# Punjabi: What is a Parandha



## bakshink

This thread is linked here http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1330360

Long hair  are considered an asset in women. 
In old times when wigs were not invented a cord faishoned out of cotton strands was woven with the  braid to give deception of their length and to keep them secured.

Later it became a sort of style statement (something like a song about the popularity of Jeans in 70s.....I am alive, I am alive I wear my Levis with pride) and in place of it being of a deceptive black colour it started being made in bright colours with fancy tassles at ends to give the hair a decorative or ornamental enhancement. There is a Punjabi song " Kali teri gut te parandha tera lal nee... Hey girl your braid is black and the cord (to tie it with) is red in colour.

The old humble small string for camouflage was called Prandhi and the big ornamental piece for ostentation and show off, hanging at the backs and swaying with gait, like a snake became popular as Prandha.

Now with long hair themselves becoming unfaishonable Prandha too is getting lost in history.


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## panjabigator

> Kali teri gut te parandha tera lal nee



I only know it from this song, though I believe my mother and sister both own some.  What exactly is your query?  I believe it's that fake hair that is interwoven between the pleats of a girl's braid.

What is this called in Hindi/Urdu?


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## lcfatima

I have always heard it as paraundha, with a rounding of the second vowels. Is that a regional thing, or my mistake?

Also, I think we add eyeliner to highlight eyes, jewellery to enhance beauty, etc. It is just a beauty enhancement, maybe not meant to fool anyone into thinking the wearer has longer hair, just to enhance the natural braid and make it sparkly.


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## bakshink

Dear PG
I haven't asked anything in the thread. It's just a continuation of discussion on this subject being carried on fom the thread "Dried methhi ".

Dear Icfatima,
We call it Prandha. Even in the song I have mentioned above the word spoken is Prandha. Praundha may be a regional variation like.

Some people call Prantha and others Prauntha ( Punjabi fried chappatee like bread).


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## BP.

Oh so its what you might call _maSnoo3ii zulfai.n_ if a cultural word hadn't existed. I believe I've seen some once.


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## Faylasoof

panjabigator said:


> I only know it from this song, though I believe my mother and sister both own some.  What exactly is your query?  I believe it's that fake hair that is interwoven between the pleats of a girl's braid.
> 
> What is this called in Hindi/Urdu?



Good question PG! I'm not sure if we have a word of ours for this. 

I've always wondered why we Hindi- / Urduphones never had the need to invent a word for this. Or did they (our ladies) never need it?  

I know in Pakistan, <paraandaa / paraandha> are used, but that is Punjabi influence on the Urduphones there!


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## Qureshpor

Faylasoof said:


> Good question PG! I'm not sure if we have a word of ours for this.
> 
> I've always wondered why we Hindi- / Urduphones never had the need to invent a word for this. Or did they (our ladies) never needed it?
> 
> I know in Pakistan, <paraandaa / paraandha> are used, but that is Punjabi influence on the Urduphones there!


*
chuTiilaa
*


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## BP.

Did you just misspell _chuTiyaa_-braid?


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## Qureshpor

BelligerentPacifist said:


> Did you just misspell _chuTiyaa_-braid?



*No, it was not a typo. My understanding is that "chuTiyaa" would be the Punjabi "gut" whereas "chuTiilaa" is the 'paraaNdaa".*


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## panjabigator

Is "chuTiyaa" another word for "choTii"?


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## Faylasoof

QURESHPOR said:


> *
> No, it was not a typo. My understanding is that "chuTiyaa" would be the Punjabi "gut" whereas "chuTiilaa" is the 'paraaNdaa".*


Jaanaab-e-waalaa, in Urdu there are two meanings of چٹیلا that I am aware of. One is pronounced *chaTiilaa *(here)and the other is* chuTiilaa *which comes from چوٹ = hurt. So both  چٹیلا *chuTiilaa* and چٹیل *chuTiil* mean چوٹ \ زخم كھا یا ہوا = one who has been hurt / wounded etc. 

The other way we use it is as a compound term referring to the manner in which hair is braided چٹیلا پن *chuTiilaa pan*!

So unless this *chuTiilaa *you refer to also now means a _parandha_ in a desperate attempt to fill a gap in Urdu, then I can only say the word چٹیلا *chuTiilaa* means as above and we don't have a traditional Urdu word for _parandha_. In fact, most of us use _parandha_ anyway! 



panjabigator said:


> Is "chuTiyaa" another word for "choTii"?


Yes, _muHataramii_ PG! Actually _chuTiyaa_ is a diminutive of _choTi._ When girls / women have less / too little hair to make a healthy looking _choTii_ their sparsely braided hair make a thin _choTii_ called a _chuTiyaa_!


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## BP.

Yes gator, and I'd imagine it's a dimunitive _chooTii_, as _chooTii-lette_ as it were.


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## panjabigator

Wonderful. Good to know.


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## Qureshpor

Faylasoof said:


> Jaanaab-e-waalaa, in Urdu there are two meanings of چٹیلا that I am aware of. One is pronounced *chaTiilaa *(here)and the other is* chuTiilaa *which comes from چوٹ = hurt. So both  چٹیلا *chuTiilaa* and چٹیل *chuTiil* mean چوٹ \ زخم كھا یا ہوا = one who has been hurt / wounded etc.
> 
> The other way we use it is as a compound term referring to the manner in which hair is braided چٹیلا پن *chuTiilaa pan*!
> 
> _*So unless this chuTiilaa you refer to also now means a parandha in a desperate attempt to fill a gap in Urdu, then I can only say the word چٹیلا chuTiilaa means as above and we don't have a traditional Urdu word for parandha. In fact, most of us use parandha anyway! *_



*Yes, this is exactly my understanding that as well as the Punjabi paraandaa, chuTiilaa is used for the same object by Urdu speakers. As for the alleged desperation in filling a gap, I can not comment*.


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## Faylasoof

QURESHPOR said:


> *Yes, this is exactly my understanding that as well as the Punjabi paraandaa, chuTiilaa is used for the same object by Urdu speakers. As for the alleged desperation in filling a gap, I can not comment*.


 Sorry which Urdu speakers are we talking about? The current generation, and in Pakistan? 

I guess many Urdu speakers now have no inkling of the original meaning of چٹیلا *chuTiilaa* which has nothing to do with either a _choTii _or a _parandha_!


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## Qureshpor

Faylasoof said:


> Sorry which Urdu speakers are we talking about? The current generation, and in Pakistan?
> 
> *Those who would call themselves "ahl-i-zabaan". I don't think it matters which side of the border these people happen to be in though there is no denying that there would be vast differences between the new generation's speech and that spoken by their predecessors. *
> 
> I guess many Urdu speakers now have no inkling of the original meaning of چٹیلا *chuTiilaa* which has nothing to do with either a _choTii _or a _parandha_!
> 
> *You are most probably right!
> 
> As a matter of interest, may I ask when you were last in Lucknow. As far as I know, all that is written and talked about concerning the Urdu language and culture there has, sadly,"gone with the wind".
> *


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