Showing posts with label Sikh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sikh. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

The Sikh Festival - Free Indian Food


A mixture of Indian food, a journey of taste and everything else on my plate I smell right now. The food from India is so full of aroma with herbs and spices, delightful to the hungry nose.  A piece of bread, deep fried to brown, just plain bread, gummy to taste yet delightful to bite. Some garbanzos in tomato sauce I believe taste salty and a green sauce to dip plus sour cream to add, creating a vegetarian meal. And oh, some freshly cut onions on the side, too. This is my first time to try something foreign to me. I love spices, please understand but India's food overwhelms me with spices so strong the aroma drowns me to my deepest. I will eat like a real person who hails from India just to challenge myself. I am not a picky eater so it should be fine. I have no clue how it would taste for now. All I have is smell.

It was a Sunday, after church I happen to pass by a temple, Sikh temple perhaps? Cars everywhere, covering all areas surrounding the temple.  By the ditch, a few took courage to park. Some parked on the side of a green field and the lucky ones parked on the side of the road, next to the temple. There were people everywhere inside the gated temple, the majority wearing fancy dressed and men with turban cloth. The women in particular look stunningly beautiful with their dark features and round eyes. The dress in bright colors adorned with glittering beads and matching silky pants made it obvious of the word respect of body, covering mostly all for the Sikh Festival. No baring, no midriffs and short lengths for them. Little children go around dress like the women and men of Sikhism - a monotheistic religion that originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region.

There are vendors lined along the gate as I enter the wide open gate. They each have a space, a shade from the sun, selling picture frames mainly of Sikh Leaders to jewelry of beauty and toys. Mostly are things from India, something Sikhs use as part of life like materials for the temple. The jewelries are abundant, most vendors display jewelry of some sort; earrings, bangles, necklace and something for the forehead. There are jewelry sets that are gorgeous, fit for a special occasion like this festivity. I fell in love and bought some earrings of soft baby colors and necklace to match for $10.  

I look around and suddenly it seems like I am in India. The thought of being a stranger; to them as they are to me, scattered everywhere hold together in a moment. Some looked at me with curiosity and animosity, I felt, wondering how different I was in clothes and look. I did the same stare but with curiosity and admiration with the way they carry their faith, decent and modest. I poked my head just enough to take a look inside, step back out in a minute and walk away from the temple.  Then, I noticed on one side of the open area, people line up with plates on hand. I wonder what is going on there and walk towards the line to explore...

Not sure what is going on, I ask one of the servers how much they sell the bread for. She responded to me - FREE. What? Free? Again, she spoke in a gentle voice "Food is free today. Would you like to try some?"  

I said yes quickly, not wanting to give her a chance to change her mind though I am not desperately hungry. She got a plate for me, a piece of bread (still warm), a serving from each pan ladled on my plate and hand it to me. I tried them all with enthusiasm, burn my tongue from the chili but happy my tummy is now filled. I sat on the edge of the pavement to eat my meal just like them and smiled.

After consuming my plate clean as a slate, I stood up and went back in line to get seconds for my husband. This time, I was an expert, line up like going with the flow, no questions because I know what to do. I did ask for a plate to bring home and the server smiled, meaning it is all right. I wish to say goodbye but there was nobody to talk to and just like that, I walk to the gate to get to my car. A couple was getting out behind me and said something about the bread so good. I replied "Yes, indeed. It is very good with a smile on my face."

Does it look like someone starving, leaving only the bones?