It is the favorite cuisine of so many of us that its mere mention has become a cliché. But have you really thought why it is so? Why India being the home of world’s spiciest and most scrumptious food, succumb to the food cooked at home with no allure whatsoever. And not only India, why do people crave for “Ghar ka khana” even if they are miles away in some other part of the world (which may also be filled with drooling delicacies). Is it just the taste, it can’t be. Then what is it?
Remember the last time you step foot in Café Coffee Day. Did you pay a visit because you like the coffee or because you like the ambience (and the girls, big screen TV with cricket playing, chill AC, service, and nice sofas...the list goes on). Nobody goes to multiplexes these days just to watch movies but to “shop, eat and celebrate”. Same is the case with News channels which are switched on quench the thirst for updates as well as gossip, and the might remote toggle to something else the moment it get too informative. Thus people look out for much more in a product than mere “product”. It should deliver some value over and above the bare minimum. The entire hullabaloo over “customer is the king” (another cliché by the way) tries to deliver the same value.
Coming back to “Ghar ka khana”, we love it because more than sheer food it reminds of love and togetherness we had while having it. It takes us back to sweet old memories. It reminds us of the extra paratha we threw tantrums to get, the sweets we stole (c’mon I know you did it), the cute dog face we made to get the lion’s share and the eagerness with which we awaited mom to finish cooking. It jogs your memory to all the festivals we celebrated. It reminds of the satisfaction and the security the food provided. So much more than food it is, so much valuable. No wonder the cliché is our favorite.
5 comments:
i guess the marketing classes have had a deep impact on you :D
but no doubts i agree to your post, it is in fact the feelings with which it is cooked that creates the magic and no doubts the fights for food with siblings creates the ambience as well ;) :D
You are absolutely correct t(r)oddler!about the post and marketing classes both :)
Sometimes I wonder whether the forthcoming generations will cherish the Homemade food the way we do as they'll hardly get any.
Ghar ka khana is special because of the love that is an essential ingredient in it. It's very consumerist to compare it to mall culture but I guess that's the way the world works now!!
Well..apart frm the love part of it(which actually has the biggest share), the taste that you have developed since your childhood also plays a role...coz regardless of the ambience or taste of a parantha at a multiple starrer restaurant u would still prefer the one ur mom makes!! :)
Nice posting.. It reminded me that chicken when mommy cooked and you always look out for bigger bowl and fights for it! takes me to nostalgia..
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