Assam ....thy love!

Election fervour has taken over this country for the last one month.

And Ironically today is 1st April and if we have to follow our politicians and their promise first April will be celebrated in this country every day.

Currently, all the states amidst election battle are the ones I admire for their culture, beauty and food.

Be it Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu or Kerala, all of them have my heart.

In today’s time what troubles me is the thought process of bringing everything under one banner. “One language, one culture, one country and for God forbid if someone says “one Food”…though we have celebrated one National dish in the past which I feel more as a farce than any cultural connection to the land of varied cultures, languages, people- India, the country within countries.

I have been lucky to travel to some of these states.

As a traveller, I made friends, broke bread with them, heard stories, laughed, walked with them on the uncharted path and parted not knowing if we will meet again.

Travellers’ life…

While these elections are making noise on our TV channels, this is my small ode to all these wonderful states and I hope they have the best and peaceful governance in the coming times.

#mytravelAssam #election2021

Chapter 1: From blood bath to Peace.

Jagi Road is the biggest dry fish market in Asia, where fishes from all over India and nearby countries are bought at sold.

While shooting at the market I met Ramadhar Prasad and interviewed him about his experience at the market for 25 years in Assam, he originally hails from Siwan district Bihar.

My parting question to him was “what kind of India you dream of – and he said ”alag alag tyohaar manate hai, alag alag khaan-pan hai, lekin prem se miljulkar khaate hain, rehte hain…

Toh Yehi na chahiye ki prem se miljulkar rahein…Kisi bhi community ka aadmi hoon…prem vyavhar bana rahein..Aisa hi na India chahiye”

I didn’t know how to react to him at that moment because my next shooting spot was Nellie, few kilometres ahead of Jagiroad.

In winters of 1983 one community was at the receiving end from the wrath of another community, thousands were killed in the name of religion.

And at the same place i decided to unflod my culinary canvas and cook a dish called #India adding all the ingredients from different parts of the country.

While tasting I wondered can we figure out a difference that which flavour belongs to which religion.

All this in the open grassland of Nellie where land was soaked in blood aeons ago.

I was still grappling with my emotions when we reached Barkola, a historical land lost in annals of history.

200 years ago, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had sent an army to help Ahom kings.

After the war, the surviving Sikhs settled in Barkola and started an amazing amalgamation of Sikhs and Assam.

Over years Sikh men married local Assamese Women, and today this thriving community are called Axomiya Sikhs.

They follow Sikhism and are culturally drowned in Assam’s traditions, most of them speak Punjabi but in Assamese accent.

Talking to them and breaking bread at the local gurudwara, was a surreal experience, an amazing balance between Punjab and Assamese cuisine.

And to end this day packed with emotional highs and lows the last shoot was at a place called “Tandoor Cave” little ahead of Barkola in a small called Nagaon.

I had googled this place from Bombay out of curiosity wanting to know if Sikhs of Barkola have been touched by Tandoori love of Punjab …but well yaaa!

Axomiya Sikhs turned out to be purest with their gur chawal but I did find a young axomiya entrepreneur running Tandoor cave.

It was one of the most amazing delicious tandoori chicken I had in my life… I have eaten tons of tandoori chicken but this was unique.

After the chicken was taken out from the tandoor it was cut into pieces followed by a gentle sprinkling of Kasuri meethi, chaat masala, dash of oil, red chilli powder and a generous splash of Kazi Nimbu….

Lemon splash made all the difference.

This combination of Tandoori chicken smelled of warmth and love from North India to Assam.

So while Assam is going for voting i hope people choose the ones who will spread love and not hatred.