I have won the 2nd Prize in the 2021 nano-Essay Competition, “Flash Truths – Taking India’s Pulse”, organized by DownloadingMyMind (DMM) in association with the Society for Public Studies(SPS). Eminent Judges selected the winners. I am a student currently in 3rd Year, pursuing B.Sc in Agricultural Sciences from University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.
Here is the winning entry.
Indian Pickle — The Ancient Spirit of Indian Everyday Gourmet
Nothing has served as a living record of Indian life since ancient times better than the age-old pickles. There is an Indian yet to exist who has no childhood memories of amber colored jars of pickles aging under the sun. The variety of Indian cuisine with its aromatic cocktail of indigenous spices, a multitude of gourmet options and ancient traditions are beautifully interwoven into the very essence of the Indian pickle— the achaar. Although the exact origin of pickles is not known, the mellow memories of its visually complex preparations and the elegant cacophony of strong flavors is tastefully preserved in the soul of every Indian.
When diversity is the binding element of India, the endlessly assorted types of achaar have always been the silent companion in the life of every Indian. It has played the villainous role of tempting children with its mystic palate, but has also been the prized possession of a proud grandmother. Office workers have always reserved a special place in their lunchboxes to spice up their breaktime, while on other occasions, it has added the extra gustatory satisfaction to our regular food with its desired piquancy. Being created originally as a food preservation technique, it has inadvertently become the travel companion of Indians, and has timelessly served to silently satiate everyone’s midnight cravings.
In the large fermentation pot of Indian mundane life, where traditions meet modernity, pickles have always been the sole witnesses of the ever-turning gears of Indian life. While the traditional Indian life continues to majestically age like a sophisticated pickle, the humble achaar is still going to remain a staple of Indian diet and a reminiscence of every Indian.
Comments On “My Winning Essay: “Flash Truths – Taking India’s Pulse” 2021”