''A Secret Language of Prisoners in North Indian Jails''
In a fascinating research conducted by Dr. Indra J. Singh in 1980s, it was revealed that prison inmates in north-Indian jails have a secret argot which they use to communicate among themselves.
In a fascinating research conducted by Dr. Indra J. Singh in 1980s, it was revealed that prison inmates in north-Indian jails have a secret argot which they use to communicate among themselves.
In this argot, each prison inmate was categorized by identity markers. These markers thus formed a diamond shaped hierarchy of prison inmates with sīdhe-sāde सीधे-साधे लोग (commoners) in between the two pyramids.
Guru / Dādā गुरू / दादा = bullies / boss
Pahalwān (wrestlers) पहलवान = fitness enthusiasts (mostly non-violent)
Mast log मस्त लोग = entertainers (tell jokes, stories, poems etc.)
Pujāri पुजारी = religious minded people
Dalāls / Cugalkhors / doglas दलाल / चुगलखोर = squealer
Pahalwān (wrestlers) पहलवान = fitness enthusiasts (mostly non-violent)
Mast log मस्त लोग = entertainers (tell jokes, stories, poems etc.)
Pujāri पुजारी = religious minded people
Dalāls / Cugalkhors / doglas दलाल / चुगलखोर = squealer
Miān-Bīwī मियाँ बीवी = homosexual couple
Ganjerī गंजेड़ी = dope peddlers
Aslī log असली लोग= who refuse to comply
Chuī Mui छुई-मुई = touch me not (isolators)
Pagalī Ghantī पगली घंटी = emergency alarm
Kuttā ghar कुत्ता घर = Solitary confinement
Ganjerī गंजेड़ी = dope peddlers
Aslī log असली लोग= who refuse to comply
Chuī Mui छुई-मुई = touch me not (isolators)
Pagalī Ghantī पगली घंटी = emergency alarm
Kuttā ghar कुत्ता घर = Solitary confinement
I have written more on Secret languages in other threads. One of them was on the secret language of Homosexuals of Delhi (‘Fārsi’)
Another was on ''Language of the Underworld in West Bengal''
And this was on the ''Secret language of Thugs in Colonial India''
And the last on ''Language of Hindi/ Urdu speaking Hijras हिजड़ा🌈 (transgender people)''
