Monday, December 27, 2010

A Foody

This is a part of a series of posts on Miyan Dr Syed Muhammed Ahmed Sahab.

He was a foody-fond of good food.

Sheermal (roughly milk goody, for those who are Urdu challenged) would not be eaten before getting refried in pure ghee (clarified butter).

Or, bring 32 partridges. Cook them in cashew, almond and pistachio-no common condiments and spices.

And then the stories about Parliament Canteen, journalist's canteen in Delhi, delicacies in the lanes of old Delhi, Aligarh, Mathura, Mumbai (then Bombay) or in Karachi.

But what of it? Did anybody say that life was not a constant celebration around Miyan? Worries of life and the celebration of life needs a balance. Miyan managed that to a large extent. People came to him for relaxing. To so many he offered his shoulder to cry upon.