Day 21 in India
Published by Jedi July 10th, 2006 in IndiaIts been 20 days since I left the comforts of my peaceful laid back existence for the hustle n bustle of a place I call home. Well, home in theory at least, considering the number of years I have stayed away from India. In fact, for all practical purposes it has long ceased to be my home in a conventional sense, but the old cliché ‘Home is where the heart is' springs to mind. There's a lot of truth in it. A Lot!! I'm like an electron that has been knocked off its atom making both me and the atom (my family+others) unstable. I'm doing great and part of a complex chemical now, but I'm unstable. My goal forever would be to somehow get back to stability again. Was that geeky enough for you? 
Day 21 in the motherland and I'm a bit philosophical today. For a number of reasons. Suddenly, the realization that I will have to leave in a few days time, has dawned upon me. Am I bound by circumstances? Time is running out fast, should I spend more time doing this and not that? What is it about India I'll miss the most? There were other reasons too. I was to meet someone tomorrow. Our lives have intertwined for as long as I can remember but its someone I haven't been on speaking terms with for a couple of years now. Years of hurt, disappointment and ridicule, a fair bit of it from my side too, leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Can I elevate myself as a human being and rise above that? I know if anyone can, the jEDI can!
I was discussing a lot of what my feelings were, in context of all this, with my Uncle today, who by the way is one of the nicest people on Earth. Wrong! He is such a well meaning and selfless person, that Mother Teresa could only aspire to be like him, and I mean it. Anyhow, as it often happens a simple discussion fast evolved into a debate on the ‘meaning of life' and what not and clearly this was getting way too much for me. Time for me to walk around and take some photographs 
By the way, here's one thing I miss and cant find *anywhere* in the World. I have tried all lemon drinks, lemon flavored drinks, lime, lemonades, sparkling lemonades, lime with soda, lemon with friggin tea and soup and cod and God knows what! But nothing and I mean nothing beats Banta. Wikipedia defines Banta as:
Banta is a lemon-flavoured drink popular in India. It is available in a Codd-neck bottle, a heavy glass bottle in which a round marble seals the mouth of the bottle by the pressure of the contents, instead of a cap.
I think I might need to add a lot to this entry! Defining Banta in three lines is an insult to the nectar of the Jedi. Now, if you tried to get a street vendor, unless its someone you know, to fix you a Banta drink chances are you might die of diarrhea or jaundice a couple of days later Its mostly because of the dirty masala they put in. And I'm not even talking about the dirty water, the dirty glass, the dirty.. lets not even go there. But you can get the bottles as is from a shop, like I usually do and prepare your own damn drink at home. I adore it! Perhaps a habit I picked up in school days. Of course, what I didn't count on was that finding Banta in Jan/Feb was like trying to find an original Anu Mallik song. But sooner or later you will find one, and so did I. Must admit though I had to use the Force and bribe Jaba the Hutt to source it, but it was well worth it.
As I sat in a corner sipping my Banta drink I kinda realized that I was perhaps more desi than most of the current generation ‘dudes' that surrounded me. Not that drinking Banta is any measure of desiness, but.. It's the things I long for. And I long for every insignificant little thing in this country, even the dirt. The word I N D I A is etched across my heart in solid steel. It makes me smile!
jEDI
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Lol Lol “Electron knocked of it’s atomâ€
Interesting!!!
mmmmmm…… Banta “The yummiest of all lemony drinksâ€. Whenever I go home my mom will stuff the fridge with crates of banta for me. I tried to create something similar by mixing some stuff with not much success. Hey! If I remember correctly I was the one who got u hooked to banta. I just hope I am not the one u r referring to as “Jaba the Huttâ€
as I have supplied it to u at times.
jEDI has gone all philosophical and senti but going home after a long period does this. I can fully relate to it as we r on the same boat. I think most of our generation living abroad feels the same way. Since we have spent a good part of our life (especially childhood) in India there is a sense of belonging every time we go home. I don’t think current generation can understand that. A lot of them are more western then westerners themselves.
SS
Hmm.. I have never tried banta! In fact, I am sure, no one has heard of it in this part of the world!
