In this country, there is a saying which goes something like 'On each food grain is written the name of the man who shall consume it.' There may be variations to this statement from one region to another because this country changes dialect every few kilometers!
Anyway, after joining this institute in Pilani, Rajasthan for a teaching position, I was quite happy because the environment is peaceful like the place I hail from, and there are peacocks, parrots and squirrels on the campus streets. However, having belonged to the eastern corner of the country, I began missing a few foods. Two of them were thukpa (a preparation of noodles in steamed soup) and momos (yeah, the ones on which you recently read articles on health risks...but I say, momos are not foods...they are emotions!). Resisting not more than a month, I decided to calm down my conscience by having a plate of momos at the institute gate. Oh! You only know the importance of a food only when you don't have it! Deep down my heart and belly, I knew that these did not even match half of what I had eaten before, but the joys of getting my hands on one were bubbling!
Only one month later, someone informed that the Tibetan Market Association was here for selling their famous woolen garments. I was familiar with their clothes as I had been visitor to their temporary markets at Silchar and Guwahati. The most wonderful thing about them is that several groups of them travel across India during winters and for the rest of the year, they are on to other jobs. It feels great that they come together for a social cum business hangout for a period of the year and make journeys to warm the people of the country. And their woolens! Oh! They are warm enough to trade your wallets!
Now, here comes the bonus of their fairs. They put up food stalls at the site of the market where they cook for themselves and sell some of those to the visitors too. Once I entered the market area, my eyes rolled towards the food stalls and lo! there were momos. I was never so much delighted because I knew their momos were the best as they pour 'that' sense of original taste of the hills. We ordered one just to check the so-thought originality. After 20 minutes came the plate of steamed momos and the red chutney! I was right! The warmth was so familiar! The pieces were soft and almost melted in our mouths, and the stuffing spread across the tongues. And we were praising the food after every delightful piece!
Having enjoyed that plate of momos, we inquired if they made 'thukpa' too. They smiled and were surprised how we had known that food item of theirs. After exchanging notes of brotherhood, they invited us the next day! The man in charge of the cooking was named Tashi, and such a fine gentleman he is! We visited them twice after that, and as it was Diwali time, we thought of extending our destiny to the 'sweet tooth' level. They were happy to receive the 'kaju-katli' and we were more than contended.
Finally, we said, "Thank you, Tashi."
I am now a contended man and believe that once you miss a food from the bottom of your belly, the world shall conspire to get it to you! Isn't that a bit cinematic? Yes, it is, and so were the momos and thukpa!
No man is a stranger if you know how to befriend him in the truest of senses without hidden agenda!
