Yours Shortly

                                                         

Since childhood, I’ve had an inexplicable fascination with acronyms and abbreviations. I vividly remember one day in school, when I stood up from my desk to ask the English teacher what the ‘diff’ was between two concepts she had painstakingly explained. The answer? A firm tug on my ear.

My family has always been exasperated by my tendency to chop off syllables and words, especially redundant ones. For instance, I find it completely unnecessary to use the word "day" in the names of the days of the week. More often than not, I find myself telling my daughter, "Let’s do it on 'Sat,'" or, "We’re going out for dinner on 'Wed.'" Even in Indian languages, we add "var" after the day—like ‘Somvar’ (Monday) or ‘Ravivar’ (Sunday). To me, it should just be ‘Som’ or ‘Ravi.’ Interestingly, Bahasa Indonesia, with its efficiency, doesn’t even bother with this redundancy. Monday is simply ‘Senin,’ and Friday is ‘Jumat.’

At the same time, I’ve always harbored the belief that vowels are mostly superfluous. Why not skip them? I’ve even signed my name as “Sndp.” When I attended business school, I learned that once an abbreviation is introduced, it’s acceptable to use it throughout. What really boggles my mind is when acronyms pop up without any prior explanation.

Armed Forces around the world are notorious for their obsession with acronyms—often without the courtesy of explaining them. Diplomacy is another prime offender. Modern diplomacy practically floats on an alphabet soup, or rather on a sea of acronyms. Just try keeping up. NAFTA gave way to USMCA, but why not call it ‘CAMUS,’ in a nod to the existential philosopher? BRICS, on the other hand, rolls off the tongue with ease. I once heard the Kazakh Ambassador in New Delhi suggest that adding Kazakhstan to the group would make it grammatically solid, transforming ‘BRICS’ into ‘BRICKS.’ Now that’s a really strong organisation. 

However, nothing I’ve encountered in the world of abbreviations prepared me for Indonesia. The abbreviation game here is a super fine art. As Bahasa Indonesia uses the Latin alphabet it has helped in the amplification of this art form. In India and maybe in other countries as well, only initials are used to form abbreviations. Rarely does the acronym convey a meaning on its own or forms a word. The notable exception in India is Niti Aayog, the erstwhile Planning Commission of India. Niti in Hindi means Policy and derives from National Institution for Transformation of India. Niti Aayog is the Policy Planning Think Tank of the Government of India.

Indonesians have taken the short form to stratospheric levels, both in terms of creativity and extent of use. They take select syllables from words to create easily pronounceable expressions. Such use is not restricted to slang but forms part of the daily acceptable lexicon.

Even before arriving in Indonesia, I kept hearing the word ‘Kemlu.’ I quickly deduced it was the Indonesian equivalent of our MEA (Ministry of External Affairs). But here's the twist. So, ‘Kementerian Luar Negeri’ becomes ‘Kemlu,’ not ‘KLN’—which would be a mouthful for Bahasa speakers. Similarly, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) in India is ‘Menlu’ in Indonesia, short for ‘Menteri Luar Negeri.’

The tendency to shorten words is all pervasive, extending to all realms of public life and is a continuous process. Recently, the Government of Indonesia announced the creation of a national sovereign wealth fund called Danantara. Hardly anyone will know that it is the abbreviated form of Daya (Ability or Strength) Anagata (Future) Nusantara (Archipelago).

Apparently it is not even a modern phenomenon. While visiting the Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, built during the 9th century CE, I learned that the name derives from ‘Param’ (high or many) and Brahman, signifying a temple with many priests. 

Referring to the political world, while in India, BJP is just an abbreviation, Indonesia’s ruling party is ‘Gerindra,’ short for ‘Gerakan Indonesia Raya,’ and most people wouldn’t even recognize the full form. The abbreviated name has become the identity. Even Indonesia’s oldest political party, ‘Golkar,’ is a shortcut from ‘Golongan Karya.’ The Indonesian Army Special Forces are known as ‘Kopassus’ (Komando Pasukan Khusus). The 1974 riots in Jakarta during the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka are imprinted in collective Indonesian memory as ‘Malari’, short for Malapetaka Lima Belas Januari  or the fifteenth of January Disaster. 

The enthusiasm for abbreviations extends to people’s names, too. President Joko Widodo is affectionately known as ‘Jokowi,’ and a senior minister, Zulfikli Hasan, is simply called ‘Zulhas.’ I briefly entertained the idea of making ‘SanCha’ my own shorthand for Sandeep Chakravorty, but I promptly abandoned it when my Bahasa teacher warned me that ‘Sanca’ is the local term for python. 

On my first official trip outside Jakarta to Semarang for the EAS Economic Ministers Meeting in September 2023, I kept hearing the word ‘Dubes.’ I soon realized it was the shorthand for ‘Duta Besar,’ which means Ambassador. In Indonesia, it’s perfectly normal to refer to an Ambassador as ‘Dubes,’ and I was so inspired that I printed it on my visiting card.

