Those from my generation who grew up in India might remember these, which were unique to the milieu of the day. Not sure if our counterparts from the present generation still retain some if not all the following habits, but I am sure most from Gen Z will find some if not all these habits as oddities and us as interlopers. A few habits probably are still intact, some gone redundant, became defunct a la old rivers die unsung in deserts, drying in the sands of time. Many considered unwarranted these days - consumed by the ever encroaching cultural invasion from outside. Here is a compilation of 10 such die hard old habits hardly died.
1. Have a fever ? Your diet changes from normal "BHATA - DAALI" (Rice and Daal or Lentil soup) to "PAUN RUTI - KHIRA" (Bread and Milk). Saltine cracker is the snack of fever, known to titillate your numb taste bud. Also fever is the time to consume fruits considered exotic at that time - Apple, Pomegranate, Pear and Orange. They were preferred over the locally sourced and plentily available Banana, Mango, Guava, Papaya, AATA (Sitaphal in Hindi or Custard Apple). Though these tropical fruits were highly nutritious, for a strange reason they were thought as cold fruits which can aggravate fever, especially Banana and Guava. Perhaps they fit to the old Odia adage, "GAAN KANIA SINGHANI NAKI" (Country girl, Runny nose), simply meaning - "Local stuff, Unpalatable". Medically speaking, there is no such hot or cold fruits. The fruits which might trigger cough or cold aren't cold fruit, rather an allergic reaction of that particular person.
2. PETA GARAM or the Hot Stomach Syndrome, the colloquial medical adage blamed for every common ailments, from constipation to headaches. It was supposed to be the root cause behind common cold. No one knew what exactly the elusive PETA GARAM was, but drinking plenty of PAIDA PANI (coconut water) and flashing mugs of cold water on your lower belly at shower was the prescription to get rid of it. My take - PETA GARAM is nothing but symptom of dehydration caused by heat and humidity of a tropical country which could be cured by staying hydrated.
In case of stomach upset LEMBU PANI (Lemon juice squeezed into water) was used for instant remedy. Often a cut lemon was inhaled close to nose tip to prevent puking. The later definitely worked, not sure about the former as it often caused acidity.
3. Need old Newspaper to cover a dusty cupboard ? Make a temporary cup holder out of it for munching peanuts or making THUNGA (paper pouch) ? Go and fetch for the ubiquitous "SAMAJA KAGAZA", the default name for all Newspapers those days. The ubiquitous "Samaja" was the most widely circulated vernacular newspaper of Odisha those days. Once in my Primary (Elementary) school our English teacher asked a question to his students - "Which newspaper comes to your house ?" All in my class answered in unison - "Samaja". I answered - "The Samaja" and received brownie points from our teacher, as prefixing "The" in front of the name of a newspaper was dramatically correct.
Either way, The Samaja ruled every one's home, both as a carrier of news, then of utility value to be sold to the perennially cheating buyer of magazines and newspapers who would arrive every other week on his antique bicycle, shouting at top of his voice - KAGAZA BIKRI KARIBE KAGAGAZA (Want to sell Newspapers) ? The tyres of his bicycle would be seriously short of air pressure, invariably touching the ground. He would be carrying his "NIKITI or TARAZU", his hand held weighing machine and BATAKARA (weights of 500gm, 1kg nominations made of wrought iron), carefully crafted to cheat the customers. The 1 kg measured is never 1 kilogram, it would weigh at least 15% more for the benefit of the buyer.
4. The caption ODIA JUBAKA NKA UCHHA SIKHYA PAIN BIDESHA JATYA (The Odia youth goes abroad for higher education), followed by a Passport picture of the smiling man wearing suit and tie used to adore the inside pages of "The Samaja" - as I mentioned used to be the most widely read Newspaper of our days. The term BIDESHA or Foreign was euphemism for "Ameyricka" spoken in a thick Odia accent, meaning USA or Western Europe, mainly England. Don't remember anyone ever publishing pictures of those travelling to the foreign lands of Nepal or Bangladesh. Now way too many are making PHOREIN (Abroad) trips in Jeans and T-shirts to get a mention on local newspapers attired in suits and boots.
5. "ARRE ETE RAATI JAE TU KOUTHI THILU ? JA HATA GODA DHOI, PRARTHANA KARI PATHA PADHIBU" - (Hey, where were you hanging out so late in the evening ? Go, wash your hands and legs and do your study) - was the usual reprimand from our parents. Now a days it has changed to - "JA iPhone CHHADI PATHA PADHIBU" (Leave your iPhone to focus on studies). I heard the same from a father who was bewildered by his child's demands for a separate room and more privacy in his house, something unthinkable during our time when all the kids used to study together packed like sardines in a room, occasionally passing gas accusing the other siblings of the same with a "not I" look on the face. Reprimanding kids for coming late is so passe. Parents these days are regarded as intruders by their children for stepping on their privacy. Forget about boys, even girls of late are hardly questioned for coming home late.
Those were the days...
(The 2nd and concluding part of the blog will follow soon).
