THE COLD FOOD AND THE COLD ASHES

Pic.: Rachna Talreja Mukhi

Today is one of the Sindhi festivals. Two of my Sindhi friends, who live in this building, have just sent me some delicious food... They call it ‘cold food’. Now, all that I know is that, they are not supposed to cook today and certain items only have to be used for this ‘cold food’, which is not only savored by each Sindhi family, but is, also, shared with their friends and relatives.

I was a friend... So, I had this privilege of receiving my share, today...

The food was exclusive... I really relished it.

There was a young college-girl studying with me when the little-kids from my Sindhi friends’ families came with the food-plates... The girl was a Bengali and did not know what was the significance of sharing food, today... and she was quite curious to know why the ‘cold food’ is eaten, today, by Sindhis...

Well, I did not know much about it; except the fact, that, for years, my Sindhi friends had been sending it – ‘the cold food’ – to me, with all the love and affection...

So, what would I tell the Bengali girl? I could find out from my Sindhi friends and pass on the knowledge, or, I could just google and find out. But, I did not do any of these. “Just savor it,” I offered the plate before my young-student, “you and I must have done some good deeds in our past life. We are lucky to get it on plate, today,” I said, instinctively, with my playful heart.

“Sir, it’s yummy; just amazing!” the Bengali girl exclaimed after taking some bites.

“Have more; my friends will be very happy,” I said to the young-one...

Yes, my student did take more... and I knew, how important it was for my Sindhi friends, who did not know, who had the privilege of sharing the ‘cold food’ which they had sent, packed with so much love... and, how thoroughly it had been relished!

I have great respect for the community of Sindhis. They are tough people, very, very enterprising and very very prosperous, too. But, then, as we all know, their toughness, endurance and enterprising spirit had come from the cruel episode in our history – the Partition. They were prosperous and well-settled for ages in the Sindh province of Pakistan before they were tortured, butchered and packed off to India... They came with nothing, not even their loved-ones, leave alone the property and gold. They came here only with their throbbing heart, lived in those crowded and shabby barracks... with only a sky over their head to protect and, perhaps, the Cheti Chand and those stars to guide them for years to come...

Yesterday was that day, we call our Independence Day. We all – including our Sindhi fellow-citizens - believe that we were liberated from the shackles of British yoke... The flag was hoisted by all of us, yesterday; the national anthem was sung by all of us... Our Sindhi fellow-men were as elated and proud as the rest of us were...

But, today, on this Sindhi festival day, as I received ‘ the cold food’ from the families of two of my Sindhi friends, my heart really went out for this amazing community... How it must have been for all of them just as our country was freed from the British!

What is so inspiring and humbling is, that, this community has never, ever kept in its heart the wound alive... No bitterness, no complaints, no blame, hate or revenge... It has moved on, just way Japan did after Hiroshima... more determined, more prosperous and buoyant... Just like the legend of Phoenix goes... it has risen from the cold ashes!

So, today, let’s receive the ‘cold food’, prepared and shared by our Sindhi fellow-citizens, just to savor the inspiration, that, in life, we should be ready to be stripped off our everything... survive on  cold food and, above all, be able to rise from our cold ashes!

With loads of respect and admiration for my Sindhi fellow-men... May God give you more strength and may He keep you even happier and more and more prosperous...

GERALD D’CUNHA