The proliferation of abbreviations is common in daily lives. A drive-thru is cleverly termed ‘Lantatur’ (Layanan Tanpa Turun), which means ‘service without getting out of the car.’ Even names of places are not exempted. Take ‘Jagorawi,’ for example, a popular highway break spot and golf course. The name is a mashup of Jakarta, Bogor, and Ciawi. The transport service which connects the capital city with the suburban towns is called 'Jabodetabek' as it connects Jakarta with Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekassi. But wait! Jakarta is abbreviated from Jayakarta and there is a popular theory that Depok is a Dutch abbreviation arising from  “De Eerste Protestantse Organisatie van Kristenen,” which  means “The First Christian Church Organization.” 

The omnipresent Community Health Center is abbreviated to ‘PusKesMas,’ from ‘Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat’ (Center for Public Health). What is Perpenka? It is the convenient abbreviation of Perkumpulan Pensiunan Karyawan Kereta Api or Association of Retired Railway Employees.

There are no stops for the abbreviation juggernaut. If you have to go shopping, there is the 'Toserba' or Department Store. It is graphic description of a shop where everything is available - Toko (shop), Serba (all) and Ada (have). The traffic lights? ‘Lamer’ (from ‘Lampu Merah,’ or red light). And in Javanese, they’re called ‘Bangjo,’ derived from ‘Abang’ (red) and ‘Hijo’ (green).

By the time my first year in Jakarta came to a close, I was greeted with ‘Nataru’ (a fusion of ‘Natal’ and ‘Tahun Baru,’ meaning Christmas and New Year). "Happy Nataru!" is a perfectly acceptable greeting here. A popular word to describe the Iftar meals during Ramadan is BukBer deriving from Buka Puasa Bersama, the puasa being conveniently dropped. Cell phones are ‘HaPay,’ from H.P., short for ‘Hand Phone,’ and birthdays are celebrated with a hearty ‘HUT’ (Hari Ulang Tahun). The shortening saw even made short stories - Cerita Pendek -  become ‘Cerpen’. If I did my Bahasa assignment correctly, my teacher would say - Mantul- meaning excellent, extracted from Mantap meaning very good and Betul, which stand for correct or right.

Nothing and nobody is left untouched in this passion and obsession for creating the short form. ‘Bapak’, equivalent to what we know as Shri or Mr. becomes ‘Pak’ and pronounced lazily as only ‘Pa’. ‘Mbak’ which stands for Miss is correctly pronounced as ‘mBA’. 

Vendors selling street food from carts are called ‘Kaki Lima,’ which means ‘Five Legs’—referring to the four wheels of the cart and the vendor who dangles a leg from the side. Coffee shops are ‘WarKop’ (Warung Kopi), and internet cafes are ‘Warnet’ (Warung Internet). The most creative branding comes from ‘WarTeg,’ which refers to a Warung established by a resident of Tegal.

When it comes to food sold in the Warongs, the contrivance is deliciously flavourful. A popular snack from Bandung is called ‘Cuanki,’ short for ‘Cari Uang Jalan Kaki’—meaning ‘making money while walking around’ (perfectly fitting for a vendor). It is actually a dim sum made of cassava and filled with fish or meat. But the name comes not from the food or the ingredients but from the vendors. Then there’s ‘Batagor’ (Bakso Tahu Goreng), fried meatballs with tofu, and ‘NasGor,’ the ever-popular Nasi Goreng, the fried rice of Indonesia. 

And don’t forget ‘Combro,’ a delightful treat made from fermented cassava filled with spicy or sweet oncom. Oncom is a soya byproduct. Now what is ‘Combro’? ‘Combro’ derives from ‘Comro’ or ‘Oncom di jero’ meaning there is oncom inside. Somehow ‘Oncom di jero’ became Comro and metamorphosed to Combro. As there are two types of Combro, one has spicy oncom filling. The second one has sweet brown sugar fillings. This ‘Combro’ is also sometimes known as ‘Misro’ or ‘Amis di Jero (Amis is sweet in Sundanese language). Then there is ‘Dicocol Enak’ or ‘Colenak’, a local delicacy made from fermented cassava that is grilled and served with a brown sugar and coconut sauce. Even the mundane Mung Bean Porridge acquires prestige by becoming ‘BurJo’ from ‘Bubur Kacang Ijo’. Here, even ‘Ijo’ has been shortened from ‘Hijau’ or ‘Hijo’ meaning green.

Even countries have not been spared in the obsession to abbreviate. Spotted this sign in Pekanbaru, Riau Province. Mie Bangladesh or Noodles Bangladesh, has nothing to do with Bangladesh. It is the short of Bung Ali Anak Desa which loosely means Brother Ali is Village Boy. How it became Bangladesh is a proof of the ingenuity of the Bung Ali or the noodle eater.

