A Feast Of Love
Avni Doshi On Her Family's Intertwining Legacy Of Food And Love
The shutter speed is on automatic but I control the aperture. I focus on a steel thali filled with little mountains of food, a topography of tender greens, oily and dotted with jeera, and eggplant, fried, tempered, yellowed with turmeric. The pillowy rotis are starting to deflate. I work quickly, trying shots from different angles, considering the light in my grandmother’s flat, the grey, wooden floor that forms the background, and the reflections of faces in the metal plate.
Mum speaks to Nani in Gujarati behind me, “It will be cold by the time she actually eats it.”
Nani laughs and replies, “Why is she taking so many pictures?”
I look at my mother and my mother looks at me. We don’t answer my grandmother and she soon forgets her own question. Nani is smiling, happy. I wish I could be happy, but I want too badly to remember all the flavours my grandmother has fed me, every dish that has come out of her kitchen, the ideal season for each vegetable. Our family comes together around my grandmother’s kindness and her meals. From far away places, we make yearly pilgrimages to marvel that something can still taste so good. We share stories, hurl insults, we fight, and make up. Every bite is a memory.
But we knew something was wrong the day Nani couldn’t remember a recipe. A simple Sindhi pickle, made with cauliflower, carrot, mustard, and rye. She used to know it like the back of her hand. The doctor says this is just the beginning, that eventually she will forget my name.
We are losing a little bit of her everyday. I tell my shrink my heart is breaking but the truth is I feel it most in my stomach, in the watery unease of my gut.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von Harper's Bazaar India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von Harper's Bazaar India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Unyielding And Unmatched
In an industry where every move is scrutinised, Kareena Kapoor Khan lives passionately, loves her job, and understands that there’s more to her than just box-office numbers.
SEEN AND HEARD
Female authors explore how crucial it is that women write about their personal experiences.
INTO THE WORLD OF JUDY CHICAGO
What makes the feminist trailblazer an icon?
'THE LEGACY OF A SINGER WILL ALWAYS STAY INTACT'
AR Rahman believes AI can be used without compromising on the artistic essence.
THROUGH HER EYES
Indian supermodels remember legendary photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta ahead of his 68th birth anniversary.
THE SHAPE-SHIFTERS
From adorning your body to your mantle piece, jewellery designers are turning to homeware.
WEARABLE ART
Three limited-edition timepieces, inspired by Gaston-Louis Vuitton's love for artistry, is an ode to the Maison's legacy of craftsmanship.
AS LONG AS TIME
Bazaar India delves into the ethos of watch brands.
MILANO MAKEOVER
Sabato De Sarno's reimagination of this classic Gucci bag is is an ode to his Milanese becoming.
A LOVE LETTER TO JAIPUR
Designer Surily Goel reveals the making of her latest collection.