Journalism of Courage
The fresh aroma of green vegetables and traditional fulka greets you the moment you enter the mess at the Jain Boarding at Model Colony. An ambiance of lines of chairs and tables make up the luxury this place offes. For more than 200 students who stay here the mess provides four meals breakfast at 7 am,lunch from 10 am ,afternoon snack at 4 pm and dinner from 6 pm. Dilipbhai,the in-charge of the mess since 20 years now,has melted into the fabric of the eatery.
On the menu on a Thursday morning is dal,rice,kidney beans and freshly made capsicum. The hot fulkas keep coming and students and guests around keep savouring it. Thursday,in fact is also the day for a ‘change in the menu’. We make all sorts of delicacies for dinner on Thursday, says Dilipbhai J Malani. The menu is set for the entire week beforehand by the students. Explaining the process,Dilipbhai says, A student’s committee is formed consisting of 10-15 boys and they decide the menu. On can see the week’s breakfast menu written on a plastic coated hardboard paper stuck on the wall. The food,made by a Rajasthani staff,instantly reminds one of home. The vegetables are mildly spicy and are always accompanied by either freshly cut salad or chutney. Not to forget,crispy papad for dinner. The food maintains its classic marwari flavour and is easily one of the best places to have a good Jain thali.
Dilipbhai,who has been working in this filed for the last 35 years,sits at the mess in the evening,overlooking the activities around. Green and pink token slips act as food coupons,and are quickly picked up. During the month of September,the Jains celebrate Paryushan the month dedicated to fasting. The mess makes sure that the food served during this time is suitable for those who celebrate the festive week.
