Sunday, July 31, 2005

Butter Me Up



Yesterday, I found the perfect solution to each and every single one of my problems. Butter. White Butter. Lots of It. Allow me to elaborate.

I took a final trip before I leave to The Factory with my father yesterday, and saw the new shed that's coming up, and should be ready and fitted by the time I'm back. There's a great sense of achievement one gets, to be associated with large heavy machinery. It's hard to explain, it's something that's so large and powerful and tangible, and to be able to say "That is Ours", is a feeling quite of it's own. The fact that you can see the product one sells coming out of a very large hydraulic press, the smell of carbon black, the even greater permeading smell of cooked rubber, the sheer enormity of the mixer...it's awe inspiring. Bhaiyya once had a fancy for owning an Earth Mover, and I can understand why. When you've grown up with big powerful machinery, a Heavy Mining Earth Mover just sounds like a great thing to own. (Unfortunately, it costs about 30 Million Dollars)

A trip to the factory is not complete without a trip for lunch to Murthal (a district in Haryana) and it's trucker's Dhaba's, which serve the finest tandoori parantha's availible till you actually hit Punjab. It had been some time since I've indulged in the same, and I was looking foward to it. Once there, I pigged out as I haven't in quite a while.

Gulshan Dhaba, as the place is called, is actually now quite a large place. It's got tables and chairs and fans, additions that have come up over the years that one has been to the place. The prices have gone up accordingly, but are still hardly "restraunt level", and I seriously doubt they come under the perview of your 12.5% VAT. My father and I seated ourselves, and the service was almost instantaneous. It is a thing of wonder that at a Dhaba you can get finer service, friendlier service and far quicker service than any quality restraunt in the city, Including Five Star. This is one of the few places you can be asked "Aur Kuch?", and not feel like you're being badgered.
My meal was substantial. Three paranthas, of Paneer, Pudina and Aalu respectively, a very large cup of Dahi, a plate of Palak Paneer, Bhindi, and a Big Steel Glass of Lassi.
The paranthas(and accompaniments) are served in five minutes flat, quicker service you will get nowhere else. They come with a gigantic Blob of White Butter sitting on top of them, which fast melts on the piping hot bread. The experience is sublime.
The Lassi is incredible, thick, salty and with a lot of ground pudina, dhania and assorted leafy things in it. All this, I may mention, at Rs 70 a head.
At the end of this cornucopia of eating delights, I was stuffed like the proverbial christmas turkey, and had no space for the thandi kheer. I felt amazing, after a very long period of time. A few hours later, I was on a serious high, which had a few interesting effects.
A) I started giggling and laughing at highly random things
B) I compulsively started abusing people, and calling them bastards
C) I had an amazing sleep, and wonderful rest.

Thus, the next time I feel down, sad or generally scared to bits about leaving, I'm going to drown my sorrows in some good ol' Makhan, and throw in a lassi for good measure. It should set me decently right, and might get some weight on my bones. Stomach problems have a habit of taking that away.

By the way, in case any of you is interested, after bloody ages I finished my Story. As Promised, everyone dies, but you'll have to read it to find out how. What you waiting for?
Hit The Link.

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