17th March 2013
I like the word “thenga”. It is neither Hindi not Bengali nor Gujarati nor Marathi. Its pure Hindustani. It is understood by one and all. It rolls off from the tongue easily, fluidly and without any pretence. Above all, it conveys volumes without being offensive or abusive. In gentler Victorian times it was called Cocking a Snook, but in these days of fast food the English realized it was too time consuming for comfort, and they shortened it to “Sod Off”; the Aussies in their gruffness called it “Bugger off, Mate”. The average American – mentally, verbally and phoenetically challenged – simply reduced it to the Middle Finger sign, with the more articulate of the lot adding “Up Yours”. I also like the word Thenga because it sort of rhymes with Tango. They say it takes two to tango; but one can Thenga the whole world.
You could do a Thenga, and usually get away with it. As the Italians recently did to us. The Marines shot dead a few Kerala fishermen, went temporarily to jail, and then on a Supreme Court sanctioned holiday to the home country with a promise to return to do time. They broke their promise, and bolted permanently – and did a big Thenga to the Indian government. Harish Salve who pleaded the Italians’ case so effectively got egg in the face – sorry, Thenga. The Supreme Court? I don’t know, but I’d rather not be Thenga’ad by them. Now it transpires that the French did a Thenga to us in 1998 when they did a bolt after being arrested for spying off the Kerala coast. Pakistan Thenga’as us all the time.
Come to think of it – everyone Thenga’as everyone in this country. The public do it to the cops all the time by breaking every law. The Bombay Municipal Corp did the Thenga to the Supreme Court re: the hawkers issue. The Supreme Court recently ordered that there was a surfeit of Laal Battis, and ordered a crackdown. What happened? Ya guessed it mate!!! They were shown the big Thenga by cops, ministers, and every junior civil servant trying to act big. The SC also said “Off with tinted glasses”. Response? One hellava big Thenga.
Now, re: the Italian Thenga, our beloved and angry PM said he would take very strict action (Heh, heh, heh). My good friend Babubhai’s very good friend Popatlal remarked tongue-in-cheek, that the Cabinet has ordered banning pastas and pizzas in restaurants as a swift reprisal. That would bring the Italians to their knees! he said. He also said, seriously, I must add, that it was time our national emblem was changed to the Thenga. Worth considering, I muttered, only half tongue-in-cheek.
