Food

Every person has a different way of enjoying life - some might enjoy shopping, travelling, watching movies or going on long drives - we find happiness in our own beautiful way. I realized, right from my childhood my happiness lay in food - filling my stomach with food to be more precise (though I feel full pretty quickly). If I was ever asked by me parents regarding what should be done on a Sunday evening, I would blurt out saying lets go and try eating at a new restaurant! When I was a kid, whenever I scored good marks in math, or won a prize in any competition, I used to always ask my parents either to cook my favorite food items, or treat me to a pizza. There was nothing more that could bring me happiness at that age. The money I used to get from my grandparents was spent on my food cravings. My mother, being her usual concerned self, used to worry as to why I’m not spending it on something more useful. She was under the though process that food is perishable. I remember hugging and scolding her saying food which is enjoyed while eating is not perishable, but in fact the taste will remain in your memory forever. You can never forget how it made you feel.

As soon as I used to reach home from school in the afternoon, I remember my first question to my mother being what she made for lunch. Even as I grew up to college, that habit still continues. She always replies with a smile, even if it isn’t my favorite item cooked at home. To be honest, I enjoy every item she cooks, be it biryani or a 2 minutes Maggie. There’s this calm and soothing feeling in just watching her cook. I forget how long and tiring the day had been. The aroma of the food she cooks hits home - just like how a verse of a song brings back major nostalgia, or when looking at a thing suddenly takes you back to a fond memory - bringing a smile to your face. Even a dinner at Marriott or Radisson for that matter cannot compensate my mother’s dosa. And even when I cook sometimes, she hovers around, predicting for sure that I’ll be calling her inevitably for help. Now that I look back, I didn’t realize that my love for food had made me making memories - something which I’ll fondly look back upon while thinking of home.

When viewed from a mythological perspective, food is integrated in our culture and tradition since decades. Any festival celebrated in every nook and corner of India sees special food items being cooked. There’s also the excitement to try out different cuisines and getting to know the same. Food can win many hearts. Apart from needing it for survival, it’s also a main source of enjoyment. Be it weddings, cocktail parties, pujas, celebratory functions, lunch breaks at school eating each other’s dabba, friends deciding to meet over for lunch, a date with a special someone, or just a long day at work - food spreads happiness, brings comfort, and will always be something over which people bond and connect irrespective of their age. Such is the emotion it spreads among all.