Drinks and Memories

My Collection

This post was published on the Huffington Post.

When lyricist Gulzar says, ‘Bachpan Ki Yadon Ko Phir Se Bahao, Badi Chatpati Hai, Inhe Phir Se Pilao’, his raspy voice nudges you to taste memories. Of all the seductions of childhood, the most memorable ones are associated with food and drinks. Like most, my drink memories are rooted in childhood. In summer, the answer to, “What would you like to have?” wasn’t a choice between chilled beer and white wine. It was a choice between Rooh Afza, Khas sherbet, Aam Panna, Mango Shake, Cold Coffee or good old Nimbu Paani - minus soda. Funny, how we were able to digest stuff without the urge to guzzle soda based drinks with every meal.

As kids, the 4 PM drink after an afternoon siesta was either Lassi or Rooh Afza. What drink could be more decadent than a tall glass of sweetened Lassi on a sweltering afternoon? After a grueling day at school, we were supposed to wake up by the tinkling sound of stirring the glass with a steel spoon. Since it was also time for home work, the sugar surge helped in lifting the sagging spirits. But now when I see the bottle of Rooh Afza, all I see is sugar, color and empty calories. But then, that’s the thing with most sweet beverages, including fruit juice. Moreover, with age calories do begin to resemble those dreadful creatures that sew your clothes a little tighter every night. Which is why coconut water remains a timeless ageless drink. Which is also why bottled water is set to overtake fizzy sodas to become the world’s favorite packaged drink.

In the early eighties, glass bottles of Campa Cola, Gold Spot and Limca invaded our refrigerators. I remember wooden crates stacked in the store room, only to be served on special occasions. Who knew that a winky wonky baba was about to rubbish the precious beverages as toilet cleaners? Or that our idea of an exotic drink was allegedly calcium draining, tooth staining and kidney straining. 

Bael Fruit- Stone Apple

And then there was Bael sherbet considered as a panacea for stomach ailments. Since there was a Bael tree in the backyard and breaking the shell by dropping it on the ground was more fun than drinking the sherbet, my job was to break and scrape the shell for its sweet flesh.

As it happens, life comes back full circle. For those who are not alcohol friendly, Paper Boat beverages have created a buzz in the non-alcoholic drink segment. One particular drink Jamun Kala Khatta, revived childhood memories and made me pen this post. If I close my eyes and try to look back, I see myself sneaking out for fallen Jamuns and idiotically sticking out my purple tongue. However, I can’t eat the damn thing today. Too rough for my taste.

Like everything else, the entire beverage matrix has changed. With more than a dozen booming micro breweries in Gurgaon, locally brewed beer and sherbets combined with liquer are a hit with the newly minted lot. Which is great, for beverages have evolved not merely to quench the thirst but to tantalize the taste buds. To ease the stress and to intoxicate the senses. As Hemingway said, “I drink to make other people interesting.” 

But the magic of childhood lied in the fact that we didn't need drinks to make life interesting - intoxication of childhood is enough. 

This is NOT a sponsored post.