Tonight we went to India town to celebrate. India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup today, so Nalin was anxious to take the boys out for some snacks and a mango lassi. Of course, this excitement was a bit dampened by the cries of protest of Ettu and Nooa as we buckled them in the car. We struggled to impart the importance of this day to our toddler and 3-year-old who really just wanted to stay home and play soccer in the alley. These are the moments you find yourself missing the days when you could revel in your moment without the reality of a child's indifference to burst the bubble. Ah well.
So we eventually made it to India town and to the snack shop. The boys were much happier and soon found themselves sipping mango lassi and eating dal vadas (a crispy snack made of lentils and spices), soaking them in the sweet red chutney with pure delight. Nalin and I ate our samosa chaat quite contentedly with our lime soda, although today of all days we were wishing we were still in India. Nalin most of all.
When we got home, we put the kids to bed, and Nalin chatted with his brother in India, asking him what they were eating to celebrate. I love this. I remember early on in our relationship, Nalin would tell me that his family would cook special meals on our birthdays to celebrate the occasion. Chicken curry, lamb biryani, fried fish, etc. At first, this struck me as odd, considering we weren't there to enjoy or partake of the festivities, but then I got it. Preparing and eating these special meals was a way to connect with us, across thousands of miles, when a phone call, letter, or email message just wouldn't suffice. Good food is at the core of who we are and who we are in relationship with, in so many ways. It bridges the distance between us when a simple taste becomes a lasting memory of the people who shared in it. So as we sit alone tonight, drinking our Matilda ale and eating our gulab jamun, or run out to Hema's Kitchen for biryani tomorrow to prolong the occasion, we are really celebrating with you, our family. In the best way we know how.