Samosa

It has been 4-5 weeks and I haven’t written anything. I don’t know why but I wasn’t feeling like writing or talking about anything. May be because destiny wanted me to wait till today.

Today something happened and I couldn’t stopped myself expressing it. This incident has blew my mind. I don’t know how to react. Should I be happy or sad or proud.  It touched my soul and not only that but it changed me for a whole life.

So, I am at my hometown since vacations are going on. Monsoon is here and weather is too good to have ‘Samosas’ (Monsoon’s Mandatory). I was at my friend’s place and she told me about a new amazing samosa place near her house. I was already hungry (nothing new) and my mouth just started watering as hell as I heard about samosas because samosas are not just a food item it’s more a kind of feeling. I hurried off to that place because she told me that he (samose wale bhaiya) only sells samosas from 5 to 6 pm only and his samosas are so delicious that it finishes till 5:30 only. I was imagining of a big sweet shop where a fat, bald and half naked halwai was making the number of samosas in big kadhai and there will be people in a line shouting for their turn but…   As soon as I reached the shop there was not a shop. What I mean it was totally opposite from my imagination what I saw and for a moment I was depressed. I saw there was man of around 27 or 28 years and he was selling the samosas and vegetables in a small Cart . It was not even a cart but a small wooden table. There was a shed which he has made himself by erecting 4 wooden poles and a black polythene sheet over them to protect the vegetables and samosas from rain or dust. There was little space behind his counter where he cleaned that area and leveled it perfectly with the cow dung. There I saw his Kadhai and some utensils and beside his 2-3 months baby was sleeping. Overall his shop was so small to be noticed until someone tells you. It took me few seconds to notice all these things when man asked me seeing standing silently- ‘’Ji didi, kaun si  sabzi dedu? I thought may be his samosas will be unhygienic and what kind of oil he is using so I told him nothing. He said- ‘’Didi garam garam samose bhi banata hu main, le lijiye, kuch hee bache hai bas.’’ The man was so sweet that he started convincing me to take samosas but I was really unsure about the hygiene thing and went back to my friend’s place. I told her all this and she told me something which shivered me inside out. She told me that man used to sell only vegetables initially but his wife died as soon as she delivered a baby. To now manage the house and expenses, he started selling samosas in order to earn more for his baby. He make only 30 samosas for a day which is only bought by them who lives nearby and who knows about it. People who come to buy vegetables he use to tell them about his new samosa business and this is how he advertise it. I was paralyzed for a moment. I was not able to response. How can destiny be so cruel with somebody? A poor man, hardly running his family at a bare subsistence level and then something happened even worse. I was having a mixed feeling of number of emotions at that time. Should I be happy that his business is running well and he has managed to get himself up from his situation. Should I be sad on his helplessness and poverty or should I be proud of seeing such a brave man who is struggling so hard just to earn more money to secure his baby’s future. I think destiny plays an essential role. Where I see people with hell lot of money, travelling abroad in a business class, wearing the costliest brands, eating in a 7 star hotels and on the other hand there are some people who are hardly earning their livelihood. I know you cannot blame destiny for all the things but sometimes it doesn’t even give you a chance or choice.     

And then I again went back to that same shop and bought all the left samosas. I wanted to say a lot of things to him but all I could do is thanked him. I came to home and immediately unpacked the samosas and the  green coloured chutney he gave me with it. As soon as I had a bite something happened which I think has changed me for a whole life. That samosa was so delicious but more than enjoying its taste I can feel the struggle of a father, pain of a husband of losing his life, love and hope that he has mixed with that samosa which is making it a best samosa of the world for me.

I have changed my one view from today that these roadside street food items might be unhygienic but it is okay to have some sometimes because these small carts are the only means of livelihood for that people and what is better than contributing in making someone’s life better.                                                                                                                   

Street food of INDIA

How many foodies are reading this? Well yes! This post is all about FOOOOOOOD!
Food is an integral part of our life and when we are talking about the street food and that too of India one cannot stop his mouth watering. So get ready to dive in the world of street food.

