My Voters ID and "Neeche ki Biryani"

Saturday, 28th September:

I got up at 11:40. It took me about 10 minutes booting my brain. The first priority task I found in my memory was getting registered for Voters ID. I took 20 more minutes to clean myself and boarded a rickshaw which got stuck in heavy traffic jam near Batla House Kabristan. I had to cover rest of the distance till Okhla Head walking zig-zag, making my way jumping two wheelers stuck in traffic. I walked in sun on such a hot and humid day first time this year. I kept moving with my nose and mouth covered with handkerchief observing irritated people sitting in their cars and rickshaws, stuck in traffic. After walking about 500 meters I reached the Voter Center.

The place was crowded with men and women of all ages. About 12-15 people queued outside the window where a middle aged men wearing spectacles on the tip of his nose was accepting forms and shouting irritably on people with mistakes in their forms. Some people came only to inquire about their voters ID cards. They were all frustrated and angry about delay. Few of them started shouting and even abusing all government employees. Everybody is aware of irresponsible and unprofessional behavior of government employees. But I observed even people whom they deal with are not that innocent.

I went to the window and asked for a blank form, took it and found a bench under a tree where some others were also filling the form. Suddenly the crowd near the window dispersed. The guy next to me informed "Its their lunch time". The thought of lunch made me also feel hungry. I fetched some more data from memory and found that I am surviving on last night's dinner. By the time I filled the form my brain started receiving interrupts from my stomach. In a few minutes my brain had to prioritize them.

As obvious, brain assigned topmost priority to filling stomach and I found myself moving towards gate. I moved slowly while searching my memory for a decent place to eat nearby. The choice was a biryani point at Okhla Head. It took me five minutes to reach there and another two to find a place to sit. The quality looked good so I ordered a bigger plate which contains about 1/2 Kg of biryani.

That shop is a newly opened branch of Salman's Biryani which is famous in Batla House. The guy who took order did not behave as if he is doing a favor. Maybe because its a newly opened shop. A group of three people came and ordered Biryani with leg piece. And the guy at counter made sure they were served what they want. Even my plate had a leg piece but I never order it specifically. However I made sure my plate is served with no chutney and extra raita, in case Biryani is too spicy raita makes it better for me.

Another guy walked in and ordered "Neeche ki Biryani". I was surprised by his order. I traversed back my memory and found that my father once told me that when he was young "Neeche ki Biryani" was preferred and considered good. But in todays health cautious world I found this young guy's order strange. Actually “Neeche ki Biryani" is the Biryani near the base of degh. Its most oily part of whole degh. In my Grandfather's generation day to day activities required lots of physical work. So maybe people at that time preferred stuff with lots of fat. I was too busy engulfing my Biryani, one spoonful after other, to turn my head and judge him for his strange choice. Maybe he was too thin and required some fat or maybe it was about taste.

After having Biryani getting registered for Voters ID again became 1^st priority. I went to the office and submitted my form. After half an hour I was on my bed. And within next few seconds weekend celebration begun in my dreams.