Aah, and the picture of dusty dust buster!
The jEDI going all philosophical.. hmm.. btw, how was the meet tomorrow?
Nirwa
@SS: Well, I used to have it before as well but yes. I think you were the person most instrumental in my Banta addiction lol Those were some great days. I still remember that particular Sardarjee and his perfect lemok drink! hehe.. I sometimes long for such days.
No, you are not the “Jabba”
@Nirwa: The meet will happen “tomorrow” i.e. the next post! hehe I’m sure it exists in Gujrat too, maybe by a differfent name perhaps.
Jedi
Umm.. is it Limca/plain soda with squeeze of lemon and some more “masala” (similar to chat masala thingy)
Oh, and your 3 week India post is spread over 6 months!
QUICK! post them all!! so that you can finish the “tag” we had given you!! 
(I am sure you must have forgotten about it)
Nirwa
@Nirwa: Its a highly concentrated lemony soda kinda thing..
“so that you can finish the tag we had given you” - why do you think I am taking this long?
It was 26 days actually, nearly a month. Yes, I will finsih the rest very soon.
Jedi
“why do you think I am taking this long?” - that is a mean thing to say and do!
And 5 more days to go - please don’t turn them into 5 months!
Nirwa
“The word I N D I A is etched across my heart in solid steel. It makes me smile!”
Har Har!! Jedi getting all patriotic and all eh?
- Mmmh, I remember having this banta drink once in Nadiad, arguably a small village, and needless to say I spent the next 5 days in bathrooms.
Hehehe - that pic was awesome - mayhaps, it needs a bit of dusting too heheheheh
Meeting someone - mmmh who could it be! Koun hain woh - sigh, we must await till day 22 - and please, make ‘em faster!
S
@Nirwa: More like 5 weeks
No I’ll hopefully get them doe by the end of this week.
@S: Yes, its ironic isnt it? Thats why I took this pic!
Yes, its dragged too long now.
jedi
Hey brother !
When did you come to India and when did you go back? Are you in the UK somewhere? Make that trip to Hay-on-wye soon.
BTW, doesnt everyone out of their country feel the same way? I mean, we hate everything there is out here. The dust, the crowds, the dirty streets…but I guess we were born here and destined to have a connection till our very existence is a reality. I wonder in amazement at people who leave the country for money alone and never come back.
Looking forward to some more great posts from you soon. Just keep your blogging frequency the same as it was during the world cup.
BTW, we get it at our native place in Karwar (North Karnataka). We call it the usual “lemon soda” or “goti soda” coz goti=marble. Sweet memories of a young me borrowing 50ps from my mom or my grandma to run across the street to the shop to buy a bottle of goti soda. My little sister used to run along with me to the store when she got older. Sadly now, my grandma passed away 5 months ago and that door I ran out through….stands closed now.
God, how I wish I could do the same once again. Open that door, ask my mom for a rupee and run across the busy street, buy that bottle and feel like the happiest kid without a care in the world !
-PeAcE
–WiTh
—GuNs
oy banta singh!
where are ya going? which pardes, i mean?
and, hey, have fun. be sure to smooch the desh ki dharti and all. *grin*
@GuNs: I was in India during Jan/Feb earlier this year. Where do I live? Somewhere in the Venetian nebula near star system Darius III. Back on Earth I am usually found in different places around Europe at different times. Prominently in UK and Netherlands these days. Yes, that trip to Hay-on-Wye is on my list of this years “summer picnics”
Everyone’s motivations are different. I used to be (still am I guess) an explorer at heart. Always wanted to visit new places, new lands, find about different cultures.. Obviously, work/career went side by side. Yes, I feel most people feel that connection, unless they are born and brought up outside of India.
‘Goti’ soda eh? Makes sense. Sad to hear about your grandma. Thats a lovely thought. Hope we dont let the carefree kids in ourselves die!
@LH: wassup mate? I am already in pardes yaar. This sequence of posts is about my visit to India earlier this year!
jedi
Next day, please!
Nirwa
Its there now!