Friday, August 15, 2014

Food for Soul


One of the toughest things that teeny tiny teenagers have to do while leaving home for college with their big suitcases, apart from giving up all the good homemade food, is, leaving the person who makes it for them with utmost love.

This is where the rescuers in disguise arrive. They make your transition from MHK (Maa ke Haath ka Khaana) to MHK (Mashi ke Haath ka Khaana) really simple. They are the eating joints, or as the jargon goes, ‘dhabas’ right inside and outside college.

 Their culinary prowess and their quick service make them an instant hit. They have a motley variety available right from the morning till the evening; vegetarian, eggetarian, non-vegetarian or diet-arian; there’s always something for everybody. You have your freedom of customizing every dish too: a little cheese in your Dosa or some broccoli and chili in your Wai Wai. The best part being, they are really easy on the pocket. And the street dust adds the required flavoring.

The gossip, the budding romance and the bird-watching comes gratis with the omelettes and the momos and the likes. They provide more than just food; they provide a hangout ‘adda’. They satiate more than just hunger. This food doesn't go straight to the thighs; it goes straight to the soul with the accompanied conversations of your friends. Hog on!

God Resigned and Who Took Over



Religious.
Agnostic.
Atheist.
Blasphemous.

In the decreasing order of Love for God or Spiritual Beings.  I’m on the third level.

Why am I writing about Religion today? For a friend and for my Whatsapp conversation with him. This isn't going to be an article written about the origins of religion by a naïve young girl because I do not possess any well researched facts upon it. This is merely going to be an article of what crosses my mind when I think of religion.

I fancy myself as a little bit of a rebel. Like most people of my generation, defying tiny rules in my day to day life gives me a thrill. Organised religion is not my cup of tea. Anything that even subtly ‘dictates’ what I should or should not do ticks me off. In all honesty my schedule doesn't even let me think of religion, or God, or Spirits at any given moment. I’m comfortably one of those wannabe hippies whose ‘bhajans’ comprise Imagine and All You Need Is Love by Lennon bhaisahab.

There are things that I do appreciate about religion though. I've seen it add discipline to the lives of a lot of people. I especially like the festivals observed by different sects. I love the togetherness. I admire the religious architecture. Above all I love how religion provides solace to a lot of troubled souls. A temple is sometimes a place where a lot of emotional uplifting happens. Churches are places of hope and peace.  Someone has wisely said: the problems we share are bigger than the problems that divide us.

According to my ideas of ‘right’ I don’t feel the need of a religion in my life. My conscience has always been my guide. It’s been nurtured by my family. And I receive all my hope and peace from my friends. Earthly beings have been kind enough to me. They don’ let me seek. My work keeps me involved. And I still live my life the way any worshiper would. Sans the worshiping.

P.S. This was going to be a longer piece of writing but I'm suffering from an almost non-functioning right hand currently. I think the Almighty is punishing me.