Joie De Vivre

Hello people! With another post this month, am I making you wonder what has got into me? If yes, then let me tell you, life is ‘wonder’ful(l). I have learnt that wonder brings lot of joy and happiness in life. Speaking of which, my observation about life and people is that we usually rate joy and happiness right on top of the pyramid of the things we seek in life. I mean we may not want it in exactly those terms, but we do assume that the top things in that pyramid will give us happiness. It is funny though. I mean the shape of the pyramid of the things we seek in life is a little funny. If you closely observe (I mean I need to closely observe, given my incompetence in Geometry), you will see that the pyramid is very narrow at the top. Very few things give us the ultimate happiness that we seek. Wish there was a way to invert the pyramid. What do you think? 

If you are done with your thinking, focus back on yours truly. What makes me happy? Well, one of the biggest joys I have experienced in life is the joy of good food. I have been exposed to some of the most wonderful vegetarian food in life. My grandmothers have been excellent cooks, specifically my daadi ji. The earliest taste I can recall is the amazing chutney and pickles that daadi ji makes, even to this day. The baigan and tamatar ki chutneys are a sight to watch. They are beautiful and they taste A W E S O M E. My daadi ji is the best cook I have known so far in life. Nainamma, you rock, bigtime! 

Then there is my naani ji. There is something about grandmothers which makes you lick your fingers. My naani ji’s aloo ki sabzi and goddu pulusu, a sambhar like preparation, sweet and tangy and extremely yummy, are something from heaven – ambrosia. Growing up around my mother made mommy a great cook. You know, those bread pakodas, nariyal ki barfis, gujiyes, idli, dosa etc, which mom used to prepare for us regularly, made her one of the best cooks in this world. Yes, I have had a very joyful childhood. The ladies in my family rock! 

My stay in Bhopal and Indore has ensured that street food, for me, is right next to home food. I have practically lived my days on chat from Young Tarang and gulping Sawariya Seth soda. I think I was 3 when I tasted pani puris for the first time. And that is when I fell for it for life. It is my favorite food. There are numerous stories going around about my love for it. Ask Varsha and she will have some to tell. 

Come to this day. I am in a country where the idea of food is very different. Unfortunately, vegetarians like me have to seek refuge in self-cooked meal which can be risky if you have culinary skills like mine. So every once a while, you feel a need to eat something nice, something hitting your taste buds like a bomb and fill you stomach like you have not had food for a few months. So, I had around 75 panipuris, 4 bajra rotis and a few portions of the grand onion tomato rice I prepared tonight. I can feel the cramps already and between you and me, it is going to be a difficult night. It is one of those days when my stomach looks and feels something like this.

But my joy knows no bounds today! I am happy, I am satiated.

So the long post has documented my love for food enough. Well I did not need a post for this. Any latest picture of mine would have served the purpose well. A picture can speak a thousand words, but a thousand words can torture more than a picture!!

Tuckin!!