I was in Al Hilla in some hot summer in 2004 when I felt I need to talk to someone new. I went at the peak of the noon to an internet cafe to find it empty. I entered the Yahoo chat/ religion room, and found an Indian qween. She was so kind. She told me about India in a way that opened for me a new window to take my head out of it each time I feel I need to imagine and smell the fresh weather. The qween told me about the area where she lives in and that was Gujarat.It was so hot in Baghdad especially when there is no electricity so that you beg the air conditioner to give you some fresh air. The windows are closed to get rid of dusty storms mixed with hot dry wind. It was 7 00 pm I went to sit near my neighbours so that we start together our symphony of complaining of electricity, noisy baghdad, the too much cars and bad drivers, the army, the parlament, the US army, the new laptop computers from china, the increase in prices.... I reached them then showed me a deep red juice and said : "drink gujarat!"...
I was still not in that state that I can know that they said this word "Gujarat". All I heard was something like "bujgraad" or maybe "sindibad"...What was taking priority in my mind is to taste the juice. It was cold and acidic. Something I really like. With some bitter/sweatness. WOOW.
- what did you say its name? (i asked)
- Gujarat!!
- Really? It is in India?
- Yes this one is from India.
I took another sip and opened my nose wide to smell the juice. The next day I bought Gujarat to make it at my home. It opened me a new window to look at my day. It can be served hot, like tea, or cold, like juice.
8 comments:
Yum...it sounds delicious...must try to find some here in the US.
The Indian lady you met sounds really nice. i think i have told you this before, but here in the Richmond, Virginia area, there is a large East Indian population and i love them, so kind and sweet and i love seeing the ladies in their beautiful saris and tunics/pants.
Welcome back, you were missed!
blessings, tracy
Dear Sami,
just read your answers on your last post...awwww, thank you, dear friend :)
Yummmm. I will look for some. Then we can sip together, at our tea party with a table that extends around the world. Who else might join us?
Wow high my dear friends. When I first started this blog I didn't know that I would lead me to know precious people like you...
Thank you so much Tracy.
And yes Laura let us start our tea party with that table that extends around the world, and let anybody join us. I wonder whether the Dalay Lama would join?
i love so much the idea of the world table...may i please join?
salaam and thank you both, tracy
Sami, you (and the other friends) are so very precious to me as well..
i wish Dr. Wissam and the wonderful psychiatric resident i knew would also come. :)
Wissam will happy when I told him that you are still remembering him Tracy...thank you
Dear Sami, A very heartfelt gratitude for writing about me, for remembering me. It really gives so different feeling to be remembered in this manner by somebody like you who resides so far. Hope we meet someday.....Thank you sami, thank you very much
Your friend Komal from India, Gujarat
Thank you Komal, my qween, for your kind visit and words. you are a kind precious friend Komal. it must be that God loves me that he introduced me to you. sami.
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