India is a country blessed with lot of things like rich heritage, culture, traditions, diversity, unity and many more but the thing which every true Indian cherishes about the country is STREET FOOD. Street food represents a part of India. Colorful narrow streets, packed with small roadside food stalls serving delicious cuisines, are worth grabbing. Thousands of street food with their various ingredients and aroma through the streets open a large window to the world. Every state here serves its own specialty. Whether it is Litti chokha of Bihar, vada pav and pav bhaji of Mumbai or spicy kebabs of Lucknow – every item has its own taste and feeling. A great combination of sweet and spicy flavors can be found in the lanes of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Spicy poha served with sweet jalebi is the ideal breakfast for people there. Streets of Punjab and the capital of the country Delhi are found with every next chole-kulche stall. If talk we about south India, then it is famous for its roadside dosas and idlis; Gujarat serving jalebi-fafda is the favorite of every gujarati. These are the few dishes of street food which are specifically found in these states but there are some items which can be found anywhere in the country. From gol-gappas to aloo-tikki-chat, momos to ‘Indian-style chowmein  and small tents known as ‘tapirs’ selling masala chai – every individual in India enjoys these.  ‘Parathe-wali-gali’ in Delhi and maggi in Manali’s mall road are the best places of tourist attraction. These quick bites, easy to make, not so healthy and yet so yummy food items are loved by all.

Apart from having these perks of street food it shows a darker side of the country. India is still fighting with some macro-economic problems like lack of employment opportunities, poverty etc and due to this a large part of the population is dependent upon these jobs. For many vendors among them these stalls are the only source of income. Maximum they can earn in a day is just 2000-3000 which is substantial level of income for a lower-class family. There are also many challenges faced by them. First of all, they are deprived by laws made by government in respect of labour union. They are forced to pay 15-20 Rs to the local police as a bribe; they are always hit by the market price-fluctuations and irregular employment. They are associated with encroachment of public spaces, causes traffic congestion, inadequate hygiene, and poor waste disposal. Food safety has become a concern regarding street food. No government agency is responsible to verify the quality of food selling by them. Street vendors are surviving without government support. However, lately government has passed ‘’Street-vendors bill 2013’’ which protects the rights of them.

Street food of India is the heart of the country diversity. They are not enjoyed just because of their low price and good taste but it gives immense pleasure which we cannot feel while eating in an expensive restaurant. Every Saturday-Sunday we can see the ‘chopatis’ filled with hoggers.

. Diverse nature of street food here symbolizes ‘’unity in diversity’’ and there should be some regulatory body to regulate which will uplift the concept of street food.

FOLLOW YOUR LEAD

Before talking about the topic of my first blog let's just talk about the writer first and that's ME!
As you are going to read me for the first time let me WARN you. Relax!! let me warn you about my bad Punchuation skills.(still working on'em) Guys i am not a writer or a expert or specialised blogger. I write because i love writing. I started writing a year ago and realised its not less than a meditation. I used to write on a notebook and on my cellphone's diary when nobody was aware of my this ''HOBBY''. Then for the first time wrote for my college's newsletter magazine where i got pretty good

response from people. That was really unexpected. A month ago i got to know about this blog thing and thought of giving it a chance. So, here i am. CHEERS TO MY FIRST BLOG!!

This blog is all about DREAMS. What is it? Why we see people failing? why we feel scared in following our passions and dreams? well let's just see...

FOLLOW YOUR LEAD

What is Dream? It is something that gives a direction to life. It stops life from getting stuck. A person who cannot dream is dead. Though the human nature is such that  one cannot stop visualizing a dream but there are certain things that become an obstacle in our quest to achieve our dream. These can be rejection, fear of failure, social, political or economical reasons, or even our self. Even before the child is born or knows what aim is, parents start making aims for it. So the child keeps that aim in mind and starts working towards it. Then that child starts to grow, develop a conscience, think, dream, aspire and imagine. But the realization of the previously set aim makes him fearful and less confident in the pursuit his own dreams.

There is almost negligible difference between a dream and an aim. Aim is directed towards a set goal but there can be many dreams. But to choose an aim from among those dreams should be his personal decision and not someone else’s. The contemporary society, even after progressing in time, hasn’t progressed in its beliefs. If the wife is the earning member of the family and the husband stays at home, then they are not fully accepted in the society. There is a lot of discussion and debate regarding change on the social media and in live forums. But there are only a few people who actually work towards making a change, others just talk about it. So, instead of just speaking and discussing about making a change, make a change. Always follow your lead. Step out a little out of your comfort zone if you want to create a comfortable society, where everyone is free to pursue his or her own dreams.