Mystified in Ahmedabad - Part 1

My first week in Ahmedabad and I had shifted in with a lady who sub-let me a room in her 2 BHK. I was really skeptical about this kind of arrangement. I have never lived out of home or hostel or hotel or friend’s home, etc before that. I was missing my family and friends. I was even missing JhaJi - an extremely lazy Bihari canteen guy from MDI, who knew his business in multiples of Rs.5 and who used to make the best Maggi in the world. Seriously!! I think Nestle can introduce his recipe and it would be a bigger success than the terrific (read terrifying) flavours they are beginning to launch. Multigrain noodles taste like glorified Chinese Sambhar rice!!!

Anyway, it was a Friday and I am inclined to watching the last episode of “Lie to me” for the week. But there was a crisis I hadn’t foreseen. When asked in any interview “Can you manage in unfamiliar situations?” – I would always respond in the positive. But real life is not a campus interview!!! It hit me that day that there is nothing more unfamiliar than family and friends – especially when my best friend “Star World” was missing.

Tata Sky had played spoilsport and given my landlady the privilege of watching “ONLY HINDI CHANNELS”. Neither a Star Movies nor a Travel and Living – this was the real torture. My schedule was being affected. I am the one to watch HIMYM at 8, FRIENDS at 8.30, MasterChef Australia at 9, Lie to me at 10, Simpsons at 11 and Modern Family at 11.30 every evening. That is a well made time-table (i think). What would I do without Star World??? That indeed is a working girl's best friend.
I have always been a planner and well organised. I was now thrown completely off track - I had nothing. I would not wish this upon my worst enemy… Where was I???

I was really scared.. People here, firstly, eat Sweet Food (I haven’t dared to have a Gujarati thali till date) and to top that they don’t watch English channels !!! (I am certainly not typecasting people or insulting anyone here).

To add to the agony on that dreaded black Friday -  I had fever. My landlady gave me an ayurvedic black little pill. I had no option and gobbled it up with my first dinner of “rabari”. What is it? It is a sweet (read WHY???!!!) broken wheat khichdi that apparently relieves febrile sensations.

Then the darkeness dawned and it was time to sleep. I was already petrified and so… locked my room that night and stayed awake till 2 am – wondering if she would slit my throat or tandoor me and put my skeleton with others she had in her cupboard. I called all my friends who were awake that night – and spoke till I fell asleep at some unknown hour.

Fortunately, I was alive the next morning and have been more than alive every other morning thus far. My landlady has become my friend and she even makes pulao and stuffed capsicum for me!!! But that s another story now….