“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.”
John Gunther
My year and a half travel writing journey has taken me to popular destinations and places people haven’t heard of. While unearthing travel treasures, I have come across cultural experiences that weave a character into these destinations. The ‘InWords’ series seeks to look inward and talks of the culture around a place. I publish it on the first Saturday of every month.
Of Footsteps and Food
Bet the image got your mouth watering! To get to taste that, you’d have to travel to Ahmedabad in Gujarat State in India. For a city established by Hindu kings and then ruled by Muslims from early 15th century, Amdavad, as locals call it, is a cultural pot-pourri.
The old city of Ahmedabad is a treasure trove of heritage architecture. Jami Masjid (Jami Mosque) from the 15th century, many Jain temples from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the first and oldest temple of the Swaminarayan sect ever built, you’ll find them all here. Another interesting structure is the second-oldest stock exchange in India, which is a hundred years old, so are old neighbourhoods called Pol.
The Walk
An early winter morning heritage walk took me across its narrow streets to discover its subdued elegance. But I was famished after walking 5000 steps (about 2.5 km), and that led me to the famed Chandra Vilas restaurant near Jami Masjid.
Like everywhere, in India too, the first meal of the day, is serious business. As is clear from the spread in the image, the breakfast was a perfect blend of sweet, savoury and spice. A breakfast spread at Chandra Vilas includes Jalebi, a syrupy dessert. Savouries include Fafda, Bataka-Vada, Dhokla, Patra and Farsan. I’d say sufficient to satiate the stomach and heart. And to wash it down, we have the perfect accompaniment, the Masala Chai or Indian Spice Tea.
The footsteps to reach this ambrosia of food is a memory you’d like to create too! Plan up soon...
