AVOIDING EATING VEGETABLES

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

26/II/2025

 

There was a time as a child I would eat only two vegetables. One was Aloo in any form. The other was with a ‘frowny face’ called Bhindi. Not bharwa, not in gravy, but simply fried and sautéed bhindi.

 

Though Dad was a pure non vegetarian but would insist that we finish our vegetables which he used to so painstakingly grow in the kitchen garden. For us Palak used to be Yuk, Methi was what the hell, Baingan, who eats that kind of stuff, Mirchi was too jhaal, Gobi, my goodness no and so on.

 

Yes, when in josh one could pull out mooli, gajar, shalgam from our kitchen garden at any time. The fun was not in the eating but in uprooting them, washing them, and devouring them raw with a pinch of salt. From the field to the tummy was in a matter of seconds. You serve them in a meal or salad, yours truly would never touch them.

 

Meat curry with potatoes is an age-old family delicacy which mom cooked often. Then came a twist. Dad would ensure that vegetables like Tinda, Shalgam and Lauki was replaced the aloo. Kids were supposed to eat vegetables. To set an example, he would finish them off his plate and watch our plates keenly. We were left with no choice.

 

We would toy with those veges, moving them around like hockey players drivel the ball and keep promising Dad that we would finish them. Then he gave a simple warning, if we do not finish them, no games time/swimming in the pool or no going for fishing with him. Even at the cost of throwing up, one would gulp the veges down with tears rolling down the cheeks.

 

We did not have Maggie and Pasta as choices which kids of today have. The rule was that whatever had been served had to be finished before leaving the dining table. You waste food and get a tight slap.

 

One day, my mom caught me red handed in one of our neighbour’s homes eating the unthinkable. It was “Tori and Ghiya ki tari wali sabzi”. Mom watched in awe and kept quiet. When we reached home, she was furious. “Mere haath ka choote bhi nahi ho, Mittal aunty ke haath mein kya jadoo hai”.

 

We would promise to eat what she made with a caveat that she won’t tell dad about what she saw. Moment we would see a vegetable served; we would start making faces. In sign language she would tell us of the consequences of breaking our promise. Alas, we would gobble the vegetables before Dad ever found out.

 

This anecdote got triggered while I was watering the plants today. It was centered around the Hummingbird feeder. Since the day we have placed it, it has been a hot spot for those nectar loving birds. These birds visit flower after flower, hovering around to get their fill.

 

However, I observed that during winter their visits reduced. Reason was that there were a plethora of flowering plants around. I am sure as the summers approach, activity around the bird feeder will increase.

 

What caught my attention was the sparrows. They have enough bird feed with, jowar, bajra & corn, besides they also feed on the roti we keep for the bulbuls. The bird feeder is active from dawn to dusk. But today, I saw them trying their beaks on the hummingbird feeder.

 

As usual a hummingbird approached the feeder and sang a song of sixpence. It clutched the hanging pot close by, which is the first halt. Another song and a hop to land on the feeder. Then it thrust its beak to suck the sweet juice.

 

Rivalry may be the word to describe it. Sparrows rushed from the grain feeder towards the hummingbird feeder and chased them away. They could not make head or tail of how to eat what the other bird was eating. Then, there was a eureka moment when one of them shoved its blunt beak into that tiny hole to taste the juice.

 

Mind you, the chirps were of total ecstasy as if it was mana from heaven. Instead of drinking water it seemed they discovered a source of sweet spring water. Now, I see them hanging around that feeder very often.

 

It was something like me and my younger brother visiting Mittal auntie and enjoying the shorbe wali sabzi, neglecting what mom would have cooked for a meal.

 

Sometimes such memories get triggered out of the blue. How many of you didn’t like to eat vegetables in your childhood? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©® NOEL ELLIS