Harry Terhanian.com

ohr muh cheh, ohr muh

Yes ajahlah kordzi kuhlugh chouneem

Ajahlah is a Turkish word for quick (and in this context it implies sloppy or mediocre). The Armenian word would be arak (or quick with the same implications as ajahlah).

During the construction of the Taj Mahal in India, an expert worker mixed the plaster that was used. The plaster was hand mixed and required the attention and care of the master worker to attain its remarkable sticking capacity.

One day a worker patiently mixed his plaster getting it ready to apply. A work foreman impatiently watched him. Being concerned about the pace of work, the foreman urged the worker to finish the mix so that it could be used. The worker continued his meticulous artisan’s labor ignoring the foreman. After many hours, the foreman came to his wits’ end and screamed at the worker to finish his mixing.

The master plasterer became so upset that he threw some of the plaster at the worker who sidestepped the projectile. The plaster hit the wall of the building. To this day, over four hundred years later the plaster that was thrown by the worker is still visible. It attests to the incredible craftsmanship of the workers that built the Taj Mahal. “Yes ajahlah kordzi kuhlugh chouneem - I don’t do quick, bad quality work.”

Patience and diligence in work gives quality results.