Chai, Parle - G & my Childhood

This dates 27 years back when I was 3. My mom used to take me every month to the local bania for our monthly groceries shopping. I was allowed to choose snacks & biscuits of my choice. The “Little Me”used to tell my mom to lift me and then point out from the other side of the counter asking for “Parle G, Uncle Voh Parle G”

Unlike today the only choice of biscuits those days were Monaco, Good day & Parle- G.

I hated Monaco as it was salted , Good day as it had cashews & my favorite was Parle -G. A lot of commercials which ran on Dhoordarshan said “ swadbhare shakti Bare Parle G” and the “Little me kept singing while eating them one by one.

With the packets which came home the “Little me” made so many recipes in my play Kitchen.

Parle G ki roti by crushing the biscuit and making it's dough to ladoos & chaklis for guests who came for Diwali. Everyone who played with us had to get 3 to 4 biscuits, some sugar, water and milk for making delicacies from the Parle G. At times jams, gems and sugar powder were utilized to make deserts from the same Parle G.

Today when we visit our friends and families we buy imported chocolates and biscuits but earlier it was Parle G. I waited for Sunday lunch when my relatives used to get big packets of Parle G and Marie for me.

Today when I opened the packet in my tea break, snap and I went in the flashback with the memories of the past. I picked up one and dipped it in the chai. Picked up another and dipped it again. While I kept doing this my heart said  “dunk 3, dunk 4” … but the adult in me did not do so as doing such an act would get me to my colleagues attention.

While the taste and the aroma along with its memories did not change over the years … what had changed was the “Little Me” …….