Assorted Essentials ....

Normal everyday items like a basket of Assorted Parathas  (Indian Breads) that one orders when having a meal in a restaurant. And my friend Magiceye, posts such a wonderful photo, that you start imagining what curries must have been ordered with it .

 Parathas may be simple, or complicated and stuffed. Some lightly flavoured with mint, onion, garlic, various crunchy seeds, and some  importantly stuffed with the big stuff like potatoes. All vying to fit in ,  the allocated important space, at the centre of it all, as the hoi polloi carrots and sliced onions pretend they have not noticed....

(photo by Deepak Amembal Magiceye)

The Food Constitution
of India
has declared them
an Essential item.

They have a place
at the Centre,
and in a Special Enclosure.

This Standing Committee
is actually sitting,
all trying to fit
into the same frame,
despite their different persuasions.

Some arising
from applauding the dough
between two palms
and smacking it
on the insides of a tandoor
to test its response in heated moments.

Some compulsorily rolled,
and thrown
onto hot surfaces,
with a bit of oil drizzled
to acqaint them with hard times...

Some creative ones,
cooperating with spices and mint
trying to appear really cool
amidst all the stuffy ones...

And some who
simply don't go anywhere
without their Aloo, Gobi, Paneer
and Muli hanger ons.

So much posing,
so much buttery makeup,
so much prestige,
and they
finally realize,
that they are meant
for the people,
as someone breaks off a piece,
dips it 
in Dum Aloo
and imbibes it all,
saying,
"Ah ! Wonderful !
So what if these disappear,
I will vote for new ones !"