Reality Bites

The story of the wandering Marwari trader is much older than that of our city.

The story of the wandering Marwari trader is much older than that of our city. History tells us that Marawai financiers-bankers called jagatseths were the key movers and shakers of the battle of Plassey which brought the British into the country as rulers. As a matter of fact we can say that they had a considerable stake in building Kolkata too. Therefore,it was imperative that this powerful and somewhat reviled community would be a part of the cultural milieu of the city. Indeed,Kolkata with all its vibrancy,quirks and charms is as much a Marwari city as a Bengali one.

That is why,no Kolkata experience is complete without savouring a mouthful of Burrabazar (the Marwari hub of the city),saturated as it is with a delightful cocktail of sights,sounds and smells. And food comprises an essential part of that experience. Fluffy kachoris,spicy bhujias and sinfully rich laddoos are as much a part of what is now known as Kolkata cuisine as fish kobiraji,alu chop and roshogolla.

The Marwari food festival at Saffron (The Park) celebrates that very aspect of the city. We have consciously created the menu keeping in mind the way Marwari cuisine has evolved in the city. As the Marwari community has traveled and settled down the length and breadth of India and abroad,their vegetarian repertoire has grown to an enviable length,sometimes incorporating regional favourites and baked dishes from continental cuisine into their own. We have hand picked some of these dishes after consulting our Marwari friends and guests, says Diya Basu,director,PR & Communication,The Park.

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The incorporation of regional favourites,as exhibited by the chefs at The Park,results in such dishes as methe corn ka soup (sweet corn soup) and alu roll wrap with bhujia. They bear testimony to the unique Marwari capability to simultaneously straddle several worlds.

Evidently,the modern Marwari cuisine represents the grit of a community determined to survive at all costs. Since this community of traders was compelled to travel across the country because of famine in their harsh land Marwar,they carried with them the will to experiment (though vegetarianism prevailed even in fish-crazy Bengal). If anything,the Marwaris were excited about experimenting with the fresh vegetables and fruits readily available in this verdant part of the country. Which is why,Vegetable Au gratin is such a favourite with the Kolkata Marwari. We decided to incorporate dishes like Au gratin and spinach cannelloni,as they are a must in every Marwari functions in the city, adds Basu.

Even the dessert menu reflects the lifestyle of the Kolkata,or should we say,global Marwari. Badam ka halwa and chena ka sukha share table space with continental delights like trifle pudding and chocolate mousse. The Marwari sweet tooth is legendary,and since they were traders,they had greater access to the markets not only of India but also South-east Asia. They were,therefore,able to store dry fruits such as almonds,pistachios,cashews,and together with poppy seeds (khus) were able to use them in their desserts. Halwas,barfis and laddoos are part of the Marwari repertoire,along with sesame,which was used for both sweets as well as main courses, says Basu.

The Marwari food festival is on at Saffron (The Park) from the October 23rd to November 1st. A meal for two would cost around Rs 1000.

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