The short form of messaging doesn’t stop anywhere. Private messages are abbreviated to ‘Japri’ (Jawab Pribadi), and if you’re not into any political party, you’re ‘Golput’ (Golongan Putih). Online is ‘Daring’ (Dalam Jaringan), and offline is ‘Luring’ (Luar Jaringan). If you respond quickly then you are 'Gercep' from Gerekan (movement) and Cepat (fast). If you are always seeking attention, then you are 'Caper' deriving from Cari (seeking) and Perhatian (attention).

While this tendency to abbreviate is pervasive across generations, it’s particularly rampant among the youth. I learned this when I asked our cook, the elderly Ibu Nani, if ‘Maksi’ (short for Makan Siang, or lunch) was ready. She looked completely puzzled, until Siti, her much younger and in the know colleague, burst into laughter and explained the shorthand to her.

Emboldened, I’ve come up with my own abbreviated velvety smooth short word for dinner: ‘Makmal’— for Makan Malam. I hope it catches on and becomes my contribution to the Indonesian lexicon!

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W(T)alk in the Park

W(T)alk in the Park

I have been taking morning walks in Taman Suropati ever since I shifted to India House, the official residence of the Ambassador of India, located next to the park in Menteng area of Jakarta. Taman Suropati is named after Indonesia’s national hero, Untung Suropati (1660-1706) who led rebellions against the Dutch East India Company. The park was built in 1920 by the then-mayor of Batavia, GJ Bisschop, and used to be called Bisschopplein. India House was built in 1934 and used to be the Italian Consulate before Indonesia’s independence. It has been India House since the early 1950s.

Since June 2024, my walk in the park last about an hour. I am at the park by around 6:30 am and try to be back by around 7:30 to see off my daughter as she goes to attend classes at a Pastry Academy. 

I am a regular at the park with the fond hope that it will help control my weight. My usual companion is the Empire podcast by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand. Of their more than 200 podcasts, I have listened to almost half of them, all during the morning walk. Taman Suropati has stately mahogany trees and is well maintained adding to the pleasure of walking. However, the real reason could be my latent urge to socialize with locals. When we used to live in Delhi, every morning after dropping the kids at SanskritiSchool, I walked in either Lodi Gardens, Nehru Park or at MEA’s Chanakyapuri Complex with a cohort of friends. In Peru, I made friends walking on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Even in New York, I always teamed up with someone to walk with. During Covid, walking in the Central Park with Gautam Patwa helped preserve my sanity.

Ever since I moved to Jakarta, I have been walking alone. Listening to podcast is not the same as talking to people. Time doesn’t pass easily. Often I find myself taking a break on a bench. Either I am mindlessly scrolling on my phone or watching pointlessly at the pigeons strutting about. Then the apple watch reminds me to resume walking. There are many who walk in Taman Suropati, but there have been no conversations. There is the occasional smile or a promising half nod, but no talking. I haven’t dared to chat up with strangers either, as my Bahasa is rudimentary and I am never sure if the other person is comfortable in English. And so, I have been walking alone enjoying my own company and that of the podcasters.

A few weeks back, I met Pranab Prakash at the Jakarta Car Free day walk on Sudirman and struck up a conversation with him. His organisation, Thryve, works on habitat and forest rehabilitation, a subject close to my heart. One thing led to the other and now we are already planning a replication of an Indonesian agroforestry model in India using Sugar Palms as the main crop. Walking on Jalan Sudirman proved socially productive, but conversations have been elusive at Taman Suropati, until today.

Today, being Saturday, I decided to take it easy. I got out of bed at around 6:30 a.m. and rather than stepping out for the mandatory morning walk and then coming back for tea and reading the newspaper, I decided to reverse the order. Ibu Siti got me my morning cuppa of Darjeeling Tea and Jakarta Post. By the time I had finished the tea and glanced through the newspaper, it was almost 8 a.m. Ishani, my daughter, who is training to participate in the half-marathon in May this year, came in and asked if I was joining her in the park. All hesitation of escaping the morning walk disappeared and I quickly stepped out. She started jogging and I began walking. I was about to put on the airpods (I use the Indian brand Boat) to listen to the Empire podcast, when I thought of calling my wife, Taruna, who is in Indore at the moment. I started conversing with her in our usual tri-lingual mix of English, Hindi and Bangla. As she was still groggy, I was doing most of the talking and on the way passed an elderly gentleman. Overhearing my mix of Hindi and English, from the corner of my eye, I detected his head had half turned towards me. He appeared to be Indian but I wasn’t sure as Indians and Indonesians more often than not, look alike. I myself am often mistakenby others for being Indonesian when I don a Batik shirt. Furthermore, Indians walking on Taman Suropati are rare. So naturally I was curious. On the next round when I was overtaking the gentleman, I looked at him carefully and decided that he was indeed of Indian origin. Making up my mind, I decided to strike a conversation on my next round.

