Students gorge on Golgappas

Smitha: ''Mom, I’m going to college. Bye.''
Mom: ''Have your breakfast and go. Don’t go with a hungry stomach.''
Smitha: ''I’m late mom, got to go. Bye.''

Well, if you are feeling sorry that your daughter is going to stay hungry for the rest of the day, don’t be. Because with innumerable fast foods, canteens and juice shops, she is in all probability regale herself with enough food that she might even skip her dinner.

With canteens provide an array of treats such as Masala Dosas, Puris, Bisibele bhath, Parotas, Chapathi’s and even ice creams, college kids are never stuck short of choice. Instead, their insatiable palates are on the hunt for more.

The current fad when it comes to satisfying the taste buds in quick time is the pani puri sold by vendors, near colleges. These vendors carry a bag full of ‘Golgappas’ in a huge plastic bag and a earthen ware or stainless steel pots filled with the spicy ‘Pani’.  Everything is set-up on a chair, and the vendor is ready to do business.

With students in hordes make way for the ‘Golgappa’ vendor, he sets to work busy stuffing the golgappas with smashed alu’s, onions cut into fine pieces, peas, a touch of lime and a sprinkle of salt and other masala. A glass filled with ‘Pani’ accompanies the plate of five puris.

Golgappa vendors are making a roaring business in the city by opening their shops on stools near colleges and schools. With a plate of Golgappa’s placed at a cheap price of Rs Five, students across all campuses with the Golgappa vendor in the neighbourhood ensure his stock is finished by the end of the day.

Gone are the days of eating Masala Dosa or a solid food for breakfast, now it is more on filling your stomach in a faster time. Says, college-goer- Smitha. “Sometimes college starts as early as 7.30 am. So we’ll have to skip our breakfast to reach college in time. So, whenever we get a break at 10.30 am, we hurry to the Golgappa vendor and satisfy our hunger pangs.”

So what about the traditional breakfast? “Well we don’t eat Golgappa’s every day, but it’s either in our breakfast or lunch menu,” she says sprouting a huge smile.

“It’s a nice place to hangout with your friends,” says Shwetha, a student of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering. “Nowadays, even a fast food joint doesn’t give food out fast when there is a lot of rush.”

But with golgappas are fished out fast and furious to make sure that students enjoy their morning snack without getting late for classes. “Nobody cares about healthy food these days,” remarks Shwetha. She says, “If we eat chips, it’s called junk food.”   “We just want to eat something tasty and light,” she adds.