Food Ventures...!!

Gujju was a tremendous path finder and a fabulous “shop-hopper” ! She asks for non-veg dishes in veg restaurants and vice-versa..!!..and she always chose me as her favorite whenever she wanted to make a “bakra” of herself ! !

It was a cloudy day! She decided to take me to a shop which she knows to produce “yummy mughlai-s”..!.. ‘trust me Sim, you wil keep licking ur fingures” ! ! !
In no time , rain started…we had no umbrellas…..but we did not give up our indomitable urge to have ‘mughlai-s’…we got drenched…but we moved on.! !
We tried to take shelter under some tree…..we even gushed inside a telephone booth….but it was too small to help both of us…. “Gujju, you are getting fat...I guess!”

We were walking in rounds…down the same lanes again and again, with Gujju trying to find her “BEST” ‘mughlai-shop’ ! !
“Where is it yaar??.....
“Its here only…just about finding the right lane..”
“I appreciate that strangely intelligent thought of yours!!....but can you find it a bit quicker…me getting tired ! ! ..”
“Be a sport Sim….just follow me…come on….”
And I was her blind follower !

To my shocking surprise , she took me to “BIKANER BHUJIAWALA”…and that too for “mughlai” ! !
“Is this your favourite mughlai shop??”! I just couldn’t believe her! ! I was just wondering if it was 1st april and if she was trying to make me the fool of the day ! !

“Yes…I’m sure ! You will find mughlai here…” she was still firm and overwhelmed about her “best Mughali shop” ! !

“Gujju…this is a vegetarian food shop!..never anyone has made any non–veg here..!!..you are out of your head..! ! “

“ yaar Sim …this is the one…I’m telling you…you know, what actually happened, one day………when I was in class-ix…Jeenat took me here and you know what.,.,…..” she went on and on with her story ! ! …. “Okay you just ask once…”
I asked the shop keeper !
And I guess my question seemed to him as the biggest joke ever heard..he laughed mockingly….and gave me a look as if………..i have asked for a bottle of wine in a ‘mother–diary milk shop’ ! !
Wanted to kill Gujju….arrghhh ! !

Anyway we left ‘bikaner bhujiawala’ feeling rather funny ! !
“You are so stupid Gujju…..and you make me look like a ‘bakra’…! ! “

Our school got over by 5pm and it was almost 8pm due to this ‘mughlai – hunt’ ! I was pretty sure, mom would greet me home with a damn “good” mood ! !


It was another day --- we had half-day in school and she wanted me to have some ‘samosa-s’ with her…and that too in her “ best samosa shop” ! !
And man ! I still trusted her ! ! !
Sun was right on the head…it was very hot…and we were scorched ! but that was never a reason for Gujju to leave her expeditition to her “BEST” shops !

And this time she took me to “Teenage-Freak-Out-Zone” ---- an air – conditioned, polished and furnished restaurant…where I doubt if samosa has been ever made…..or even never had been ordered..i guess! ! ..
“Man, this is not a place where you come for those samosa-s ! ! “
I was terribly shocked !
I did not know what to do !
“Should we sit??”

Menu card was given.
Least priced food-plate was bhatura – Rs 10/-
We had 15Rs in our pockets ! !

“Two plates of Bhatura…!” Gujju gave the order !
The attendant was as much shocked as I was ! Gujju is really in need of some brain….so many days passed and she is still working without any of that stuff ! !

“Only Bhatura??! ! …well..that means, only paratha?...no side dish ??.! !” the attendant asked wide-eyed !
Gujju gave me a confused look !
“Well…yeah of course not….well…give us 5 more minutes….! “

The attendant left us...surely laughing at us..!
“Let’s get out of here !” Gujju bent over the table and whispered as if upto some conspiracy !
Till then I didn’t speak a word ! I was just a bit too amused watching Gujju and promising myself again and again, this to be the last food – venture with her ! !
Next moment we were on the street…trying hard to control our “out-of-control” laughters ! !




But I really owe it to Gujju ….it’s her funny expeditions which contributed towards adding shades of “shameless-traits” in my character..which is a true need of present time , I tell you ! !