Luckily, the gentleman was taking the small inner round of the park so I was able to close in on him soon enough. This time I greeted him and wished him a good morning. He responded likewise. I asked him if he lived nearby. I proceeded with asking him more questions. Was he a regular morning walker? Yes, he usually he walks with a big group of friends. But as we are in Ramadan, most of his group members are fasting, so they do not walk in the morning. They prefer walking in the evening before breaking the fast. Only a few are taking morning walks these days but they haven’t joined him yet. I then asked him his name. He said he was Bhagwandas Naraindas but everyone called him Bhagu. Just as the conversation was beginning to flow, Bhagu asked me to go carry on, as I was a fast walker and he was slow. I wasn’t ready to give away this opportunity, so I ignored his request and adjusted my pace to keep talking.

As I found him comfortable in my presence, I ventured deeper. I asked him what he did for a living. Bhagu was in the textiles business. He imported textiles and sold them wholesale. Did he import from India? Yes, he did, mostly textiles for ladies garments. How was business these days? Slow, during Ramadan. It was brisk in the month before. Then, just as we faced India House, he asked my name and what I did. When he came to know that I was Ambassador of India, he remembered meeting me once at a public function. Bhagu had been a part of the management of the Gandhi SevaLoka, the organisation that runs Gandhi School. Quickly we reeled out names of  friends in common and Bhagu turned out to be the brother in law of Chandru Mahtani and brother of Barkha, a couple whom we have come to know well since we arrived in Jakarta.  

As we walked along, the conversation moved to the state of the economy and politics, topics which morning walkers revel in. Bhagu is well informed and as he was sharing information about the Indonesian economy, Tan Tjin Kok joined us. Bhagu introduced us and the discussion moved towards business. Tan has oil palm plantations and a forest concession. Oil palm always hits home for me as India is one of the largest importers of Crude Palm Oil from Indonesia. His plantations are in West Kalimantan and he told me that on a recent visit to Pontianak on the way to his plantation he bumped into some Indians in the airport bus. He discovered that they were running an oil palm plantation and oil extraction unit. He told me that he is impressed with the achievements of the Indian diaspora globally and we went on to discuss Kamala Harris, Leo Varadkar, Antonio Costa and Rishi Sunak.

Tan also has a forest concession in Jayapura, Papua. The company which is logging the concession wanted an extension of the contract. He told us that to make their case the manager brought along with him an Indian entrepreneur based out of Surabaya who was buying the logs and exporting to India. Both were convincing him to extend the contract. Tan was impressed when I correctly guessed if the Indian was Anwar Amlas. Anwar, based in Surabaya, is working on establishing a brand of ‘Made in Indonesia’ furniture. No wonder he wanted Tan to continue the contract.

One thing led to another. I recollected while talking with Tan, my recent meeting with R. Raghunath of the KIS Group. They are investors and providers of biogas plants and have already set up a biogas plant for Unilever in Medan. Companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint are switching to biogas. As Indonesia has huge availability of palm oil residue, KIS is optimistic about increasing its footprint in Indonesia. Tan was immediately interested. 

The conversation among the three of us proceeded effortlessly with Tan enquiring about my family. I told him about my twin daughters. Nandini, an engineer, is working with ASML in Eindhoven. Ishani who was running in the park is training to become a pastry chef. This excited Tan as his niece Lydia, is also a baker. She went to hotel management school at Cornell and is now running her own bakery. We agreed to make the two meet. On that note as other friends of Bhagu and Tan started to join the group, I sought leave and went to look for my daughter in the park.

Ishani had by then finished her run and was walking to cool down. I told her how extremely serendipitous today’s morning walk had been. I narrated to her my conversations with Bhagu and Tan and she got extremely excited to learn about Lydia and her bakery. As we both turned the corner we again bumped into Bhagu and Tan and their other friends. Now the group was bigger. We found Tan talking to Lydia on the phone. We came to know that Lydia’s brand is Elevate and she makes organic and vegan breads. Tan offered to send in a hamper, which arrived soon after we reached home. Ishani of course was delighted and promptly posted it on her Instagram story.

Bhagu also introduced us to the other friends. We met Simon and hs wife Oka, who run Sarimande, a chain of Padang Restaurants. I told him that we enjoyed Padang food and we often went to Garuda restaurant but found it difficult to find vegetarian Padang food. Simon said his restaurants in Jakarta and Bali have lots of plant based food and he even has a vegan menu. Instantly, the challenge of taking Taruna, a vegetarian, to a Padang restaurant was resolved.

I soon learnt that this group was part of a larger group of about 20 morning walkers who meet regularly. The group was created during Covid as the only place people could meet was in public parks. So people, hitherto unknown to each other, became friends. Post-Covid the groupendured and every Saturday, after the walk they have breakfast together. I quickly admitted myself into the group and now am looking forward to joining their walks after Lebaran (Eid) holidays.

