SUVIDHA SNACKS CENTRE

“Annapurna”, that’s the correct term or the only word to describe Mrs. Mahajan, who runs a small eatery joint single handily in the society where we stay in Pune on weekends.We had so far heard in Mahabharta about Draupadi’s thali, but are experiencing the Akshaya Patra in this Kaliyug. Ever smiling, never tiring personality is the only hope of ours of survival during the weekends; especially when my wife, my beloved wife, refuses to even enter the kitchen. She also wants to enjoy weekends and escape from day to day tiring activities.

I wonder if Mrs.Mahajan can ever think of luxury of weekly offs with “Always Hungry” lot like ours around and even if she decides, which restaurant she is visiting and whether she will like the food over there as she, herself is excellent cook with generous hand while serving food. (I know we often take disadvantage of her generosity, and end up eating much more than the normal servings).I also wonder why she never says no to anyone including us ofcource. People turn up at last moment, late in the night, without proper advance notice, no matter how tired she is , she will cook the food once again and serve them but she will never send anyone back hungry on empty stomach.

Remember the “Two Minutes” advertisement of Maggie Noodles? I am quite sure they must have stolen it from the mouth of Mrs.Mahajan. “Dada, basaha dooncha minete, aatya vaadhate.” are the patent words, Two minutes may be ultimately turn out to be twenty minutes, so what? How does it matter? Waiting is still worth. As after the waiting is over, what you get is simply delicious, hot and tasty, homely fresh cooked food along with piping hot polies. Chapattis she doesn’t like to prepare in advance as she loves to serve while eating.And on the top of that shameless people like us, even before washing hand start enquiring about next day’s menu for breakfast, with exhaustive menu including Set Dosa, Appe, Sada Dosa, Idli, Misal, Pohe, Sabudana Khickdi etc, for which the poor lady has to make preparations after the shutter is down. The same scenario repeats after breakfast as we start asking “what are the vegetables you cooking today for lunch?” and starts interfering in the preplanned menu with our likings and dislikings and again after lunch start enquiring about high tea snacks and so on.

Then it's evening time, time for dipping into Pani Puri, BhelPuri, SPDP, Katchi Dabeli, Batata Vada. Hey, Hey, wait ! How could I forget Thalipit, crunchy munchy Thalipit with lonyacha gola on top. If I forgot to mention Thalipit, It will be injustice to her and nevertheless to say that sometimes we make special request to her to prepare Ukadiche Modak, Puranpoli, Pithale Bhakari and she never refuses.

No, No, No. please does not misunderstand us, we are not from Ethiopia or from some where in Sahara desert, it’s the love and affection we receive from Mahajan Family pulls us like magnet to Suvidha Snacks Centre.I must appreciate Mr. Mahajan, who comes to her rescue, after coming back home from the office. Also I must appreciate her two children who in spite of their hectic schedule for studies for C.A and articleship ,finds in-between time to reduce the work load and pressure from the shoulder of their mother, their lucky mother who has brought up such lovely children.

It’s the personal touch that matters, that’s why after mind, soul and stomach are satisfied we say from the bottom of the heart “ANNADATTA SUKHI BHAV”