Colonization Through Food

I was wondering, what comes to our mind when we think of dining out. Is it a meal in Mc Donald’s, KFC or Subway or is it paranthas, paneer, daal chawal, rajma, fish curry, etc.? Do we have much option for Indian cuisines in the cities when our streets are crowded with fast food joints? In Hyderabad, Andhra tiffin centres are abundantly visible but to find affordable restaurants to relish on cuisines of other regions of the country requires hunting with a microscope.

A couple of days ago, I was longing for some delicious Shahi Paneer and Paranthas but had to resort to eating a Turkey Sub from Subway. It was not that my appetite switched its mood but I could not find a place to quench my desire in a rate that would not hurt my pocket. A thought popped up, if it is a new kind of colonization.

The trend towards our perception of affordability is also changing. We can easily spend a hundred rupees for a Sub or a Zinger Burger, whether it serves our hunger or not is a different issue, but we hesitate to bear the same expense for a pair of paranthas or a Bengali meal or a Rajasthani thali. The food court of Inorbit Mall, Hyderabad, boasts of Tibetan Restaurants, Western and Mexican Food Joints, but not a single point, where dishes from all over the country is served, can be found. The grocery shops and super markets stock Kellogg’s Cornflakes, muesli, oat meal porridge, mayonnaise, oyster sauce, etc.. The extent of colonial hangover is evident in the Health pages of newspapers and magazines. A glance through these columns reveals consumerist motivations, where every diet suggestion labels desi food habits as unhealthy and junk, triggering the attitude of abandoning Indian recipes. The fact is, our ancestors never faced the problem of obesity as much as the youths today which resulted from the switching of appetite. But anything that has the tag of West rocks, and thus rocks the global market.

Beyond Reality

Oh it’s a line…no, no…it’s jumbled…there’s a hand popping out of it. Than, than. Dhishum, dhishum…the scrambled, twisted line is fighting with the air…

Sigh! My eyes are wide open now, but where’s the fighter, where’s the jungle? I can only see a ray of light from the night lamp. Hmm, it was my dream. Let me sleep again…it’s just 10 past 2 in the night.

Wow! What’s that? Perfume?? No, some fragrance from flowers…but I never smelled such a scent before. It is casting a spell on me. This land is so beautiful! Trees with orange and purple leaves, the foot tapping music, and the rainbow fountain; am I dreaming again? “No”, a faint voice whispered. “It’s real. The world beyond the world you see. It’s your vision. What you experience in your rat-race like life is not the only reality. There is much more to life.” I got up from my bed. Started walking through a road surrounded by orange and red Maple trees. In between, there was peeping out some purple Jacaranda trees. A perfect autumn landscape, just I have always imagined. But the road ends near water fountain. The music is coming out of it. “A musical fountain” I uttered, what else can be in store!” “Walk through”, a whisper again. Walk through the fountain! How am I going to do that? A deep breath, I entered inside the fountain. A cave appeared. Okay, I have to walk inside. I can see the light on the other side of the cave. A green meadow, encircled by flowers and tall trees. I can see blue mountains a little farther. Something is happening to me…I’m suddenly feeling so happy. Everything is seeming like magic. Two white unicorns playing in the forest behind, fairies dancing around me. Angels playing harps. It seems like I am living in a fairytale. I have never been so happy. The landscape is changing it colour, as if it is reaching twilight. Yes, it is. The semi circular Sun is peeping through the blue mountains which appear violet now. I remember this place. I have been here before. This is the place I have created. It’s mine. The painting I used to draw in my school. But, I lost it long time ago. I searched, but failed to trace it. It got lost somewhere in the pile of things. Wait, wait! Everything is disappearing. “No, please. I want to stay here. This gave me the mirth I have ever experienced”.

Sound of horns, uff! The walls of the same old room appeared in front of me. What a night! I smiled. Was it a dream? Or something beyond reality? It was just like a fairytale. “Life is a fairytale. It depends on how you perceive it”. It’s the same whisper. Who? Who’s that? “Just believe. Life is all about how you create it and how you believe in your own creation to make it real. It is magic, you just have to spell it properly”.