Kadudasu| Madras Bhashai with Sriram V

#MadrasBhashai 28 - Kadudasu - In all languages, certain words enjoy currency and then fade away. One of these is Kadudasu, which was heard often in Madras in the past but now no longer. But then who sends letters these days for it is all email and whatsapp. Kadudasu meant a letter. “We have got no kadudasu,” was a common expression. In the 17th to 19th centuries, when Dubashes were powerful, you could see this word often in their correspondence. For instance in the letters of Dubash Pachiayyappa Mudali to his mentor ‘Powney’ Narayana Pillai. The word Kadudasu comes from the Portuguese Cartas, which means letter. In the old days Portuguese soldiers and sailors were given a letter of identity which they carried with them. This was known as Cartas. And from there we got the Kadudasu.