Along with my earlier confessed disorders like the celeb mania or the fancy TMJ (and my lack of talking as a result), there is one more thing I am compulsively passionate about. God knows why the hell but- Its my dream to stand on the Times Square in New York with my arms stretched, getting clicked in order to freeze the memory of having fulfilled this silly fantasy! You must know that Saurabh is under tremendous pressure to quickly turn this dream into reality as every time he asks me- "So what do you want from me?", I only say- "Take me to........"-and he knows where! He just doesn't know WHY!! Many friends and family who have been there (and done that) have come back and told me- "Kya khaas hai wahan? Its very normal. Its like the Piccadilly Square in London which you have seen!" . But a dream is a dream. I have eaten hazaar other Raj kachoris but the one which is served at Haldirams at Mathura Road in Delhi- Is unbeatable!
So what is the context of this dream sequence I elaborated above, you must be thinking?
Last weekend when we caught 'English Vinglish',we couldn't help but sample the Manhattan razzmatazz and loved the American way of life. After criss-crossing through the New York high rises, while returning home, we were all hungry and the time matched the time of our neighbor hood halwai's time to fry samosas. Hence the decision was made to take our car as close as possible to the halwai's narrow street so that I can be dropped off and attack his freshly fried matar samosas which are so famous that I had to wait half an hour to fetch my meager 250 grams! How much ever Saurabh tried, he could not halt his car for more than 10 seconds because the street got clogged with rickshaw wallas, scooters and 'on shopping spree" aunties who banged on the car saying- " Kindly make way!"
As I stood there, just above the huge kadhai in which the small Samosas were getting fried, I witnessed the frenzy of hungry people grabbing their lots and the excited look on their faces to see their "melting in the mouth" treats being made so fresh. The uncanny comparison of where I was just 30 minutes back- in the streets of New York, yet again promising myself that one day I shall too walk as fast as these busy looking Americans and fulfill my Times Square dream- brought a smile to my face. For now I was in a market where one could buy anything from a Ship to a needle, where matar samosas attract janta from far off distances, where no one bothers if the halwai uncle washed his hands before touching their samosas, where commotion and unruliness is the way of our lives- in fact it only adds to the experience of enjoying these fried savories!
The question then I asked myself while carrying the brown packet, that got stained of oil the minute I started walking was- What do I prefer? Did I not enjoy this process of having these super famous samosas?
The answer was- Oh yes! I loved it! In fact I look forward to the madness that engulfs this market in the festive season. I love it when I have to haggle and struggle for small things that make my big festivals and I love it when all the shopkeepers recognize me or my Mom in law and on seeing us worried they shout through the 'unruly' crowd- "Paise baad main de dijiyega! Aap abhi bas samaan le jaiye!" :)
nyc post......
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