JOIN USThe ‘Khakra Fafda Chaklii’ tagline running along the print ad of a hugely successful non-vegetarian chain has left a many of us bowled over.
Don’t let your imagination take a flight of fancy as this is just another meme trending on social media.
Come to think of it, vegetarians may be in for a surprise if these are portents of the times ahead.
For once in your life, you might get a menu that offers more choice for vegetarians (enough to brag about to your nagging non-vegetarian friends who love to take a dig at you by calling you ‘paneer’ lovers!).
Your platter could be replete with an eclectic mix of vegetarian delights, this time from the western coast of India, Gujarat, as the NaMo wave spills over the culinary courtyards in the Capital.
The phone beeps to notify a message in your inbox, just a day after the election results. “When everything goes the Gujarat way, why not a delicious Gujarati Thali.
Ab ki Baar Aamras ka tyohar,” reads a promotional message by Rajdhani Thali Restaurant, striking the iron while it’s hot.
Be it the flickers of the Modi wave or just a flash in the pan owing to election results, the flavours of Gujarat seem to be finding prominence in the heart of the City.
“Beyond distributing laddoos, the Gujarat Bhawan served its usual fare in its public canteen. We didn’t even use firecrackers owing to security on the day of the election results,” says an officer at the Gujarat Bhawan. But the restaurants in the City have taken a leap ahead.
Restaurant Shraman at The Ashok has introduced a Modi special menu. Chef Deepak from Shraman elaborates, “Our Modi menu comprises Modi's favourite dishes from Gujarati Thali to thepla, dhokla and khandvi. To celebrate his victory we went ahead with the themed menu after the election results were announced.”
The owner of Veda Cafe in DLF Promenade, Alok Aggarwal informs, “We already serve a typical Gujarati dish undhiyu in our cafe.
Considering the surge in interest for Gujarati cuisine, we would widen up the menu to include a traditional khichdi, which Narendra Modi is known to be fond of.”
The 54-year-old Virat Saha’s voice expresses his joy. The third-generation Delhiite who has his roots in Gujarat is the general secretary of Shree Delhi Gujarati Samaj.
“We already celebrate Navratri elaborately around the Capital. Ten years back, we had organised a Gujarati Utsav with a focus on Kutch at Dilli Haat.
We would want to have a similar celebration this year. But as far as expectations from Modiji go, we want him to work for the 1.25 crores Indians rather than just Gujaratis,” says Virat acknowledging one of Narendra Modi’s speech in Vadodara.
Reading the developments in the newspaper, Rajkumar beams on seeing a picture of the PM-designate. This Gujarati vendor from Gujarati lane in Janpath Market interestingly points out, “There was a time people used to bar him from travelling to their country, now they are inviting him over. I hope our leader does something for the Gujarati lane.
A decade ago, we had boxes to keep our wares that lie bare on the ground now. I hope he can build us a shop in the market,” says the vendor, when Metrolife enquired on how he celebrated the victory of his leader.
These enterprising street vendors, especially women, who fluently spout English in front of their foreign customers, want something more than a laddoo or a shrikhand to celebrate the success of the PM-designate.