A lot happened on this single walk. Now instead of walking alone every day, I have found a large network, both professional and personal, that I can join. Since the walk, I have obtained the numbers of all the three persons I met and have exchanged messages. Ishani and Lydia are making plans and Raghunath and Tan are already in contact. Simon has extended us an invite to visit his restaurant after Lebaran. There is much to follow up on, all a result of talking while walking. Strangely, I may be one of the very few looking forward to the holidays ending soon. 

P.S.: Photo immediately after the Lebaran Holidays

 

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Life After Life

 

It was through the Indian Express headlines today that I learnt about the passing away of Dr. Bibek Debroy: "Four days before he passed away, Bibek Debroy wrote his obituary: ‘There is a world outside that exists. What if I am not there? What indeed?’

I was totally unaware of his illness and as he explains in his column one did not miss him as the regular limericks and newspaper columns kept on appreaing. As I read his piece in the Indian Express, these lines - "Perhaps the Purana Project, left incomplete. Manmatha Nath Dutt was reborn, to finish the Purana work. I will be reborn. But I hope not for this."- screamed out at me. 

I can't say that I knew Dr Debroy well. I had read about his work on railway reforms and was aware of him being part of PM's Economic AdvisoryCouncil, but had never met or interacted with him. It was in 2018 when as Consul General in New York that I first interacted with him. He wrote to me about, 'Wealth of India', the monthly magazine that Manmatha Nath Dutt (1855 - 1912) used to publish between 1892 and 1908 that was solely devoted to English translation of best Sanskrit works. While working on the Purana project, Dr. Debroy discovered that large number of our ancient scriptures had already been translated into English by Dutt and published by him in the 'Wealth of India'. 

As Dr. Debroy himself states in an article in the Open Magazine - " One of India’s greatest translators was Manmatha Nath Dutt (Shastri), 1855-1912, who translated from Sanskrit to English and did much more. Chronologically,he translated Valmika Ramayana (sequentially from 1892 to 1894), Markandeya Purana (1896), Bhagavata Purana (1896), Vishnu Purana (1896), Hari Vamsha (1897), Mahanirvana Tantra (1900), Agni Purana (1903-04), Mahabharata (1895-1905), Kamandakiya Nitisara (1896), several samhitas and dharmashastra texts (1906, 1908-09), Garuda Purana (1908) and Rig Veda Samhita (1906-1912)."  

While researching Dutt, he sadly couldn't find any copies of the magazine in India. He was sure that the New York Public Library (NYPL) would have them. Could I help him in getting copies of the magazine, he asked. I was rather pleased that such an eminent person had asked me for help. Promptly I found myself in the cavernous NYPL, asking the librarian for the 'Wealth of India'. NYPL did not have physical copies, but  had microfiche of several issues of the magazine. Could I get copies of the microfiche? Yes for a small fee. I remember paying about US$ 100 or so and shipped them to Dr. Debroy in the  diplomatic bag. Soon I received a mail of gratitude. 

In June 2020, I was back in India. Within a few weeks of my arrival I got a message from Dr. Debroy asking for my mailing address. He had written a book on Manmatha Dutt, and since I had helped him getting material about him, he wanted to send me a copy. I was touched that he mentioned me in the acknowledgedments. I read the book with particular fascination, as I had never heard about Dutt  before and I was moved by his committment to his cause. Dutt was convinced about the greatness and glory of ancient India and held the view that our scriptures should be brought to the notice of the contemporary world. To me, Dutt is an unsung hero who has not got the attention or credit for his monumental works. He was a pioneer by all accounts and deserves to be part of our history as a great Indian.

We exchanged messages from time-to-time. I got around to addressing him as Dada. Sometimes I shared articles from the blog that I had started to write. On 9 March 2022, I sent him my piece on Reciprocity that had appeared in Speaking Tree of Times of India. He replied in Bangla: "কোন একদিন আসবেন। মন্মথনাথ দত্তের আসল গল্প বলবো। যা বইতে লিখি নি। " (Do come some day. I will tell you the real story of Manmatha Nath Dutt. What I have not written in the book). Piqued, I responded that I will bring along a friend. He replied, "Of course, But on Manmatha Nath Dutt, will tell you private sutff. So, for that, please come alone".  

I was curious and went alone to the Niti Aayog office to see him. As I entered, he asked me if had sufficient time in hand as he wanted to share some thing with me, which hadn't shared with many. I was now truly intrigued. I remember spending more than an hour listening with rapt attention to his tale. He also asked me not tell anyone what he was telling me as people would think that he had lost his mind. 

Today, when he is no more, and he has left behind a tantalising reference in his self written obituary, I dare to tell what he told, as a tribute to him .

