Is it even possible? We did read about this in our civics text books long time ago. But ever since I moved to Bangalore a few months ago, I have seen this happen. Where you ask? The numerous dharshinis that dot the Bangalore landscape. Yes, I am talking about the ubiquitous standing-and-eating eateries that are found in every locality. The SLVs, the Krishna Upahars, the Ganesh Dharshans … The names are just different, but the food they give is the same. Brilliant simple and tasty food.
Try going to one of these. At any point in time, you will see the below sampling of people:
- The auto-wallah: He is here for his naashta, or tiffin, or for just his afternoon cuppa tea/coffee. If his friend is with him, he is having his tea one-by-two.
- The south Indian IT dude: In jeans, a formal shirt, and his laptop slung on his shoulder is digging into his dosa, with the appetite of a hyena, which has not eaten for 3 days.
- The north Indian IT dude: In jeans, t-shirt, and ofcourse his laptop slung on his shoulder, is digging into his sambar, occasionally dipping into his dosa or idly.
- The bank employee: Silently digging into this khara-bath. He will get his fair share of kannadiga cooking, even if he does not get it from home, come what may!
- The college-chics: Animatedly discussing the latest hindi chic-flick, in kannada/hindi/tamil – digging into whatever they ordered. I do not think, they care what they are eating. They are more into the conversation. (If the gang does not have a kannada member, it is a pleasure to watch the animated confusion that ensues, when they are ordering the food).
Yes, you will find all this and sometimes more in the average dharshini in your neighbourhood. Who-ever said that, bridging the social divide in India is difficult.