‘Lohri divaddaiyan’, says Cherie Blair to India
By IANSWednesday, January 13, 2010
NEW DELHI - Cherie Blair, wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair, couldn’t have marked the end of winter (Lohri) back home the way she did here Wednesday evening during her visit to Delhi.
Clad in a red embroidered Indian suit, the former British first lady along with Bollywood actress Preity Zinta offered popcorns and almonds to the sacred fire here and picked up some Punjabi phrases too.
“I have enjoyed myself this evening and I want to wish everyone (in India) Happy Lohri,” said Blair.
Asked if she could speak something in the local dialect if she’d picked any during her stay here, she endeavoured in a accented Punjabi: “Lohri di lakh lakh uh vaddaiyan, Lohri di lakh lakh vaddaiyan”.
Cherie Blair did have a few failed attempts at pronouncing the word “vaddaiyan” that means ‘greetings’, but she managed to meander through the Punjabi word.
Also present at the occasion was Punjabi singer Malkit Singh who crooned hit numbers “Gur nalon ishq mitha” and “Tutak tutak tutiyan”.
