Desi-Plight

I often used to hear the word desi from one of my friends living in America from many years now. He told me that it was a synonym for the word ‘Indian’ in US. While in Hindi the word ‘Desi’ (derived from Desh- meaning country) is used as an adjective to describe ‘of one’s own country, I thought maybe it was a Punjabi thing.  When I came here in US, I noticed that the term Desi was ubiquitous here. I observed ‘Desi’ is especially mentioned as an additional information on the banners of beauty parlors and even some people named their stores as ‘Desi Mart’ or ‘Desi Indian Bazar’. My plight had no end when on the packet of ‘Kala Chana’ the translation read as ‘Desi Chickpea’ instead of 'Black Chickpea' or ‘Indian Chickpea’. So here, this word from Hindi Language became a noun from an adjective. 

I wonder how do they write it in India now, I never noticed before. 

Common name: Indian Chickpea/Black Chickpea
Proper name: Desi Chickpea

P.S. Rather than being a Pardesi (a foreigner) here I am a Desi now (of this land Indian).

D is for Desi on April 5