Statutory warning ? all those who read reviews purely for information ? please skip this one.
The nights are longer, the days shorter, evenings quieter when suddenly Dussehra approaches with all its fanfare. The hustle bustle, the three mighty puppets standing sky-high ? are all a part of the great show. Trying to avoid the insane rush of the Ramleela grounds brings you to another quieter occasion in the vicinity. This is the Bengali Durga Pooja, which ends on this particular day. The show put up by the beautiful Bengali ladies in the neighbouring block was in impeccable taste as always.
?Do come? they entreated in their charming accents.
So it was that I too was tempted to put on my festival best and visit the pandal along with a couple of other family members and friends. So far so good. Now, for the sake of my own sanity, I become X ? to watch, report and comment. Accurately, I hope (sniff, sob).
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Ah, there she is ? Sonika ? making her way to the front gate. I can see those lovely Bengali ladies in their resplendent silk sarees. They?ve actually formed a committee to welcome all the visitors with fragrant gulabjal. So sweet ! There is also the usual crowd of security people, ice-cream vendors and curious people outside the gate.
Hey, what?s that ? Something has landed right on top of Sonika?s head. Is it a leaf ? A stray paper ? No.
What is it about a furry eight legged creature that warns women of their presence ? Well, she knows it is there for sure ? by the pained expression on her face and the head banging that she?s practicing.
Oh, there, it?s gone now !
Oh, no ! She?s not rid of it yet ! It?s crawled elsewhere by the sound of the war- dance that she is doing. Aaaaaarghhh! Shriiieeek!!! Jump!!!!! Man, she?s good ! (Much as I?d like to be sympathetic).
What is it about grasshoppers ? one minute you?re being a sophisticated lady in pink ? the next a gibbering jellyfish ?
?It?s fallen! It?s fallen!? shouts one of the nearby vendors helpfully ? further rubbing salt into the wound. So it has ? a huge one it is ? at least 3 inches long.
?Kill it ! Kill it !!!? shouts our gentle maiden.
Can?t be, it has calmly hopped away.
Here we are then ? with a white-faced Sonika refusing to look at the witnessing crowd. The calm and composed Bengali ladies are trying hard not to smirk. So are their husbands ? in fact the whole world.
?Come on, it doesn?t matter !? A circle of friends
?I want to go home? she wails ?I?m not going in there.?
?C?mmmonnnn you need a mocha? That?s my Mom ? she knows I?ll brave anything for a cup of those.
Well, a spritz of gulabjal and they?re in! Now she can collapse ? looks shaky in the knees, poor girl (snigger). O.K., let?s get her that mocha she came for. That?s one of the new coffee flavors launched some time back by Nescafe at their quick tea/coffee stalls. Hmm?.the aroma, the aroma!
Wow ! They have cappuccino, mochaccino and elaichi tea.
But Mocha is really the best. It has a smooth and rich choclatie flavour and a delish, deep dark colour that beckons to the taste buds. Yummy ! It?s just bitter enough to mystify me. And sweet enough to make an addict.
Back to Sonika ? still trying to recover from a horrendous episode of ?alien vs. predator?. She?s got her hands wrapped around that cup as if it was her lifeline!
The coffee was really worth coming in for, wasn?t it ? Hot and foamy - they?ve added a neat dollop of cream on top. That?s a nice touch ! And as all Harry Potter fans know, chocolatie things are good against any attack of the dementors. Oh, she?s visibly becoming better ! Maybe she?ll enjoy that magnificent statue of Durga after all ! And even a piece of macher kalia once her appetite is back ?
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Here I deem it safe to come back to being Sonika (shudder) ? subject of this review. Actually, I don?t really want to (shiver). But mocha is the best ? what would I have done without it ?
Purchase price ? is too little for the lifeline it offers me.
How do I feel after its consumption ? Ecstatic
Am I satisfied with its flavour ? No, I’m in seventh heaven.