Beyond Sustenance
………..A Symbolic Act
Prelude: Having spent the best part of my life among teenagers
& kids I have learnt that in a world increasingly fractured by personal
disagreements, the act of sharing a meal remains one of the most effective
rituals for reconciliation. It is a simple (ancient) practice that transforms "us vs. them" into just "us ", breaking down
barriers, and creating space
where,empathy takes precedence over conflict. Sharing food is not just about
consuming calories
The added “Fluff”
& descriptive nature of the narrative
have more to do with expanding a relatively common incident and transforming it into a “Read Worthy” story than offer a comprehensive gastronomic critique of
the cuisine
_____________________________________________________________________
The chemistry among our group was legendary & the rapport incredible.Two among the group had developed a very close friendship People were sometimes even envious of their closeness.. They swapped sun glasses,wrist watches & sometimes even T-shirts & Bikes every now and then and always moved together And Yes, their physique was identical too. They weren’t relatives either
But then, suddenly a crack appeared.
No one had any idea of the reason what
caused it The relationship became strained . Gossip was rife among other
friends regarding the reason for the split and soon everyone was talking about the great fall out .
Days passed . Each one vigoursly avoided any conversation which referred to the Other. Any move by common friends to help them break the impasse was spurned. We were forced to remain helpless by standers in the unfortunate situation.
Having picked them up as young boys &
mentored them for years, I was proud to see them excel in their own fields of
interest. Like the others I was
perturbed by this sudden spat . After
careful thought I weighed the decision
in my head and then finally decided on
trying it out though I feared that it
could prompt some embarrassment among the rest of the friends & lead to uncomfortable moments. But I was sure that I
had made the correct decision under the circumstances
They arrived. Separately ! as expected .Apparently, they two former buddies were doing their best to avoid facing each other.I somehow managed to position myself between them even as they ignored each other and weren’t prepared to do anything about it. It was very clear they were here only at my behest to spend an evening with our other friends .
They did their best to keep distance. But the rest the evening went beautifully with Cherished memories, nostalgia, camaraderie and some scrumptious food,
After some friendly Banter over soft
drinks and snacks the group converged on the large dining table in a circle and
waited for it. Soon, the cook came out. He first brought out the snacks, salad,
pappad, sundry vegetable accompaniment.
Cooked Rice came in next ; delicate , fragrance wafting through the air,
the cooked grains a texture as light and
soft as jasmine buds.
A
dozen hands unmindful of any Dining etiquette shoveled generous quantities on to their plates, taking care to create craters atop the
heap, in anticipation of what the chef promised to bring in next, the
culinary marvel that he boasted about, the flavorful Moringa/Shallot Sambhar.Swirling
in the fumes in front of him, the
cook placed his culinary masterpiece on
the table.The air wafted from over the dish and into our nostrils & hit our senses.
The cook then brought out the curry. He had decided to present Roasted Baby potatoes that day. A few grumbled at the choice but I knew I need not bother. Once it was served on to their respective plates, I knew we would not have enough of it
I myself popped a few golden roasted baby potatoes onto the top of my rice mound. They rolled down the slope and settled on the periphery of my plate like stringed giant beads the glistening oil traversing paths across the surface of my steel plate. I picked up a potato and it cracked at mere touch. The Crispy chunk huddled into my palms like golden nuggets and I popped them up into my mouth. Even as I chomped on them cheerfully, I could see signs of merriment permeating the air around . The mood was upbeat. Was the remedy at work,? I smiled to myself, between morsels of Rice, Baby potato , flavorful Moringa Sambhar. & steamed rice.
Tangy rasam arrived next & was passed around .
Rich and aromatic, I could tell the cook had surpassed himself. Shreds of
coconut floated around the surface, adding to the flavor. Tiny clusters of
mustard sat on curry leaves like sailors
on a canoe . I managed to scoop up a few
and crunched on the leaves.
As I had hoped, the food was cheering up the mood all around.. I almost thought I saw the two exchange a faint smile , but wasn’t too sure.
Friends scattered in small groups were
indulging in animated banter .
The two embittered former friends
chose to join groups which were farthest
from each other
. But the mood was upbeat. The mollifying repast had indeed lifted our spirits . And then it happened
One of the embittered duo approached the other ,sat down next to him and
offering him the Dessert Bowl with Dry Jamoon & Ice cream
Said “Here,try this, very tasty”
The other looked over, smiled and
accepted the concillatory offering . The group whooped
in delight and cheered the success
of the “ Dessert Reconciliation ” gambit
