In response to the earlier post, I have received a question:
What a pity Sachi, I really really feel bad for your predicament! ;( What is life without being able to access spicy and authentic Masala dosays and hot Idlees and Vadaas and Pakodaas ofcourse not to forget your Bajjees and Bondaas - at our favourite joints, with the other cultural things you have mentioned..
But then I don't know if you even remember that I had prophecied this to your wife when you were contemplating settling down there at Indiranagar! I utterly failed to convince her to buy property in the viscinity of our house at Mvm those days. Dhuduku saar dhuduku!....
Adirali, now can you please clarify this nagging doubt of this paamare saar?
1. What is Bajji and what is Bonda - in the first place?
2. Aren't they one and the same like Gyana and Bhakthi? (borrowing Rajaji's woderful expression from his introduction to MS's Bhaja Govindam followed by Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotram rendering - way back)..
3. If they are not, then pray tell me what the fundamental difference between them is, though?
I always thought that Bajji is the borrowed term from Northies for our own dear Bondaas..
I am sure that it is only your pen (Android) that is capable of clearing - profound jigyaasays as this one of mine - successfully!!..
Thanks in anticipation and regards..
- V the P.
Here is my answer, a bit long, sorry, but the serious subject deserves such treatment:
Dear Vanee the Pandite,
Yes, even I failed to convince Rathna the disadvantages of living in a lousy place like Indiranagar. She would have agreed to move if I had resigned from my job etc.
Now coming to the vast and fundamental differences between Bajji and Bonda.
Both Bajji and Bonda trace their origins to mid Indus Valley Civilization. Nobody knows for sure why the civilization ended but they do know that without Bajjis and Bondas, it would have ended sooner.
Both Bajjis and Bondas have been responsible over centuries in prolonging civilizations and maintaining world peace. In fact people say that Napoleon, Hitler and other warmongers basically failed to satisfy their cravings for fried spicy vegetable-filled Bengal-gram batter covered deep fried savouries recommended by ancient wise men to be eaten hot and fresh in late afternoons and evenings at least four or five times a week. This culture was cultivated only by Aryans living along river banks from Ganga Jamuna to Cauvery and hence India is the only country that did not start a war with another.
If you visit the royal kitchens of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Varanasi and Vijayanagara, you will find large frying pans marked as sacred vessels for royal peace-keeping activities.
Now coming to the scholarly question about what is the difference between a Bajji and a Bonda.
You see, just like there are four Vedas, there are four types of sacred eatables. They are
Bonda
Bajji
Samosa
Pakoda
There are many Upa-Vedas like Vada, Kachori, Upperi etc but they are neither original nor authentic.
The four principal Vedas are
Bonda - Rig Veda, it is dedicated to worshipping planets. Hence it is round. It represents Hiranyagarbha. It contains cooked, spiced vegetables inside. A good Bonda like mother earth will retain the internal heat for a long time. Frequent Bonda yagnas will confer a round shape- face, belly and even the entire body. Good examples are you and me and Alaka.
Bajji - Yajur Veda, it is dedicated to elements - Fire, Water, Earth and Air. Fire is chilly Bajji. Water is hirekai. Earth is brinjal. Air is alu. These are the central pillars. The vegetables are sliced and deep-fried in batter, which is spiced. People have deviated with using cauliflower etc. they are not sanctioned in the Vedas. Bajjis are basically flat. But inside the stomach they take a round shape. It is because of the various elements.
Samosa is Sama Veda, it is so good that it makes you sing. Like Sama Veda, born in upper reaches of Himalayas, it also has esoteric cooked and spiced vegetables, but it has a four corner or three corner diamond shape. It is NOT cooked in Bengal gram flour but rice or maida. It is a rare art to make good samosas. Both Pandits and Pamaras enjoy Sama Gana and Samosa.
Pakora or Pakoda is Atharva Veda. It shows Greek and Spanish/Mediterranean influences. It is a mish-mash of onions mixed up in batter and fried. It can be spicy or bland, depending upon if it is consumed along with soma rasa. It was principally offered to Indra (who has one thousand eyes and a bad skin). It is not recommended for consumption by Brahmanas.
It seems that Gobi Manchurian, a favourite of some culture-less Indians, is actually based on the Pakoda formula taken across to China by the laughing Buddha and reimported. Chinese eat fried lizards, snakes, chicken and other meat. Gobi has to do with Gobi desert -actually Manchuria and Mongolia. It has large quantities of garlic added because it was used as a means of keeping men and women apart by stench means and achieving population control. The main reason is that in Gobi desert, there was a shortage of snakes and lizards and they could not feed too many mouths.
I hope you are satisfied. I will now go and have coffee.
Yours
Sachi
PS: we are going every week for a few sessions of Bonda, dosa etc. in Basavanagudi or Malleshwaram. We want to nourish our cultural roots.
Today we have bought VIP passes in National College Ganesha Utsava where Ilayaraja is performing to live orchestra for the first time in decades. Catering is by Adigas. Before that we will go to Gayana Samaja Ramakrishnan Murthy vocal. A promising vocalist and excellent Bajjis in the canteen.
