Life and Times of the PuranPoli

My friend Priyadarshan Kale alias Rajabhau is the acknowledged expert on where in Mumbai one gets the best traditional festival foods. The festival of Holi is on the threshhold, and naturally PuranPoli's are on the mind.

From time to time, he sets out from his house, with the noble intention of  purchasing a large quantity of stuff like, in this case , Puranpolis.  Which is very easy for him, since he lives in the heart of Mumbai which abounds in such places. 

  Sometimes, though, the visual treat of puranpolis being rolled out, roasted golden and pink on the griddle, and then allowed to rest before being packed off, is too much, and Rajabhau simply enjoys one right there  with the generous dollop of ghee.      The lady of the house has noticed the PuranPoli deficit in the dabba.     What to do ?    Like our nation's fiscal deficit , it is simply growing.  

चटके बसत असून जीव ओतून स्वतःला शिजवणारी चण्याची डाळ, पोटच्या कटाला आमटीच्या गावी पाठवल्याचा विरह , आणि केवळ सण आहे म्हणून स्वतःला गुळात झोकून देउन एकरूप होणे , वेलची जायफळ मंडळींची टीका ऐकणे, आणि सरते शेवटी तलम रेशमी वस्त्रात स्वतःला मढवून सख्यान्सकट बसणे … पण आयुष्यात काही स्वस्थताच नाही . कुणी एक राजाभाऊ व्हिलन म्हणून येतात काय , एकीचे हरण करतात काय आणि बघता बघता ती नाहीशी होते काय … डब्यात पोळ्यांची संख्या कमी दिसताच काळे काकु काय ते समजतात . तरीच आदल्या दिवशी त्यांना भेटायला आलेल्या पुरणपोळी बचाव समितीच्या शिष्ठ मंडळाची आठवण होते. काय करणार, दरवर्षी राजाभाऊ ना पुरणपोळी संशोधन कमिटीच्या चेअरमनपदाची पोस्ट द्यावीच लागते

Cracked chana dal dedicated to harakiri in the depths of boiling water, a compulsive traumatic weaning away of the proteinous stock to aid in the Life and Times of Katachi Amti; then a voluntary life dedication and mixing in the jaggery community, only to clothe themselves in the finest of translucent fabric and then amidst hoots from Cardamom and Nutmeg types, posing on the ramp of the Holi Fashion Week. But there is never a dull moment, as the Rajabhau Villain appears, captures and kidnaps one of them, and devours her bit by bit asking, "Kitni PuranPoli thi ?" And the noble Kalekaku, noticing the deficit in the box, recalls the visit earlier of the Committee to Save the PuranPoli.... What to do ? Every year, Rajabhau insists on being appointed The Chair, of the Search Committee on PuranPolis.