down the memory lane: sliced bread and pani puri

Watching a scene from the Clint Eastwood movie 'good bad and ugly' reminded me that bread was not always sold cut out in slices at shops. It reminded of me of the 'bread wallah' who used to come every morning at my Nana's house. He used to take a loaf of bread out of his box on his cycle and slice in front of our eyes, with deft ease, moving his razor sharp knife like an experienced chef cuts his onions. The characteristic horn or 'bhonpoo' on his cycle was a early morning wake up call for me. Well, when at my nana's place I had the privilege of waking up at my own sweet discretion. And even though my nana made sure the rest of the house was on its knees early in the morning, he let me back to sleep after a mild wake up call.

Now that i mentioned the 'bread wallah' how could the 'pani puri wallah' be far behind. He used to come to our street or 'gullee' in the evenings. His characteristic sound was the one he made by beating his ladle onto his huge circular pan. 'tan tan .. paani puri ... tan tan ... aloo chaat .. tan tan .. tan tan'. He used to push his cart around. The cart was painted piece of street side art, with 'Pani Puri, Aloo Chart' written in white paint on an orange background and a stock of 'batashas' piled up along side the the big pan which had tikkis being fried upon. Eating 'pani puri' is one of the most pleasurable things that happened during the course of a day. Standing in a semi circle besides the 'pani puri wallah', waiting for our turn as he quickly went in the rhythmic process of cracking the 'batasha', filling it with water and serving it into the 'katoris' of his clientele. And mind you this was a very quick process, and by the time you had just got over taking a breadth after taking in the globe filled with the choicest spices, you would be en thrust upon the next one to finish off. And the best batashas had in them the ingredients to light up the senses and with it your evenings.