The 'Bhakarwadi', Me and Philosophy!


Having brought a packet of 'bhakarwadi' from my hometown in Gujarat back to where I work down south of the country, I thought I'd give my South Indian colleagues a taste of the true blue Gujarati 'farsan' (dry snack). In order to ensure that everyone in the office got at least a sufficient portion of it, I had selected the mini 'bhakarwadi'  which were smaller in size, compared to the normal ones, but which came in a larger quantity.

After the packet had done its rounds from table to table, with the contents diminishing to a few leftover crumbs in a matter of minutes, one of my colleagues who'd been out of the cabin, walked in, to discover that he had missed out on the munchies. Reluctantly I opened up my palm and offered the last few roundels of the snack that I had saved up for my later consumption.

Scooping up the little roundels from my hand and leaving just one for me, he went back to his seat and merrily popped them into his mouth.  I felt a sense of satisfaction that I had been somewhat successful in introducing the taste of my land to the 'idli-dosa-curd rice' palette.

However, even before I had settled down to feeling good, I heard someone ask aloud in a mocking tone, "Is this thing supposed to be hot or sweet?". It was none other than the  fellow, for whom I had sacrificed my last few 'bhakarwadi' s. (It was a sacrifice of sorts, since I would not be getting to eat them till my next visit home, which could be months away).

"Its both - hot and sweet!", and then as an after thought, I added " Besides it also depends on who is eating it?". I may have sounded a bit ruder than I had intended to.

"Well, it could also depend on who has brought it... right?", he continued, in an attempt to instigate me further.
Not one to be easily outdone, I opened my mouth to give a harsh retort when a look at the last roundel in my hand came as a reminder... that the harsh words spoken would only create more agony in the mouth like the heat of the 'bhakarwadi'... and the only way I could subdue it was with the sweetness of silence ...!

I popped the roundel into my mouth, turned to my seat and resumed my work... suddenly realising that the 'bhakarwadi's had never tasted better !!




Comments

  1. sheenJanuary 4, 2012 at 3:56 PM

    A good one! :-)
    The 'splendour of silence'...love the way you connected it to the ever so great tasting Bhakarwadis! :-)

    ReplyDelete

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