Danchi babu

Danchi babu or Damchi babu (Bengali: ড্যাঞ্চিবাবু) was the term used by the locals in present-day Jharkhand to refer to the middle class Bengali Hindu travellers in a queer and funny manner.[1][2][3] The term 'Danchi' is a corrupt form of the English words 'damn cheap' and 'babu' stood for the affluent Bengali Hindu gentleman belonging the bhadralok class.[2]

Origins

In the 19th and the 20th centuries, especially during the British period, middle class Bengali Hindus from Kolkata used to vacation in the small towns like Simulata, Madhupur, Jasidih etc. of present-day Jharkhand for health benefits.[1] In 1871, one Bijoynarayan Kundu, a Bengali Hindu came to the region while the railway track between Giridih and Madhupur was being laid. He is said to be the first Bengali Hindu to discover the salubrious climate of the region, who constructed a house and settled down there. Gradually the word spread and many Bengali Hindus began to come to the region for vacation. They considered the trip as a welcome change compared to the city life of Kolkata, and hence came to be known as 'changers'.[4] The vacationers widely believed that the weather and water in those areas was conducive to good health. The vacation became an annual affair followed with religious sincerity.[1]

During the vacation, the vacationers would often visit the local grocery markets, where the locals sold their fresh produce of meat, fish and vegetables. The prices were low compared to that in Kolkata. Surprised at the unusually low prices, the Bengali Hindu bhadraloks would often exclaim at each other saying 'Damn cheap!' or 'Damned cheap!'.[1][5][6][7][3] The locals, who couldn't understand properly what the vacationers pronounced or meant, began refer to the vacationers as "'Damn cheap' babus", which gradually got corrupted into 'Danchi babu'.[6][7]

Usage

The term gained wide usage among the local non-Bengali population who began to refer to the Bengali Hindus vacationers as 'Damchi babus'. The sellers would mock the vacationers in jest by referring them by the term. The vacationers would sometimes buy the produce from the local sellers by offering a bit higher price. This resulted in an inflated price, which created a resentment among the local non-Bengali buyers. As a result, the term began to be used negatively.

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See also

References
  1. Roy, Sujoy (7 July 2013). "The lost World". The Pioneer. The Pioneer Group. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  2. Nath, Urmi (28 September 2017). "উত্তরমেরু মোরে ডাকে ভাই, দক্ষিণমেরু টানে". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). ABP Group. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  3. Roy, Tathagata (25 June 2014). The Life & Times of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee. Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789350488812. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  4. Sinha, Sandeep (14 January 2018). "Nostalgic tales from Jharkhand". The Tribune. The Tribune Trust. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  5. "Some destinations to recharge those batteries and bring home a little sunshine". India Today. India Today Group. 31 January 1996. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  6. Sen, Soumitra (10 May 2017). "একটি বসন্ত, কয়েকটি শিমুল আর ড্যাঞ্চিবাবুদের ফিকে গল্প". JATHA ICHCHA TATHA JA (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  7. Biswas, Gourab (1 January 2018). "মশা-মাছির শহরে". চার নম্বর প্ল্যাটফর্ম (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 September 2019.
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