Thanks Mark, for trying to help, but "the first is S with hook"
which exists in Sanksrit as the [sh] in the row next to the row I've
shown you in the alphabet table (e.g. the "S" in kRSNa) isn't the
thing I'm looking for. The "z with retroflex hook" is its voiced
counterpart.
I *told* you it's lateral, it actually occurs right next to the
retroflex lateral [L] (which, I have no problem pronouncing for it
exists in Telugu too, e.g. the last l in Malayalam, as pronounced by
any Dravidian).
I said it sounds like the American "R" because it does. And of
course the "upside down little R" is nowhere close to the "hooked s or
z". If you can pronounce the voiced retroflex lateral fricative (which
I _think_ is the culprit in question), you will find it hard to
distinguish from the r in "pardner" (maybe I was wrong about the
MID-WEST thing anyway: lemme be honest I was just trying to pass of as
a non-greenhorn ;)

Say, isn't it interesting that the Lausanne site doesn't even list
the sound I want. Could it be that the monde suisse linguistique has
yet to discover my little bĂȘte noire?

Rohit

PS: Btw, that was a *kewl* site, Mark--it realled cleared up my
basics. And your "upside down little R" is listed as a uvular
fricative (that's like the Parisian r, innit?) and if by "little R"
you meant "r", then the site doesn't list that either.