Tai karna / तय करना: meaning and usage

Tai or तय is a Hindi word. It is used most of the time as "tay karna" (with various forms of karna". 

Examples of Tai karna / तय करना:

रेलवे को अपनी 'सुरक्षा' प्राथमिकता तय करना जरूरी ...

अभी भी कुछ दूरियों को तय करना है: कृष्णा

भारत-पाक संबंधों की दिशा तय करना प्राथमिकता: खार

टूर्नामेंट में अब भी लंबा रास्ता तय करना है : धोनी

घोषणाओं से ज्यादा ज़रूरी है जवाबदेही तय करना ...

अभी हमें लंबा रास्ता तय करना है-सचिन

बिल पर समयसीमा तय करना सही नहीं: अभिषेक मनु ...

'पेट्रो कीमत तय करना तेल कंपनियों के हाथ में' | Zee ...

हिन्दू धर्म संदेश-शक्ति से अधिक लक्ष्य तय करना ...

In Hindi, the meanings of "tay karna" are most of the times used in the below two forms from my experience (in this sequence):

(1) To decide
(2) To cover

Here you can see the complete list of meanings of the Hindi word "tay" तय here: [Dict.Hindikhoj]

तय करना <===> COVER[TransitiveVerb]

तय करना <===> CONTRACT[Noun]

तय करना <===> SET[Noun]

तय करना <===> TRACK[Noun]

तय करना <===> LOG[Noun]

तय करना <===> BE AGREED[Noun]

तय करना <===> FIX[Noun]

तय करना <===> DETERMINE[Noun]

तय करना <===> ARRANGE[Noun]

तय करना <===> CLINCH[Noun]

तय करना <===> MAKE[Noun]

तय करना <===> DECIDE[Noun]

तय करना <===> TRAVERSE[Noun]

तय करना <===> CONCLUDE[Noun]

तय करना <===> DO[Noun]

तय करना <===> CLEAR[Noun]

तय करना <===> ADJUST[Noun]

तय करना <===> CUT THROUGH[Noun]

तय करना <===> CUT ACROSS[Noun]

तय करना <===> THINK[Noun]

तय करना <===> SETTLE[Noun]

तय करना <===> FIX ON[Noun]

तय करना <===> BE AGREED[Noun]

तय करना <===> COME[Noun]

Aa raha hoon palat ke

Someone asks, "Aa raha hoon palat ke - I'm coming back.

This is the title of the lyrics of a Don 2 song, written by Javed Akhtar.

There is a very nice poetic translation of the lyrics on BollyWhat.com, however leaving out “palat ke“ (probably deeming it to be redundant).

I'm aware that kar ke means having done... / after doing .., and according to my dictionary palatnaa means something like to overthrow, but I'm still puzzled about the overall meaning and would very much appreciate your help."

Aa raha hoon palat ke => Closest would be in this sense: "I'm coming, having turned back."

You are right when you say, "I'm aware that kar ke means having done... / after doing .." So please consider my translation above which would satisfy your query.

Question: The "shuddhataa" (purity) of Hindi

Someone asks if "Shuddha Hindi is possible and / What is it that constitutes "shuddhataa" if this notion is at all possible and if "English and foreign words" do intrude into a language, what quantifiable level would this unwelcome presence need to reach when the said language is no longer "shuddh"? /

I think you would be knowing some other languages apart from Hindi. Can you "quantify" at what level those languages can be called "pure"? Then why target only Hindi to attempt and ask for such quantification?

IMO, such "quantification" is impossible for any language. It is something which one would understand about his own native languages.

But for practical purposes, try to hear (1) Amitabh Bachchan speak Hindi. And some more names:

(1) Arun Jaitley
(2) Lal Krishna Advani

Of much I have heard them on TV, I have thought their Hindi are pure Hindi.

"Gotya" from the Hindi movie "Singham"

It is from the movie Singham. A man's nickname is Gotya and he doesn't like to be called like that. What does Gotya mean?

My Marathi friends confirm that it is a nickname used in Marathi (Singham movie was set in Maharashtra and has lots of Marathi words).

He says, "gotya is just another nick name, derived from goti means marble balls we play ... glass ones... "

Small kids play with small glass/marble balls, in many ways like trying to shoot a target with it or hit other small glass balls with it. Such glass balls are called "goti" in Hindi. This nick name "Gotya" has come from this game and is a nick name of kids.

Since the kid had become grownup in the movie and become an officer, he was not comfortable being called by his nick name which made a connection towards this small kids game of "goti". 

My friend at the same time said that since the guy's good name was Gautam in the movie, it was easier to twist it into the nick name "Gotya" and I agreed with him. If tomorrow there is a boy in Maharashtra with nick name Gotya, please don't consider him a "villager" which was your educated but wrong guess. Also, please don't "assume" that even his good name would be Gautam.

Manohar in Hindi

How does one use the word <manohar>? My dictionary defines it as "delighful" or "charming." Can it be said of people (i.e., a delightful fellow), or of experiences or places?
In Hindi, manohar is used for both a pleasing and nice person as well as a beautiful scenery. Examples:

वहां एक मनोहर दृश्य उपस्थित था.
कृष्ण के मनोहर रूप का दर्शन करना अपूर्व आनंददायी है.

Ashram / Aashram: Is it related to Hinduism?

Is "Ashram" is related to Hinduism and does it have any religious connotations? 

From ancient times, sages and rishis used to establish ashrams to impart education to their disciples. I don't know if there was any other term for their establishment.

"Ashray" best means a house, but it is closer to being a "refuge". The term "aashrit" would come close to it, meaning one who is seeking or got a refuge.

The terms like vriddhashram perhaps came up because old people spend their remaining years of life remembering God or practicing piousness.

For terms like Sudhar Grih (for jail) or for many other related terms, "grih" or "ashray" are used and not "ashram"..

Even the right term is "grihastha ashram", for married life, and brahmcharya ashram for unmarried student life. Because the four phases of life are seen as in connected with ideal life as prescribed in the Hindu scriptures. So I think the word ashram has a connection (and hence connotation) of association with Hinduism...

I will list the dictionary meanings of ashram:

--

ash·ram    [ahsh-ruhm]
noun
1. a secluded building, often the residence of a guru, used for religious retreat or instruction in Hinduism.
2. the persons instructed there.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ashram

--

Definition of ASHRAM

1 : a secluded dwelling of a Hindu sage; also : the group of disciples instructed there
2 : a religious retreat

Origin of ASHRAM

Sanskrit āśrama, from śrama religious exercise

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ashram

--

ashram [ˈæʃrəm ˈɑːʃ-]
n

1. (Non-Christian Religions / Hinduism) a religious retreat or community where a Hindu holy man lives

2. a house that provides accommodation for destitute people
[from Sanskrit āśrama, from ā- near + śrama religious exertion]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ashram

--

ASHRAM<===> प्रार्थना स्थल (pr. \\prarthana sthal \\ )[Noun]

Example:The saint had an ashram on teh hill top.

http://dict.hinkhoj.com/words/meanin...-in-hindi.html

smell and taste

How to say in Hindi: It tastes/ smells good. (as vi.) and Please taste/ smell it.(as vt.)

It tastes good. (as vi.) Yah swadist hai. यह स्वादिस्ट है.
and
Please taste it.(as vt.) Kripaya ise chakhen. कृपया इसे चखें.

It smells good. (as vi.) Yah sugandhit hai. यह सुगन्धित है.
and
Please smell it.(as vt.) Kripaya ise mahak kar dekhen. कृपया इसे महक कर देखें.