ঢেমনা, ঢ্যামনা(ḍhēmanā, ḍhyāmanā)

In Bengali this word commonly is used as a slang to denote an idiot, Someone is very bad and ugly, lewd or illegitimate. Oft used when there is a verbal fight and one is trying to insult the other person
In reality, ঢেমনা, ঢ্যামনা is the non poisonous Oriental rat snake


মাকাল(Makal)
Common Bengali slang used as an insult to denote a person completely bereft of any good qualities, useless fellow etc
In reality Makal is a type of fruit, specifically the bitter snake gourd (Trichosanthes bracteata). Bitter Snake Gourd is valued for its ornamental flowers and unique fruit used in traditional medicine and as a vegetable in some cultures, although the fruit is very bitter.
The fruit of bitter snake gourd, is considered poisonous. It contains toxic compounds like cucurbitacins, which can cause gastrointestinal issues if ingested. While the plant is used in traditional medicine, caution is advised due to its toxicity.



বুড়ো ভাম
বুড়ো ভাম(Buro Bham) in Bengali commonly means "a creepy old man"
However, a বুড়ো ভাম(Buro Bham) would actually literally mean an old(বুড়ো) Bengal Civet(ভাম) or the Large Indian Civet, which is a nocturnal mammal found in North-East India, including the Dooars region of North Bengal.
Bengal Civet(ভাম) or the Large Indian Cive(Viverra zibetha) is not to be confused with the Bengal Civet cat or small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica), though neither of them belong to the cat species.
So how come the ভাম Civet got associated with creepy old Bengali men?🤔
The Civet has a scent gland which it sprays around to mark its territory. The Civet musk, often referred to as "civet," has a sweet smell and is used mostly for the perfume industry and for medicinal purposes.
In the olden days Bengali Bhadrolok used to regularly visit the "Patita palli" or also called "Nishiddho palli" meaning the prostitute district. These Bhadrolok, the more they aged, the more they became "creepy". However, they used to douse themselves with "atar" perfume whenever they visited. Remember the Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila classic "Amar Prem"?
Thus these "creepy old Bengali Bhadrolok" started being called বুড়ো ভাম(Buro Bham), which then became a common expression of any irritating creepy old man. An extreme expression is for people living into very old age.....
বুড়োভামটা মরেও মরে না (buṛōbhamṭa moreō more na) meaning "this old bham doesnt even die!!"




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