BADI BHABHI (Episode II)

Sonali Gurpur

That had to be a luncheon from Hell or at least Vaudeville. We were six at the table, my friend from India who was the hostess, her cousin who went to school with me, the bereaved lady wife of deceased Ranjhi player, her two daughters who were flying back to OH and to MO. "Badi Bhabhi" is how my friend addresses her so I did the same.

The food was superb, dahi ballas soft as a cloud, baigan masala, and biryani.

January 14 at 10:03am ·  · Like · 

Sonali Gurpur 

It was nice meeting my friends. We met after years. I met "Badi Bhabhi" and her daughters for the very first time. The lady is very grave in her speech and demeanor and being newly bereaved very anxious and wide eyed. We were especially careful to be very deferential toward her. And so I guess she had to do all the talking, because our fear of saying the wrong thing was keeping us quiet. She was especially pleased to note two of the party were from Hyderabad, since biryani was on the menu.

After the jalzeera we got up to go to the table. BB pulled out a bottle of gray powder from her bottomless purse and offered it to me. I asked her what it was. "Julab" , she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Kyon, tumko constipation nahin hota?"{Don't you suffer from constipation?}

"Nahin toh."{No.}

"Sahi? Hamare padosi the Hyderabad ke. Unko tha."{Oh really? That's strange, because my neighbor in Illinois, from Hyderabad was severely constipated.} 

"BB, Hyderabad mein caroron log rehete hain."{Badi Bhabi, millions of people live in Hyderabad.}

Then she offered it to my friend and was met with uncontrollable giggling. BB was visibly shaken, but she took her khurak {dose} and began telling us where to sit.

Then she asked us what we wanted to drink. The requests were, Coke, water, Diet Coke, water, more jalzeera. She opened a large bottle of Sprite and started pouring it in our cups, saying,"Motion ke liye yeh sabse achcha hai."{It is excellent as a laxative.}

My friend almost choked on a dahi balla. BB's daughters were turning pink, but sweet dutiful girls, 29, and 27, that they are, they said nothing.

BB smacked her lips and asked the hostess,"Baigan mein til hai ke nahin? Swad nahin aa raha." {Aren't there any sesame seeds in the eggplant curry? I can't taste them.}

"BB til khatam thi toh nahin daali."{I was all out of sesame seeds.}

"Til constipation ke liye bahut achcha hai. Beta shaam ke liye bhindi banaanaa. {Sesame seeds are an excellent laxative. Cook okra for dinner.} It has a lot of slime to help you go."

January 14 at 10:24am · Like

Smita Srivastava LOL. Good BB didn't sprinkle isabgol over the bhallas !!

January 14 at 12:51pm · Unlike ·  1 person

Daman Sahni LMAO @ ISABGOL....Honey, you will get it

January 15 at 10:29am · Like

Sonali Gurpur Apparently BB asked for my phone no. Her kids have moved far away so she feels very lonesome and needs people to talk to. I don't know what to think, or what to do.

January 16 at 6:54am · Like

Ipsita Johri Rane Sona di - hope all those people are not on your FB :D

January 16 at 7:11am · Like

Sonali Gurpur No. Obviously not.

January 16 at 7:18am · Like