The Indian Road Romeo

9.12.10

6.12.10

3.12.10

Kutch main nahi khaya, toh kuch nahi khaya: Fafda Jilebi Breakfast.

Thankfully Idli - Dosa - Poha - Sandwich hasn't reached Rapar, the dusty, dry and now blessed with faraway Narmada water, once in 2-3 days for half-an-hour, town. Rapar has Pav and the Vada but they don't put the two together and serve. That's because the food here in a town where a pot of saline water used to cost Rs 3 before the great Bhuj Earthquake is bloody awesome. And once you've had it, you will never like the ones served in Mumbai, ever.

For the record, Rapar is a taluk HQ that is booming and will become a large town over the next few years. The turning point was the Earthquake in Bhuj, 5 hours away. They say that the monsoons have been good ever since and Rapar being the biggest town in this part of the rugged Kutch, has grown as a trading post. The crop that's making people here rich is the Jeera. It's called the 'Jugaar' crop and a lucky farmer goes on to make lakhs. And a lakh goes a very long way in this part of the country.

Post Earthquake, there's a New Rapar with roads at right angles that's come up. The town that serves hundreds of villages is just a short drive from the Hema Malini's-Cheek smooth National Highway that connects Mundra and Kandla Ports to North-Western India making it a fantastic trading post.

And there's one thing all traders, farmers and shepherds who come to dusty Rapar will enjoy. The good food.

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

India's Idea Man: Mahatma Gandhi.

18.11.10

Off NH17. Kolad

Rational Fear: Head-on collision caused by rash overtaking.

The story about yesterday's accident, not too far away from where this signboard was ignored, here.

13.11.10

Chennai

‘Thalapakatti Naidu Ananda Vilas Biryani Hotel’V/s Thalapakattu Biryani and Fast Food' Case.

Biryani, India's most popular dish is actually an Iranian import. And since we Indians never agree on anything and each of us love to do it our own way, there are a thousand varieties of Biryani available across India.

Down South, people take their Biryani very, very seriously; be it Hyderabad, Bangalore, and especially in Chennai which contrary to what people in the vegetarian North and West think, love fish, chicken and meat.

There are many types of Biryani available in Chennai. From the Tamil lands, there's the Dindigul (thalapakattu) Biryani, Ambur Biryani (from Arcot and similar to Hyderabadi), Chettinad and Buhari (after a family-run restaurant). There could be more varieties but I have tasted just these.

When it comes to popularity and marketing, the Thalapakattu (turban) Biryani is Chennai's current battleground. The legend is that the man who started the restaurant wore a turban and people referred to the Biryani place by that name. And two groups claim that they are the original Thalapakattu Biryani.

The founder of the Dindigul-based 'Thalapakatti Naidu Ananda Vilas Biryani Hotel' definitely wore a turban and they have planted enough evidence in their restaurants dotting Chennai. However, this story is from a period when most Indians wore head-dresses, not just the Sikhs. The turban wearing Rawthers of Chennai were also selling a Thalapakattu Biryani in their restaurant.

The two fought it out in courts. The Madras High Court settled the case and directed the Chennai-based restaurant to brand its Biryani as ‘Chennai Rawther Thalapakattu Biryani’.

The turbans stayed on both heads. It seems that all Biryani makers wore turbans whatever their religion or caste and now it's time for their grandchildren with modern catering skills to cash in on the taste.

Today, the story is that many Thalapakattu and Thalapakatti biryani houses dot Chennai and it's become a generic name.