Dada said, "Sandeep, I am convinced that I am Manmatha Nath Dutt reborn". I was startled and I bent forward to listen intently as Dada continued. Since he started the Purana project, any book that he picked up for translation, he discoved that it had already been translated by Manmatha Dutt. And there are many. Not only that. When he had been travelling to cities that he never been before, he discovered to his own surprise that he felt as if he knew the place already. He had never ever before been to Kurukshetra and Varanasi in this  life, yet when he went there he seemed to know both the places well and in fact in Varanasi he knew each and every gali of the famous Bangali Tola. Research by him on  Dutt revealed that his previous avatar had been to those places. Not only this, he added with exasperation that nights went by without sleep. Whenever he slept at night the entire past life of Manmatha Dutt flashed through his mind, recounting every detail of the latter's life. While, I wasn't taking notes, I remember him telling me several more coincidences of his life with that of Manmatha Dutt. I was spellbound. I felt as if I was watching Shonar Kella, the 1974 film by Satyajit Ray on the theme of after life. 

A few months later in September 2022, I met Dada once again with wife Suparna at the Vasant Vihar residence of Mr. R.K Pachnanda, former West Bengal cadre IPS officer from Haryana. I took him aside and asked  whether he still dreamt of Manmatha Dutt. He said, "no, no more. Those episodes had now passed but I am convinced  that I am Manmatha Nath Dutt reincarnate". He was happy about it and this realisation had now become part of his existence. Then he said something else, even more startling, which I will not reveal here.  

As I write this piece, I look up Dada' book on Manmatha Nath Dutt on Amazon India. The teaser rather uncannily reads:  "Who is Manmatha Nath Dutt? This Question starts haunting Bibek Debroy when he finds that name imprinted on the translations of almost all ancient texts that he too wants to translate from Sanskrit into English. While multiple translations are not uncommon, what were the chances of two translators invariably choosing the same set of texts? It was almost like Manmatha Nath Dutt had left a trail for Bibek Debroy to follow...

We will now await another Bibek Debroy to follow the trail .... 

#ManmathanathDutt #BibekDebroy #Reincarnation #WealthofIndia

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JABA- Jakarta Biryani Association

    Prapti's Kolkata Mutton Biryani in Jakarta

    

    Biryani is the single most-ordered Indian dish online, and has been labelled as the most popular dish overall in India. Perhaps its popularity has to do with how easily it can be shared in big gatherings, or the wholesomeness of the dish that provides instant satisfaction and prevents people from asking for anything else. It is a complete meal and there is hardly any need for accompaniments. No wonder a pot of Biryani is almost always welcomed with open arms (mouths). We often order it to eat at home when cooking seems too much of a chore at the end of a long day - when a warm meal is needed to warm the soul, or we serve it at weddings, hoping to please and satisfy the hordes. For impromptu parties, when you do not want to burden your spouse, Biryani is the answer. Covid and e-commerce have given Biryani sales a big boost, all for the better. For me, there is no better bonding with friends than over Biryani.

In the Covid and post-Covid era, three major Biryani home delivery companies gained prominence in Delhi, my hometown. Leading the pack was ‘Biryani Blues’, whose buy one get one offer of Biryani in earthen pots has become famous. Then there is ‘Biryani by Kilo’, which was affordable but lacked outreach. Finally, there is ‘Behrouze Biryani’ with strong social media marketing and is therefore hard to miss.  At home, we tried all the three with inclusive results on which was the best. This led to frequent debates regarding where to order from, each time a Biryani craving gripped the household.

        Layered or Unlayered 

There are essentially two styles of cooking Biryani: Pakki and Kacchi. In the Pakki style, Basmati or other scented rice and meat are cooked separately and then layered, while in the Kacchi style, raw marinated meat (chicken or goat meat) is placed at the bottom of the cooking pot and partially cooked aromatic rice is placed on top of the marinated meat. The pot is sealed and the meat and rice slow-cooked in its own steam through a process called ‘dum’. There is also an intermediate method where partially cooked meat and rice are then layered in a pot and cooked in dum style. Both styles cook the rice and the meat slowly in pots with dough sealing the lid which ensures that all the flavours are sealed in.

The Great Biryani Traditions 

At the risk of hurting regional feelings, I proclaim that there are three great Biryani traditions in India – i) Lucknow or Awadhi Biryani; ii) Hyderabadi Biryani; and iii) Kolkata Biryani (with its addition of potato pieces). In reality the Kolkata Biryani is an offshoot of the Awadhi tradition. The Kacchi Biryani of Dhaka is a continuation of the Kolkata tradition, perfected to a fine art by the Dhaka chefs. It has been helped by the establishment of the custom of only serving Kacchi Biryani at weddings. This has provided great patronage to the Bangladeshi chefs.

Lucknow and Hyderabad have such strong Biryani traditions perhaps due to the historical ties of the two cities with Persia. According to the historian Lizzie Collingham, the modern Biryani developed in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire (1526–1857) and is a mix of the Indian spicy rice dishes and the Persian pilaf. Some say that it was the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb who took Biryani to South India and it was adopted and perfected by the Nizams of Hyderabad. Others discount the Mughal theory and state that cooking meat with rice predates the Mughals in India. Whatever may be the provenance, the name is Biryani, which derives from the Biriyan, the Persian word for fried or grilled.

