Aditya Sanghi Speaks

So I went over to my dear friend Siddhartha Totuka’s place for lunch today. The occasion was Rot-Teej. Despite having lived in Jaipur for most of my life, I had never heard of the festival before. As far as I’m concerned, the highlight of the festival is the special lunch.

I heard from Yogita a couple of days before about what was going to be prepared on that day and frankly it didnt appeal to me. My mom concurred later last night that I am not going to like it since she knows my food habits.

There was no way I was going to weasel my way out of Sid’s invite so I went. In short, I tried a new cuisine today and I liked it. Not bad!! The food consists of a star shaped “rot”. It like a thick buscuit, like a Bati (from Daal Baati) but i really hate Daal Baati so I think it was way better than a Baati. You divide the plate into 2 parts. One side contains boora (sugar) and the other side is mirchi (green chilli preparation). Then there is a raita contain torai (gourd? not sure of the english name of this vegetable). You are supposed to crush the rot with your hands, pour heaps of ghee and have it alternatively with sugar and with raita and mirchi. It was heavy and I’m sleepy just writing it. But I think I had enough and really enjoyed my lunch today!!

Thanks Sid and Yogita, you both rock!

So the girl gets to sit as the 3rd passenger, hold you stupid briefcase, balance herself like a damn cuckoo bird while you 2 morons drive your bike like crazed monkeys. Also she’s not allowed to touch you or the idiot in the middle. Where do I pay for this circus?

Hold that bag!

Until a few months ago, I felt Jaipur roads were pothole free, clean, wide and something to be proud of. We could hold our heads high when people from other bigger cities visited us and show them how well kept our heritage city was. Jaipur was the shining example of how a modern city ought to be. It was more like a responisibility and a duty, since so much of Jaipur depends on tourism.

Look at the city now, it’s a fucking dump! Now I know there is a good reason for all the digging. They’re apparently laying the pipeline to provide a steady supply of water from Bisalpur. That’s noble and something again we should support due to its obvious long term benefits. But the problem is how it is being managed. Is it not important to build the road back once the pipes have been layed? Who and what is being done about it? When is it going to be done? Is it going to be done? Where is that information?

Our city deserves better.