Down Memory Lane “Come, let’s eat pani puri.” That sentence is intrinsic to one of my most cherished food memories. It involves my mother, my grandmother, and a pair of street food stalls in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda district.
I first started eating at the Sanjay sandwich and Gupta chaat stalls during long afternoons spent in the area with Ma and Ammi. Frustrated with fifth-grade homework and tired of household duties, the three of us would put our responsibilities on hold and treat ourselves to some time off. I’d browse the aisles of the local music store while they would check out saris in the neighbouring shop. Eventually, they’d come find me, and Ammi would say those five magic words, leading the way to the stalls.
Between the three of us, we’d get through servings of pani puri, sev puri and hot aloo-cheese toasts and wash it all down with cold, tall glasses of ganna (sugar cane) juice. We wouldn’t talk much for those few minutes, but there was a palpable sense of carefree contentment that ran through us.
We don’t go there together as often any more, with Ammi getting older. But our trysts with those snacks continue, spurred mainly by my memories of the place. When in the area, I always make it a point to stop by for a quick dose of chutney-laden crunch and butter-slathered goodness and pack something up to take home.
I realised that I go back to places and foods because of the people I associate with them. Engaging with others and sharing those experiences has lefta deep imprint on my gastronomic memories.
Denne historien er fra February - March 2020-utgaven av Verve.
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Denne historien er fra February - March 2020-utgaven av Verve.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Making Amends
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Diamonds With Provenance
In keeping with the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer at Tiffany & Co. and chairman and president at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, enlightens Shirin Mehta on the efforts that make the jewellery giant an industry leader in transparency
SARTORIAL ECONOMICS
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NOTES TO SELF
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The Eternal Optimist
As Generation X and xennials grapple with fully transitioning to conscious living, young millennials and Generation Z are leading the charge to reverse human-caused environmental damage. Sahar Mansoor, founder and CEO of the Bengaluru-based zero-waste social enterprise Bare Necessities, has a simple overarching philosophy: consume less and stay positive. Verve gets deeper into the mindset of the action-oriented earth advocate
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NATURAL JUSTICE
Most of us are only just waking up to the urgency of climatic action. When the stakes are so high, what can individual action solve? Mridula Mary Paul, an environmental policy expert, is proof of the tenacity needed to effect systemic change. It’s not glamorous, and the rewards are few and far between, but that doesn’t stop her from aiming big, finds Anandita Bhalerao
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Navigating Indian streets as a woman is hard enough. But what is it like while riding a bicycle? Bengaluru-based Shreya Dasgupta, a regular cyclist, speaks to five urban women about the pros and cons of this increasingly popular means of transport.
