Nurungukal...contd...

      It was dinner time in the SSB camp and all of us were directed to assemble in he dinning hall. It was fairly big. All the candidates sat around a long dinning table. The settings on the table with the china plates, forks, spoons etc made me a little bit nervous. Never in my life before I have eaten food in such an alien world !!. More over my friend had cautioned me that every movement will be closely  watched to assess our reactions. I was totally out of context. A set of uniformed bearers marched in to serve the food. A thick fluid resembling my favourite rice porridge was the first to come in bowls. It was sandwiched on the table with a set spoons in different sizes, a fork and a knife !. On the table there were some small porcelain mugs filled with green and black liquids. A few pieces of crisp bread pieces stared at me . Then all on a sudden a stubborn voice from no where alerted us “yes  gentle men please enjoy your dinner...”. I looked to the one next to me and he was  already  in action. Then the hunger in me directed to manage the situation  in my traditional way.Chappathies and many  dishes in succession followed and I stuffed all of them with out hesitation come what may, totally ignoring the unknown eye on me. When finished I looked around. A few of them were wiping their lips with a piece of cloth, which was untouched by me. Later I knew  that it would have been spread on the lap. But I felt no need of it ,even during my later life, as I had already been trained in my childhood to take kanhi with a plavila by a jerk, from a plate, squatting on the floor. Never it had missed the target!. When I was about to leave, the one siting on my right gestured to wait. It was time for the deserts. After a sumptuous dinner we retired for the day.

           Even now I wonder, why we follow a tradition mistakenly branded as sophisticated. Many may disagree, yet, let us try to recognise our culture and uphold it before the world. Take lessons from China and Japan.........contd....