning. Hmm. not quite what I'd expected.
The first things that come to mind when I hear 'Haraam' in a stand-alone context are the phrases 'harraaam zade' (even a 7 yr old kid can tell you that one, courtesy Hindi cinema), 'Haraam khor' and '..mera jeena/needien harraam kar diya hai' These days my roommates often use the phrase 'haraami aadmi' to adress one another. There are no real rules at home.. anyone can be a haraami aadmi.
This now brings me to the sweet memory of the two movies 'Namak Haram' and 'Namak Halal'. Did you know that 'Halal' is the antonym of Haraam! I'm not sure what either of those movie names mean though.
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The first things that come to mind when I hear 'Haraam' in a stand-alone context are the phrases 'harraaam zade' (even a 7 yr old kid can tell you that one, courtesy Hindi cinema), 'Haraam khor' and '..mera jeena/needien harraam kar diya hai' These days my roommates often use the phrase 'haraami aadmi' to adress one another. There are no real rules at home.. anyone can be a haraami aadmi.
This now brings me to the sweet memory of the two movies 'Namak Haram' and 'Namak Halal'. Did you know that 'Halal' is the antonym of Haraam! I'm not sure what either of those movie names mean though.
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4 Comments:
The Namak reference is a throwback to the times when salt was as expensive as gold (salarium = salt money). There is an Arab tradition that if you have eaten someone's salt (i.e. someone's food) then you are bound to his loyalty. Hence Namak Haram is one who betrays your trust thereby breaking 'the covenant of the salt'. Namak Halal is someone who hasn't become a namak haram yet.
Zulu boy totally unrelated to your post but how did you put up all these pictures on your side bar ??
Its damn cool.
As per your post, Haraam for something prohibited by the faith. (google)and Halal, it's antonym.
You don't even know this silly!!
:-)
sahi hai dude...nice article ..though I expected more masala
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