Millenium Chhole

The 1001 th poem on my blog 

Chholes  for the new millenium. 

(A very popular dish made from Kabuli Chana/Garbanzos in India)

Clearly, one admires the restraint exhibited by folks when faced with a dish like this, as they actually stop to photograph it, before preparing to imbibe.

But time has now come to applaud , those dedicated , yet busy, family folks, who come up with amazing yummy dishes day after day .

My friend Deepak Amembal,  often posts wonderful photos such as these, which cause hunger pangs for every one else in the morning hours. Sigh.

शेकडो वर्षा पूर्वी काबुल हून पर्वतराजीतून थंडीत केलेला केलेला प्रवास , आणि आता भारतीय नागरिक ; अनेक वर्ष , अनेक गावातून , केलेले मसालेदार प्रवास , कधी टोमाटो शी वाटाघाटी, कधी चीन्चेशी गुजगोष्टी , वेळ प्रसंगी चहाच्या पत्यांशी दोन हात , वेगवेगळ्या प्रसंगात धीराने तंदुरी रोट्याना सामोरे जाणे, पराठ्याञ्चा मान ठेवणे , आणि कधी कधी तर अतिविशाल भटुर्यांचे भाव खाणे सहन करणे…. आता ज्येष्ठ नागरिक झाल्यावर , ग्रेवी मध्ये पडून राहणं बारा वाटतं , सोबतीला इकडची तिकडची बडबड करायला कांदे मंडळी तत्पर , आणि नुकतीच लाटलेली खास तव्यावरची गरम चपाती तूप लाउन हुश्श्य करत शेजारी आली ना , कि जुनी मैत्रीण भेटायला आल्यासारखा वाटत, आणि मग वाटत आयुष्याचा सार्थक झालं , आता कुठल्याही दातांशी दोन हात करायला आपण समर्थ आहोत ….

A difficult trek from Kabul thru the Hindu Kush mountain ranges, in the thick of winter, a slow settling down as a citizen, in the subcontinent;   Years and years of interesting spicy travels, tangling with tomatoes, sometimes with a grief soaked tamarind, and at times, even with tea leaves on a break from their forecasting duties. Being relentlessly pursued by Tandoori Toms, minding one's P's and Q's around Parathaa Lords, and even tolerating the boasting of the puffed up Bhaturas. Now a senior citizen, it feels good to relax in the gravy, with the onions all cut up, and gossiping about things, as someone arrives. A hot chapati, fresh off the tawaa, exhaling in wonder at the slather of ghee, arrives in the plate like a long lost friend coming specially to look you up. A life well lived, and one feels suddenly empowered to handle any skirmishes with teeth in the future....