City's young people are giving rise to a culture of daily food fest

Dhaka's street food has a long tradition. But it is Old Dhaka, particularly the area comprising Shankhari Baazar, Chawk Baazar, Patuatuly, Mitford etc., that has boasted an unrivalled status in catering for Dhakaites' gastronomic satisfaction. Other neighbourhoods in the city hardly ever came to limelight for offering such diverse mouth-watering victuals. Of late, though, things have changed and changed so much that some areas in the evening are abuzz with a young generation of food lovers who turn the entire locality into a food fest venue. It happens every evening.

Till noon, the neighbourhood streets are as normal as those can be and the food carts straddle idle occupying the footpath or a side of the streets as if taking a nap before the bustling business. Those are left there unattended under lock and key. Some have even chain fastened to the electric poles. Some of those appear with the snacks half-ready. In late afternoon their customers start to arrive in pairs or in groups, rarely does a single boy or girl come for a snack. If one comes, it means he or she is waiting for another one or his/her group. Thus the popular rendezvous in each neighbourhood has become a food court.

The entire business is for less than half a day but by this time the food carts and a few restaurants do roaring business, much more than their entire day's proceed if they stationed themselves alone at a street corner. There is a lively ambience all around. In most cases, it is a self-help affair. A few plastic stools are there for the young customers to lounge on but these lively gourmets---if they can be called so, hardly care for the sitting facility. They stand, loiter and continue to gossip endlessly, occasionally bursting into laughter. Indeed they are an energetic and high-spirited lot who could not care less for table manners. After all, there is no table as such.

The array of foods and drinks served from different food carts and a few tailor-made outlets can cater to widely varied taste buds. A few of the additions were unheard-of even a few years ago. Pani puri is one such item. Some jars are neatly arranged in slanting positions and from an assortment of liquid pickles of varying tastes depending on the spices used are served to make the main item savoury. Some were available in a few select restaurants away from such neighbourhood. But these days, preparation of items like momo has become easier, thanks to the cheaper and handy cooking device from India available now.

Delicacies of foreign origin such as Mexican tacos, quesadillas, burritos are not so widely available but at some points those are available too. But such neighbourhood get together is incomplete with the cheap and traditional snacks such as jhal muri, singara, samocha, chops, beguni etc. Who could think that jhal muri could be a favourite street food? It is so simple an assortment of ingredients but even small outlets other than the roving man with his specially made box also serve this item. How it tastes is immaterial, it is the way this item is served that gives it some specialty.

Food may be highly tasty or not so tasty but who cares? The customers exudes an abundance of liveliness, togetherness and overall a youth fraternity that transcends the boundary of unfamiliarity and establish an unwritten bond of friendship. No, there is no gender bias as girls sit side by side on the edge of the footpath gossiping for hours together while munching their snacks or sipping tea or coffee. Similarly, boys also have their own circles but there is no eve teasing here. Like boys, girls also have equal space there to enjoy themselves and their evening treats.

One wonders if the city were less crowded and there were wider spaces specially designated like Delhi's Connaught Place for the daily evening food fest! The young generation mostly cooped within the four walls have not many options for relaxation. City fathers have not given enough thought to building it leaving enough open space for relaxation of its inhabitants. The evening outing for spending time with friends and fiancés offers the youth an opportunity to get over the monotony and boredom. One good thing is that elders in the neighbourhood do not show their reservation to such free mixing of the young people. The more progressive among them even join them for a cup of tea or coffee.

Clearly, the young community is giving rise to a new culture. But this could be cultivated in a better way if at least they mixed their chit-chat and laughter with occasional interpolation of intellectual and literary discourses. An ambience of Kolkata's coffee house cannot be created here but at least a shot can be given to something mentally enlightening. This needs the backing of reading habit which is almost forgotten by the majority of youths today.