Conversations in the Dark-2

A typical conversation in India would never be complete without sharing notes on food. So typical-proud-Indians that we are, from three different parts of the country, leading different lives, a large part of our conversation also has an element of food and feast to it. Often, we chat away recalling the Wednesday Biryani menu and Friday Egg-Curry in Godavari Mess. And not to mention the chai-paratha from the adjoining Godavari Dhaba. Or the Rasam Tina made and Bindu's inimitable Kheer cooked in our hostel rooms. We even remember the whacky menus like Bhindi-Chhole we had to cope with on days. And still we were never under-nourished. Not to mention the nourishment our memories and conversations provide.

Me and Bindu- Tina, what did you prepare for dinner today?

Tina- How do I explain to you guys.. Let's say eggplant and drumstick gravy.

Me and Bindu- Phew! Who eats that? What a terrible combination. We can only have eggplant fry and bharta. 

Bindu (adds)- I only have drumstick when I am sick.

Tina- What did you guys have?

Me (grumbled incoherently)

Bindu (visibly drooling)- Chicken fry

Me and Tina- Wow! Where do you get chicken in these times? How lucky..

Bindu (at her wisest)- Had it to get it for feeding the dogs. My mother just sneaked a portion of the same and served specially for me

Me and Tina- Laughing

Bindu- I mean not the same thing that was served to dogs.. a bit of it was kept and cooked specially for me by mom..

All of us- That's what life in Corona has come to be- surviving on dog food if need be. Or any food that tastes like dog food!

Conversations in the Dark-1

So the story goes back to year 2004.. JNU.. Three of us stayed in the same corridor of Godavari Hostel.. Me doing Economics.. Bindu and Tina in Political Science. Bindu from Presidency, Calcutta and Tina from Presidency, Madras. Over polite introductions, we decided to go the hostel roof. And once there, we cried our hearts out over missing home. A decade later, of all the things we shared in days to come, this memory remains our dearest.

Now a decade and half later, (having weathered much in our lives,) thanks to Corona and the time at our hands, we decided to form a group and bond again. Only this time, we hope never to stay out of touch for long again. Sometimes it seems we were never apart and we didn't grow a bit in the intervening years. And our conversations in the dark are as interesting as ever.

Bindu- The only time I go out these days is to feed the stray dogs near my home. Though I am a dog lover, but one particular dog howls a lot at me. Turns out he is the only male and my mom attributes my man-hater instincts to be understood by dog.

Tina- Let it bark.

Me- (in all my feminist glory)- Tell the dog to behave properly and eat whatever is given without howling.

Bindu (admitting guiltily)- Since all other dogs are females, I think my misandry comes to the fore subconsciously and I give less to the male dog compared to others.

Me- So what.. at least you are feeding him each day

Bindu- (laughing out loud)- Imagine me with all the education we had, I am trying my feminism in feeding dogs..

Me(laughing louder)- And me, with all the years in governance and policy, telling you to tell the dog to shut up!! (How dare a male (of any species) try to intimidate us..)