Wednesday 8 May 2013

Candy so dandy


 
This is my entry for The Fifty-2 Weeks of 2013
 
Chocolates. Sweets, desserts, etc etc.
In my childhood, it was a forbidden treat. For numerous reasons. My father was somewhat diabetic, my mother was a nurse at a dental clinic. I staved off cavities, till my 30s. I blame my mother ;)

If someone was mean enough to get me a box of chocolates, my mum either gave it away or, if we were visiting India in the near future, kept it for my cousins.

In my second year of college, my father bought a box of chocolates for my friends. He was a little upset when an uncle bought me another. I think dad had visions of me overdosing on sweetness, perhaps not sharing the chocs and eventually becoming a sugar hoodie.

I love Ogden Nash… for his quirkiness. I love the idea that someone can make nonsense of something as serious as poetry. Making reverence stand on its [his, perhaps] head.
It was when I met Mala in college, we discovered a singular passion for food and chocolates.

Unlike mine, Mala’s parents would send her back to college with a holdall full of the wicked stuff. And we didn’t share. We would get into her room, and she’d say, ‘what do you want today. Snickers, Mars, Kitkats, Twix’. And we’d start. The sugar high was delicious. We behaved badly. Jumping on beds, ransacking the holdall, gulping down large bars of chocolate like there was no tomorrow.  Didn’t realize being a choco barbarian was such fun.
And at exam time… it wasn’t coffee for me, but the constant crunch of Ravalgaon hard boiled sweets. Mahesh’s piece brought it all back for me. I’d buy a bag worth. It wasn’t expensive then, else I may have baulked. It was a real cheap thrill and I’d get a huge rush. I don’t remember if it helped me study.

Marriage was bliss. My husband travelled. Post marriage I ballooned. Why? He bought so many sweets.
Rum balls from Fluries. Varieties of mysore pak from Bangalore. Sweets from Mysore. Gajak from Rajasthan or MP? The place of interest we visited in Bangalore many years ago? An incredible icecream shop.  

In recent years I’ve asked him to stop. But I’m always hoping he’s got edible stuff in his bags.

Candy so dandy, no?!

4 comments:

  1. I am one of those rare people who aren't crazy about chocolate, but Ravalgon hard boiled toffees I was very fond of - especially the yellow ones.

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  2. Ravolgon, Poppins and Mango bite are my favorite ones. It is a bliss that you would get by spending just 25 or probably 50 paise.

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  3. I used to eat so much sweets when i was at home and when evern mom gave coins i used to run to the small shop near to our home.

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