About
Jo Baka (જો બકા) is an Indian phrase which roughly translates to “So, my friend”. The phrase, typically associated with the Indian state Gujarat, reached nationwide popularity in 2014 due to a series of image macros.
Origin
“Jo baka” is a colloquialism associated with Gujarat. It is unknown where the emoticon commonly associated with the phrase originates.
Spread
The phrase became popular in 2014, mainly though Facebook and the Indian social media site WhatsApp. At its peak, over 350,000 Jo Baka macros were created using various apps for doing so.[1] A Facebook page for sharing Jo Baka macros created in 2014 has over 34,000 likes as of July 2015.[2] In November of the same year, a rap song about the meme was uploaded to YouTube, where it has been viewed over 100,000 times. Several Indian government agencies also used the meme to spread public awareness of various issues.
Example Images
Search Interest
External References
[1]The Guardian – Jo Baka: the Gujarati internet meme that went viral
[2]Facebook – Jo Baka Fun