Before I invite opprobrium, I hasten to add that there are other Biryani traditions as well. I particularly like Biryani in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Crowd sourced information reveals several Biryani traditions. Author  Pranay Lal mentions delicious Amber, Dindigul, Chettinad, Rawther, North Arcot Biryanis traditions of Tamil Nadu. Dindigul Thalapakatti Biryani is getting famous in Tamil Nadu. Then we have Alleppey, Calicut, Thalassery and Sutain Batheri Biryanis from Kerala. Even Bengal has more than just the Kolkata and Dhaka Biryani- there is Bhatkali and Cossimpur Biryani too. Even in Indonesia there is Nasi Biryani, which very frankly does not compete favourably with Nasi Goreng, the flagship and delicious national rice dish of the country.

Brand Biryani

The above, notwithstanding, it is fair to make the point that the three specific cities I mention have been able to brand their Biryani well. They have succeeded in converting Biryani from a dish into a cuisine. Furthermore, people from these cities are very passionate about their Biryani. Even before the social media and mobile phone revolution, we are aware of people, including myself, going to the Paradise restaurant in Hyderabad and getting Biryani packed before catching a train or a plane. Mutton Biryani from Cafe Bahar in Hyderguda and Chicken Biryani from Shah Ghouse in Towlichoki, Hyderabad are renowned.

Just as the name Paradise has got attached to Hyderabadi Biryani, Shiraz and Arsalan as synonymous with Kolkata Biryani, and Idris and Lala of Lucknow Chowk to the Lucknow’s tradition. Kolkattans even squabble about which is the best between Shiraz and Arsalan. Others say that Rahmania and Zeeshan are the original and many lament the decline of Aminia. We are not aware of similar branding of other cities with their Biryanis. 

A question about famous Biryani joints in Lucknow in my business school alumni whatsapp group elicited a variety of passionate and prompt responses. All confirmed that Idris and Lala at Chowk were the most authentic places. For Lalle or Lala Biryani, the advice is to be there by 5:30 p.m., as he has only 2 handis. Many cautioned that the wait at Idris can be at least an hour. Mubeen at Chowk, though more well known for its Nihari Kulcha also serves good Biryani. Zeeshan, next to Tulsi, and close to Lucknow DM’s house, also serves decent Biryani. Then there is Wahid at Aminabad. Dastarkhwan’s Biryani is also very good and they have an outlet at the airport as well. In addition there are many other nameless Biryani vendors at Chowk and in the neighbouring Nakkhass locality who dish  out authentic Awadhi Biryani.

What is Biryani? 

Before moving forward, let me also put another debate to rest. When I speak of Biryani I mean meat (either mutton/goat meat or chicken) cooked with rice exclusively. Rice cooked with vegetables is not Biryani but pulao or tahri. These days however, Kathal (jackfruit) Biryani is getting popular, as the texture of unripe jackfruit mimics meat. Some Biryani die-hards claim Biryani is only made with goat meat and there is no such thing as chicken Biryani. I stand for both mutton and chicken Biryani. Biryani puritans also claim that rice and meat cooked separately and then put together is not Biryani, and that only Kacchi Biryani is Biryani but I am not such a Biryani fundamentalist. Although, they may have a point, cooking meat and rice together and giving the ‘dum’ is quite an art which only a few can perfect, the Pakki style should also pass muster. To me, the only unacceptable Biryani is what some call vegetable Biryani. Once of course I tried egg Biryani to please my eggetarian wife using a combination of boiled, omelette and scrambled egg. The appreciation received was not commensurate with the effort made. I have not dared to repeat it.

Now, the distinguishing features of the three great Biryani traditions. A survey of literature doesn’t produce much difference between the three traditions because all use spices, condiments, aromatic rice and marinated meat in varied combinations. In the sub-continent there are many varieties of aromatic rice. Apart from Basmati, Gobindobhog is used in Bengal, Chitti Mutyalu in Andhra/Telangana and Kaima in Kerala. Sona Masuri is also widely used in South India. In Bangladesh Chinigura and Kalajeera varieties are used in Biryani.

The Hyderabadi Biryani is the spiciest of the three and is mostly made with chicken or goat meat and cooked mostly in the Kacchi style. It is almost always served with ‘Mirchi ka Salan’ (a gravy made of groundnut, sesame seeds, coconut and green chillies). We can also detect the ubiquitous karri patta in the Biryani. The Lucknow or Awadhi Biryani is made with goat meat in the dum style, which is a mix of the Pakki and Kacchi style. Here the marinated meat and rice are partially cooked separately and then layered in a pot and then cooked in the dum pukht way over a slow flame. Rose water, saffron and kewra are used for the aroma but there are no eggs or potatoes. It is usually served with a spicy curry called ‘tari’ and ‘raita’.

