I had vada pav yesterday.
Drove via Aarey colony and saw the light streaming down the trees and bushes.
Bought back a huge Murmura pack to Chennai.
You guessed right, I was in Mumbai. The city of my childhood, at least a large part of it.
I do not think I will ever stop calling myself a Bombayite. Even now when someone asks me where I am from, I say Mumbai and then explain - came to Chennai a few years back, post marriage. Whom am I kidding! Bombay no longer exists- I should be a Mumbaikar if at all.
I came to Chennai almost 8 yrs ago.
About time I called myself a Chennaiite. And I belong here don't I ? Being a Tamilian at that? Maybe my Chennaisation is not complete.
This Republic Day when Chennai gets metered autos, I think I will also salute that event by calling myself a Chennaiite henceforth.
13 comments:
Yumm @ Vada Pav. I can no longer eat that when I vist, due to the short vists and the chance of getting a bug that then sort of ruins the trip. Has happened to me before :)
Hmmm..made me wonder about our need to belong somewhere, the identity part of it..I grapple too....Bangalore - Dallas, tough!
METERED autos in Chennai.. my God.. I just cant believe it.. autowallahs in Chennai are the worst lost by my experience, worse than Dadas :-).. great news this Republic Day....
meter??... autos??.. chennai??.. who are u kidding??.. i just cant believe it.. :)
identity crisis - ask me ! Generations ago my forefathers moved to Hyderabad from UP or Kashmir, I don't know. But my grandad, dad and even me was born in HYd but i lived all over India due to dad's transfers and people would squint if I said I am Hyderabadi bcos as per them I don't look Hyderabadi. And now have been living in NZ for last 10 years, still not NZ'dised to call myself a kiwi and people give that quizzical look when I say I am Indian bcos here they say that I don't even look like an Indian ! And I certainly don't look like a NZer - so what am I ??? Hmmmm.....well I call myself a Hyderabadi cos I feel Hyderabadi and even talk like Hyderabadi ( and that confuses people even more ), sometimes I give the expalantion and tel lthem the long story, other times I let them wonder ;-)
BTW, I miss wada pav too - lived in Bombay for two years while doing my PG !!!!
It is hard to dissociate yourself with the place you grew up in - esp if you have pleasant memories. Who says you have to pick one? Why can't you be both a Mumbaikar in spirit and a Chennaiite in livelihood??
*can you tell I am of confused identity too?!!*
O well - identity crisis - born and raised in Mumbai. Moved to Canada post marriage - living in the US now...when people ask me - where I am from - i actually think before answering
Isn't that the story of many of our lives?:)I was born,spend most of my growing years in Mangalore and Bangalore shuttling in between due to dad's job,was in the US,then moved to Canada,I really don't know where I belong sometimes:)I'm a global nomad!
mmmm..vada pav,oh what would I give to have one of those authentic ones rather than the cheaper westrenized versions we get here,it's just not the same:(
I used to think the same :) And I guess it goes the same with all who have moved out of their place of birth to other places to embark on their journey of life. :)
But I still call myself a mumbaite. :)
Enjoyed the post. Had to Google murmura and vada pav (I learn a lot reading these blogs.)
Vada pav sounds like a meal that would last all day. Is it a gut bomb?
sanjay- u can always have gelusil/ digene later- i have a strong constituion when it comes to roadside food
alan- vada pav is india's spicy divine version of a burger made in chikpea flour- no gut trouble- i can eat 2 at one go as a snack!
analog/sush/ patti- i spoke too soon- no meters yet...:-( they will need another month they say
Orchid/ fuzzy/ coffee - pl read my post "The Rolling Stone" (Oct2006) if you have not already done so
nz/@- do read my post "The Rolling Stone"- we all seem to be that
vada pav looks yummy:-)
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