City of Temples - Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha (formerly Orissa) and is one of the only 2 planned cities in India. Yeah, that's right Mumbai, we don't drift in the sewage water even if there is a super cyclone every alternate year. A few years ago, I went down to a very famous college deep down the south in their TechFest. When asked to name my college, I said 'ITER', Bhubaneswar, very apprehensive if he knew about my college. The next savvy question which left me flabbergasted was "Dude! By the way..."where's Bhubaneswar?" A swift kick in his jaw would have done the trick but sensible as I am, I thought of writing this article after 3 years.
Top 5 ways to know you are in Bhubaneswar:
1. Arrive and be left at the mercy of the crafty auto-wallahs as soon as you have taken in the first breath. This species of human beings are very adept in picking up their prey at their disposal. Talk in anything but Odia and you are on a one way trip to bankruptcy. But rest assured, these simple people are nothing like their kind in Delhi. They will drop you off at your destination without qualms. It is the only place in the whole world where he'll pack the entire auto with a circus and plead you with a smile with the sorcerous dialogue: "Bhai tike aaga pachha heiki basila (Brother, please adjust by seating either at the edge of the seat or at the back.) You'll find yourself saying "Haan Bhai" invariably.
2. Odisha is famous for its paan too. Take that Banaras! Before moving forward, let me define for you what exactly a “khatti” around here is. The gathering of indolent yet intellectual men around paan shops as hotspots for discussions on world politics to picking apart local politicians can be defined as "khatti" or "adda". It generally occurs in the evening or at any member's discretion during holidays. You'll be surprised to know how 8 hours of discussion can be supported entirely by 1 cup of tea , 4 paans and a 'classic mild'.
3. This, now, is a specialty of Odisha. Apart from all the monuments, temples, rivers, beaches, lakes, forest, natural parks blah blah... Common! We abound in all these. Not important. When I was in Bangalore, I once asked our cook to give me left-over rice when I was hungry. "Le lo bhaiya. Waise bhi kutte ko dene walle thhe", he said without batting an eyelid. Anyways, I took the rice in a bowl and poured in water to the brim with some curd, put in some salt and peeled an onion. And then I ate it. What! You've never heard of anyone eating like that? Rice and water? Neither did my cook. Well, now you do. It's called "Pokhalo". For further details, you know how to google. Right?
4. If you have come in for the first time, beware of the ubiquitous accent of our sweet people. ‘Why' will be spoken as 'Hooaay', 'Was' as 'Waaj' and 'Vegetables as 'Bhejjitabools'. Don't be misled or laugh like a jackass when you hear this. You might be chased around the town by men in brown dhotis with slippers in their hands on Atlas bicycles. Respect and beget respect. They will come out with open arms if you are ask them of any favor - as long as they don’t suspect you of being a Chit Fund agent. If you have an opinion of anything, keep it to yourself. We form enough opinions in our "khattis".
5. The weather of Bhubaneswar is in itself an enigma. Hot in the noon, breezy in the evening. All the seasons make their presence felt with an authority. One of the greenest city in the entire country, it is a landscape bustling with culture and traditions (which can go for a toss if caught by a traffic policeman). Lip-smacking food/snacks in stalls and dhabbas, water in 1 rupee pouches and "moodhi" as a staple diet is the life line of this city.
So the next time you hear or see a word like Bhubaneswar, remember of this article and how your entire life is a lie when someone tells you it is "some place in the east". And in the future if anyone asks you the question, "Dude! By the way..."where's Bhubaneswar?” smack him with a Manorama GK book for me. And then send me a FB friend request.
Top 5 ways to know you are in Bhubaneswar:
1. Arrive and be left at the mercy of the crafty auto-wallahs as soon as you have taken in the first breath. This species of human beings are very adept in picking up their prey at their disposal. Talk in anything but Odia and you are on a one way trip to bankruptcy. But rest assured, these simple people are nothing like their kind in Delhi. They will drop you off at your destination without qualms. It is the only place in the whole world where he'll pack the entire auto with a circus and plead you with a smile with the sorcerous dialogue: "Bhai tike aaga pachha heiki basila (Brother, please adjust by seating either at the edge of the seat or at the back.) You'll find yourself saying "Haan Bhai" invariably.
2. Odisha is famous for its paan too. Take that Banaras! Before moving forward, let me define for you what exactly a “khatti” around here is. The gathering of indolent yet intellectual men around paan shops as hotspots for discussions on world politics to picking apart local politicians can be defined as "khatti" or "adda". It generally occurs in the evening or at any member's discretion during holidays. You'll be surprised to know how 8 hours of discussion can be supported entirely by 1 cup of tea , 4 paans and a 'classic mild'.
3. This, now, is a specialty of Odisha. Apart from all the monuments, temples, rivers, beaches, lakes, forest, natural parks blah blah... Common! We abound in all these. Not important. When I was in Bangalore, I once asked our cook to give me left-over rice when I was hungry. "Le lo bhaiya. Waise bhi kutte ko dene walle thhe", he said without batting an eyelid. Anyways, I took the rice in a bowl and poured in water to the brim with some curd, put in some salt and peeled an onion. And then I ate it. What! You've never heard of anyone eating like that? Rice and water? Neither did my cook. Well, now you do. It's called "Pokhalo". For further details, you know how to google. Right?
4. If you have come in for the first time, beware of the ubiquitous accent of our sweet people. ‘Why' will be spoken as 'Hooaay', 'Was' as 'Waaj' and 'Vegetables as 'Bhejjitabools'. Don't be misled or laugh like a jackass when you hear this. You might be chased around the town by men in brown dhotis with slippers in their hands on Atlas bicycles. Respect and beget respect. They will come out with open arms if you are ask them of any favor - as long as they don’t suspect you of being a Chit Fund agent. If you have an opinion of anything, keep it to yourself. We form enough opinions in our "khattis".
5. The weather of Bhubaneswar is in itself an enigma. Hot in the noon, breezy in the evening. All the seasons make their presence felt with an authority. One of the greenest city in the entire country, it is a landscape bustling with culture and traditions (which can go for a toss if caught by a traffic policeman). Lip-smacking food/snacks in stalls and dhabbas, water in 1 rupee pouches and "moodhi" as a staple diet is the life line of this city.
So the next time you hear or see a word like Bhubaneswar, remember of this article and how your entire life is a lie when someone tells you it is "some place in the east". And in the future if anyone asks you the question, "Dude! By the way..."where's Bhubaneswar?” smack him with a Manorama GK book for me. And then send me a FB friend request.
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