<p>Time for a chat to catch up with friends or loved ones? What better place than a chaat shop for this? <br /><br /></p>.<p>And so it was that I landed in a small house like structure, where one of its front rooms was converted in to a ‘chaat corner’. I would never have chanced upon it, if I had not decided to take a detour to venture into the bylanes during my evening sojourns. It was remotely placed but that did not deter it from having hordes of people of all age groups hovering around it.<br /><br />When I stopped by, I realised why. The shop was catering to chaats and sandwiches which were innovative and creative, distinctly different from the normal fare available everywhere. Ever heard of a chocolate sandwich or a pani puri float? As I glanced at the enormous and exotic new age menu, my eyes were trying to focus in on an item that would be gentle on my tongue and also gastro economical! <br /><br />I chose a tomato slice chaat, which had nuts, fruits, vegetables and a variety of tangy fare, which seemed to melt in my mouth. The simple fare had a taste that one could die for! I held my strong desire to down another and was putting away my plate. It was then that a teenager walked in and said a breezy ‘Hi’ to the chaatwala. I immediately guessed that this boy was a regular at this joint. The boy was extremely obese and I could not help watching him as he gulped down high calorie chaat concoctions one after the other. The last item ordered was the finale! It was a ‘nipattu’ burger with a thick slice of cheese thrown in between the buns and topped with other mouth-watering delights.<br /><br />‘What a way to down the perhaps hard earned money earned by parents that was now passing off as pocket money?’, I pondered. ‘Let alone that, what about the health of the boy if he did this day in and day out?’ The motherly instinct in me churned. I struck a conversation with the boy and enquired if he was coming in everyday? He gave an emphatic nod and with his mouthful of crunchies, he said, ‘He loved the taste.’ Yes, it is very good, I replied, all the same take care, and watch the calories that comes as a package along with the taste”. He gave me a nonchalant ‘I know how to take care of myself look’, and went to pay up.<br /><br /> “What about your regular juice?” asked the shopkeeper. Thankfully the boy declined, paid the amount due and was about to leave, when the shop keeper opened a box with sugary sweets in it, picked one and giving it to the boy, he said, “take it, this is for you!” I was stunned and surprised, what a way to attract the youngster to come back again and again.<br /><br />“Don’t do this!” I told the shopkeeper, the poor boy has already pounded himself with enough calories.” The words were barely out of my mouth, and I regretted what I had said, ‘who was I to talk and even if I did who would listen?’</p>
<p>Time for a chat to catch up with friends or loved ones? What better place than a chaat shop for this? <br /><br /></p>.<p>And so it was that I landed in a small house like structure, where one of its front rooms was converted in to a ‘chaat corner’. I would never have chanced upon it, if I had not decided to take a detour to venture into the bylanes during my evening sojourns. It was remotely placed but that did not deter it from having hordes of people of all age groups hovering around it.<br /><br />When I stopped by, I realised why. The shop was catering to chaats and sandwiches which were innovative and creative, distinctly different from the normal fare available everywhere. Ever heard of a chocolate sandwich or a pani puri float? As I glanced at the enormous and exotic new age menu, my eyes were trying to focus in on an item that would be gentle on my tongue and also gastro economical! <br /><br />I chose a tomato slice chaat, which had nuts, fruits, vegetables and a variety of tangy fare, which seemed to melt in my mouth. The simple fare had a taste that one could die for! I held my strong desire to down another and was putting away my plate. It was then that a teenager walked in and said a breezy ‘Hi’ to the chaatwala. I immediately guessed that this boy was a regular at this joint. The boy was extremely obese and I could not help watching him as he gulped down high calorie chaat concoctions one after the other. The last item ordered was the finale! It was a ‘nipattu’ burger with a thick slice of cheese thrown in between the buns and topped with other mouth-watering delights.<br /><br />‘What a way to down the perhaps hard earned money earned by parents that was now passing off as pocket money?’, I pondered. ‘Let alone that, what about the health of the boy if he did this day in and day out?’ The motherly instinct in me churned. I struck a conversation with the boy and enquired if he was coming in everyday? He gave an emphatic nod and with his mouthful of crunchies, he said, ‘He loved the taste.’ Yes, it is very good, I replied, all the same take care, and watch the calories that comes as a package along with the taste”. He gave me a nonchalant ‘I know how to take care of myself look’, and went to pay up.<br /><br /> “What about your regular juice?” asked the shopkeeper. Thankfully the boy declined, paid the amount due and was about to leave, when the shop keeper opened a box with sugary sweets in it, picked one and giving it to the boy, he said, “take it, this is for you!” I was stunned and surprised, what a way to attract the youngster to come back again and again.<br /><br />“Don’t do this!” I told the shopkeeper, the poor boy has already pounded himself with enough calories.” The words were barely out of my mouth, and I regretted what I had said, ‘who was I to talk and even if I did who would listen?’</p>
