Saturday, October 17, 2015

An Ode to the Flying Vada Pav


The Mumbai Vada Pav is going places. Literally.  Like the Nation's Capital.

My friend Sonal Sardesai Gautam,  had the pleasure recently of enjoying a Vada Pav airlifted from right outside the Mumbai Airport , straight to her, and it was enjoyed immediately the next morning. 

This particular photographic memory caused a lot of heartburn amongst  the Capital folks and those staying across the seas,  who possibly got depressed.

I just wrote in my Ode to the Flying Vada Pav.  First in the language of Shivaji, and then, a version  in the language of the Queen.

Enjoy .....


अनेक दिवस वाट बघितली,
योग्य वेळ आली न्हवती
आणि पुन्हा पुन्हा स्वतःला तेलात झोकून देउन

अश्रूपातात झार्यावर रेलून बाहेर येउन
मिरची बरोबर आपले दुखः शेर करत ,
तो विमानतळाबाहेर तिष्ठत बसे .

आणि मग एके दिवशी
गौतामांचे अचानक येणे
एका मऊ पावाच्या शेल्यात
त्याचे कढई तून लाल लसून तिखटाच्या अक्षतात
लाडाने गुंडाळले जाणे ,
"थांबा थांबा , मी आsssले"
असे म्हणत
एका हिरव्या शेलाट्या बांध्याच्या
मिरचीचे येउन आलिंगन देणे ,
आणि अचानक
एका थंड विमानातून
दोघांचे मधुचन्द्रानिमित्त
राजधानी मध्ये आगमन .

दुसर्या दिवशी
सकाळच्या मुहूर्तावर
स्वल्प्लहरींच्या संगीतात
गौतमाञ्च्या घरी आत्मसमर्पण .

काही काही बटाटेवडे मंडळी
झरा अतीच हौशी असतात …।

Time and again,
always waiting
for a moment opportune,
he would fling himself
into hot oil,
and emerge
dripping tears,
supported by a slotted spoon,
sharing his woes
with the chillies
outside Mumbai airport.

And then, on the day
Mr Gautam arrived,
he emerged,
wrapped indulgently
in a breaded shawl,
amidst a sprinkling
of garlicky cayenne,
as a shapely young Mirchi
rushed in,
shouting
"wait, wait, I am coming with you!"
and held him close.

The two
then on their way
flying in air conditioned comfort
to a honeymoon
in the Nations' Capital. 

The next morning,
their last together,
at the Gautam's,
hot times in the microwave,
before a destined
harakiri.

Sometimes,
some Vada types
are just a bit too
enthusiastic .
 

No comments:

Post a Comment