Le Rice Upma!

It was another usual day of my college. I had a lecture and a lab in the morning session. I definitely need a separate post to tell you about the labs and the lectures in our college which I will probably do it later. After that we had that most expected hour, the lunch! The lunch period as we used to call it in our school days, which later changed to lunch break in our college period, has been the most welcomed period in the life of the students. The lunch period not only gave us the required break from those hectic sleepy classes but also various other possibilities which we are likely to discover during our own lunch periods. These breaks must have certainly molded several people to what they are today. These gifted times midst the routine activities help us develop our personality traits and the other characters needed to face this challenging life.

Coming to that day in my college, our gang (some 7 or 8 who hail from from my area) assembled for the lunch in the famous Sundial of our college. We were discussing about the morning sessions and each of us told the way our classes happened. It led to various useless, frivolous talks (it usually does) including movies, friends, games, buses etc. We usually behave like highly qualified critics and we don't leave out any area in which are interested. We gradually gave in to the topic of food. I asked each one about the food item they despised the most. Each one mentioned their own dislikes. The girls had several items in their hatred list and they took so long to finish their list which we had no option but to listen with patience. There was brinjal, puri, sambar, beetroot, and lady’s finger and so on. We all had this non-vegetarian items as a common disliked item for we all the tambrahms. And then it was my turn. 

"Oh! I asked this and I didn't think of an item! What do I despise the most?" I wondered.

"Hey, you are supposed to be the Bhima of this gang. How come you can despise an item?" one of my friends mocked.

"Oh does that supposed to be funny? It didn't. Better luck next time!" I gave him back.

"So what do you hate?" asked another. 

"Hmm! Wait...." 

(After a few seconds)

"Yeah got it! How can I forget! It's the Arisi Upma (Rice cake)! I despise it! I hate it! Yuck!" I exclaimed.

"What? I too don't like!" said one.

"I like it a lot!" claimed other.

"I also like it! Being a Tambrahm how can you hate it?" shouted one more.

"I neither like nor hate the upma." told the other.

And I found it happy that there is at least one who has my taste in hating upma. And what do I hate in it? Well! To be frank, I don't know why I hate it but I do hate it. A huge number of variations of Upma are made with whole or refined ground wheat and rice of varied grain size, vermicelli, Durum wheat semolina or pearl sago. A wide range of vegetables may be added, and may be garnished with a variety of beans (raw or sprouted), cashew and peanuts. For a variation called masala upma (known as 'Kharabath' in Karnataka), sambar masala or garam masala is added along with red chilli powder, instead of green chillies. This is what the Wikipedia defines Upma! I don't dislike all these types but only the type made of rice. But the fate is that my mom and sister find it too much palatable to eat and that alone marks the end of my fate.

And the lunch got over as soon as it usually does. The afternoon session was only for 2 hours and about 4 of us started together to home. We were talking throughout the journey in bus and train. We reached MIT in Chromepet where we took our vehicles and started. It was one of the others who started this idea of eating Pani puri in a stall. All the four but for me accepted to eat. I usually think once or twice before eating outside. I was in a confused state whether to eat out or not. I had this greedy tongue (that is why they should have called me Bhima!) which took the better of me. They also persuaded me in eating outside. I actually love Pani puri and all these road side shop items. That was when my mother called me asking where I was. I told that I was in MIT and she told me to come home and eat the Tiffin she had prepared, not to eat anything outside. Then I remembered that I had told my mom to prepare some delicious Tiffin for the evening. I told a "wow" and cut the call. Then I turned to my friends.

"Hey, I am sorry. My mom has Tiffin prepared for me."

"So what da? Have a plate of pani puri and go home and eat what your mom has prepared!"

"No da. If I eat here, I will not eat properly at home. My mom might scold me after all she has prepared the Tiffin only for me."

"Atleast have half a plate! That is not going to full your stomach! C’mon!"

"Nope! And also that I have 10 rupees only which will not suffice!"

"Arey! No problem, I shall sponsor you!"

"No da! I am leaving home! You guys have fun!"

"Ok atleast spend time with us till we eat and leave stupid!"

"Hmm yeah okay!"

He punched me in my stomach. We went to our regular place and we ordered. We knew the shopkeeper well that he asked me why I didn't eat. I explained him that my mom had Tiffin ready for me at home! I also thought why all these people were persuading me today. They offered me a piece. I declined their offer. 

"Hey have at least a piece!"

"It’s ok! You guys have!"

"Hey leave him! Let him be hungry! Let him go home and find nothing to eat!"

"Hey why are you cursing you stupid? My mom has everything ready! Go to hell!"

After sometime we left the place and I headed straight to home.

"Amma! I am starving! Please give me the Tiffin!" 

"Go wash your face and come!"

"Cha! Ok!" 

"I have kept it on the table. Eat it!" 

I came eagerly to the hall and found my dish covered with a plate! I greedily opened the plate and..........

Yes! It was Arisi Upma! My friend's curse went true! My mom forgot that I despise Arisi Upma! There's a proverb in Tamil whose translation goes like this: No matter how hungry the tiger is, it'll not eat grass. I too did the same! Lol! I didn't eat it and I starved the whole evening.

I told all of them the next day and everybody laughed during the entire lunch break. I had no option but to smile idiotically. 

Image: Wikipedia

Moral: Never decline an offer to eat because you have something at home to eat. After all, you might end up like me!