Parsee

There is a saying among the Parsees that the community can be divided into two groups: one that loves good food and the other that loves eating. For one who has witnessed the gourmandizing of a gourmet spread, I know exactly what the saying means. The occasion: the Lagan nu Bhonu or wedding feast of a former colleague in Bombay. The nuptials were still in progress when some people started inching toward the dining area where long tables, covered with white sheets, were laid out with plantain leaves as table settings. They quietly proceeded to incline the chairs against the tables—to ‘reserve seats’ for their families. When the ceremonies were over, there was a virtual stampede followed by a rattling of chairs and a buzz of anticipation.