Most of us have been at the receiving end of Punjabi Hospitality. Living in Mumbai City, sometimes being welcomed into a Punjabi household can feel a bit overwhelming due to their warm and affectionate nature. Some colleagues and I were in Chandigarh for work when a local colleague invited us to his house for a quick visit. We arrived at the house around 4 pm. His entire family, including his parents, siblings, nephews, and nieces, was there to welcome us. There were detailed introductions, and I was wondering how much like his father, the son was, his demeanor, speaking style etc. Shortly thereafter, the snacks and the Lassi arrived (well, the Lassi itself looked like a full meal). I was nursing the Lassi, like a single malt scotch so as to create some spare capacity, when almonds and other assorted dry fruits arrived. It took some time to swallow the lassi, but I somehow managed to finish the glass. As soon as the empty glass was put down, freshly cut guavas from their own garden arrived and one was almost obliged to have the fruit. We also got updates on the new business that was being set up (a franchise for a leading textile brand), the cost of land in Mohali, and the law and order situation and of course the fact that we were very shy eaters. We got shirts as gifts from the new outlet as well.
Almost an hour later, as we were about to leave, my colleague commented that we had hardly eaten anything and that we should join them for dinner as well. I thanked them for the lovely meal and made our apologies for not joining them for dinner. This experience has been repeated a few times at different Punjabi homes across the world. The meal sizes whether served in homes or in a restaurant in Punjab (Brothers Dabba in Amritsar comes to mind) served do reflect the warmth and generosity of the folks, who hail from Punjab. In Mumbai, at most houses, you would at best a get a drink and a snack but not the overwhelming amount of food and drink that you get in a Punjabi house.
A friend of mine, Rajat, recounted a story about a South Indian colleague who got posted in Punjab. Apparently in the roadside dabbas, you order rotis and a dish and the dal comes free. The sales guy had it figured out and would order only rotis and have the dal for free. After watching this for a few days, the owner came by and quite simply asked the sales guy to have food at his competitor’s dabba
Apparently this hospitality is a common feature on both sides of the border (see this blog: http://www.chowk.com/vanguard/iLogs/life/Punjabi-Hospitality-A-comparison )
I write this as I struggle with a stomach infection caused by unknown factors further accentuated by having to miss a hearty Punjabi meal. To all folks who enjoy food, if you haven’t experienced this hospitality, you have missed something in life. Au revoir.
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