What a charming thread!! Bless you, Bill!
Oftroy, I believe that the vending gals are called – waalis (WAA-LEES). Am not very certain though. Shanks, your stories always make me laugh! Thanks for sharing!

There is a company that makes lovely bottled juices from fresh fruit, not concentrate, - Odwalla. I have always wondered about the origins of that name? Does anyone know?

Bingley, maybe you can help with a gap in my understanding of the history of the region. The Southern Indian (largely the Tamils under the Cholas) did make imperialistic forays into South-East Asia. The influence of Sanskrit on the local culture surprises me; the connotations with Sanskrit are Aryan/ Brahminical/ Northern Indian, whilst the culture in the South is largely Dravidian. So instead of the great Tamil epics, how come the Ramayana and instead of Tamil, how come Sanskrit?