Nangu Beda.. Nimgu Beda!!

I was a kid when I heard this for the first time. Mom was saying this to some shopkeeper. “ನಂಗೂ ಬೇಡ ನಿಂಗೂ ಬೇಡ Rs.45 ಮಾಡ್‌ಕೊಳ್ಲಿ”. (not for me, not for u, lets make it 45) And this was when mom quoted 40 and the shopkeeper quoted 50. It used to be fun going shopping with mom, esp to see her bargaining. As years went by, this just rubbed on to me. Ofcourse, I am yet to master this, and a couple of years in US has surely reduced it. But yes, I cannot just leave it.

Some of the conversations which mom has had.

Location: Saree shop, Malleshwaram

Mom : ನಾವು ಮಕ್ಕಳಿದಾಗ್ಲಿಂದು ನಿಮ್ಮ ಅಂಗಡಿಗೆ ಬರ್‍ತಾದ್ದಿದ್ದು. (we have come to your shop from the time we were children)

SK (shopkeeper) : ಅದು ಸರಿ Madam. ಆದರೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಆಗೋಲ್ಲ. (that’s right madam but not its not possible)

Mom: ಏನ್ರೀ ನಿಮ್ಮ ತಂದೆ ಇದ್ದಿದ್ರೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಮಾಡ್ಕೋಟಿದ್ರು (if your father was here, he would have surely done it)

SK: ಅವರು ಮಾಡ್ಕೋಟಿದ್ರು Madam. ಆದ್ರೆ ಈಗ ಆಗೋಲ್ಲ. (He would have done it Madam, but now its not possible)

Finally, after 5-10 mins of bargaining, she would actually get the stuff for the price she wanted.

My granny is no less.

Everytime she goes to a saree shop, she says this – ಏನಪ್ಪಾ , ಇಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಸೀರೆ ತೊಗೊಂಡಿದ್ದೀವಿ, ಒಂದು ಬ್ಲೌಸ್ ಪೀಸ್ ಫ್ರೀಯಾಗಿ ಕೊಡಬಾರದ (we have taken so many sarees, can’t you give a blouse piece free)

Or sometimes she says - ವಯ್ಯಸದ ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದೀನಿ, ಇಷ್ಟು ಬೆಲೆ ಹೆಳೊದ (old granny is here, you are quoting so much)

It was always fun to go either of them. Best part about it was they would never be rude to the shopkeepers, my granny would even know how many kids that man had by the time she came out of the shop.

And next time either of them visited, they would be welcomed and many a times offered some cool drinks too. Ofcourse as a kid, these were my perks for going along.

Best till date is when mom and bro came to visit me when I was in Hyderabad.

We were in Charminar, it was my wedding time, so mom wanted to do some shopping.

We went to a shop where they sell, beautiful laces, some shiny threads etc. After, selecting mom started her bargaining.

Mom: क्या भय्या इतना बोल रहे हो, तोड़ा कम कीजिए ना (You are asking for this price, reduce this)

SK : नही मेडम जी इससे कम नही होगा. (no madam, cant reduce further)

Mom: अर्रे भय्या मैं Bangalore से आई हून, अगली बार घर में शादी होगी तो आपके दुकान में ही आना है ना? (I have come all the way from Bangalore, next time when there is a wedding, we will come to your shop only right)

SK :ज़रूर आईएगा आपही की दुकान है. लेकिन आप Bangalore से Hyderabad क्यों आओगे (ofcourse, please come. But why will you come from Bangalore to Hyderabad

Mom: मैं तो यहीं पे पैदा हुई थी ( I was born here!!)

Bro and Me: (stunned looks with the expression – what?)

After we came out of the shop, we told mom – all these years we thought you were born in Bangalore:)