The Kolkata Biryani traces its roots to the cooks (khansamas) of the exiled Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah. After the British took over Awadh in 1857, Shah was exiled to the then Calcutta and was permitted to take his retinue of servants and cooks. They settled in the area which is known as Metiabruz. There they made Awadhi Biryani and fed the exiled Nawab. But the pension the British paid him was not sufficient royal so not enough meat could be added to the rice. So the Nawab’s cooks innovated and began to add potatoes and eggs to the Biryani. So in addition to rice and meat, the now new tradition of Biryani emerging from Kolkata had eggs and potatoes. As Bengalis love to eat eggs and potatoes, they welcome the innovation with gusto and they have attached pride to what actually was a poor man’s Awadhi Biryani. Kolkata Biryani is a meal in itself and I have not seen being served with any accompaniments. The Oudh 1590 chain of restaurants in Kolkata, run by my friend Shiladitya Chowdhury, celebrates this Awadhi connection. 

Craving for Biryani At Jakarta 

Now going back to the domestic squabble in Delhi regarding which Biryani to order? My daughters and wife have always preferred the super spicy Chicken 65 Hyderabadi Biryani and its supposedly vegetarian variant the Paneer 65 Hyderabadi Biryani. I never had the stomach for the super spicy Hyderabadi, so I always preferred the milder and fragrant Kolkata variety from ‘Biryani by Kilo’. What I like about the Kolkata Biryani is not just absence of the heat of chillies but at the same time the presence of flavours from Jaiphal (nutmeg) and Javithri (mace)- see the Indonesia connection.

After being in Indonesia for a few months, one day in December 2023, I was suddenly seized by a strong craving for the Kolkata Biryani. It was a very specific craving - only Kolkata Biryani. I could sense the aroma of nutmeg and mace wafting through my nose, and turning me dizzy, without the physical presence of the Biryani. The best word to describe this feeling is the Urdu word – ‘talab’. It was irresistible, yet unavailable, as far as I knew, in Jakarta.

I can cook Biryani but more the Hyderabadi type and that too by layering the rice and the meat but I had never tried the Kolkata Biryani. Taruna, my wife, makes decent Biryani, but she was away in India. Loneliness and craving for food is a dangerous combination. 

Finally, as the craving did not dissipate but aggravated, I decided to make it. So, I posted an innocent query in the Jakarta Bengali Association (JABA) Whatsapp, asking if anyone had an easy Kolkata Biryani recipe.

Arindam was the first to see my message. He has been here long enough to know who the best Biryani cooks are. He immediately contacted Joyita and Prapti. To their credit both promptly got in touch with me saying that they run home food delivery services and they do make Kolkata Biryani. Relief! As I was contemplating whom to order from, Kaushik immediately in his very friendly style zapped in a recipe which he has perfected through the process of trial and error. Before I finished reading Kaushik’s recipe, Srilekha sent me her easy to cook chicken Biryani recipe. From zero biryani prospects to four within minutes! I was overwhelmed.

As there was the home delivery option available, I thought to keep Kaushik and Srilekha's recipe for later and ordered from Prapti. She not only sent large amounts of Kolkata Biryani but also macher (fish) chop (cutlet) and mochar (banana flower) chop (cutlet). I am yet to figure out why Bengalis call cutlets- chop? Prapti’s Biryani lasted for some days as I was cautious enough to deep freeze the surplus. It lasted enough to satisfy my talab.

     Bonding Over Biryani   

   The response of the community filled not only my stomach but also my heart. I write this piece as a tribute to community feeling and camaraderie in Jakarta. For the Kolkata Biryani buffs, I share here the two recipes that I got through the JABA group. In Jawa, we may now as well have yet another JABA - Jakarta Biryani Association - to bring together all the great Indian Biryani traditions. Jakarta Biryani Ki Jai Ho.

  

Kolkata Chicken Biryani by Srilekha Biswas

Take 50 ml milk, soak a few strands of saffron in it, cover and keep it aside. In the pressure cooker, put 1 tablespoon ghee and fry the onion slices (for making birista)… make it golden brown and set it aside. In the same ghee, ( you can add more ghee if you need) let very little birista to be there, add whole garam masala (green cardamom, cloves cinnamon stick), add chopped ginger and garlic, fry it for 2-3 minutes and add Chicken Biryani masala ( 1-2 teaspoon), half teaspoon coriander powder, salt and cook for 2 mins (add very little water if required so that the masala doesn’t burn), then add chicken with bone, big cut potatoes and salt and cook in high heat for 5-7 mins, add half teaspoon crushed garam masala, very little bit of water (because the chicken will release water) … pressure cook for 4 whistles on high heat, let it release on its own ( before closing the lid, please check the taste of salt in the water, if you feel it is less, add more because the rice will absorb salt). Soak the basmati rice in water after washing (only for 15 minutes). Tip: soak it after the last whistle. Let the pressure cooker release steam on its own, put it on high heat, stir it for 5 minutes, so that not much gravy is in there. Next add the basmati rice in it, add 1 tablespoon ghee, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon saffron milk, 1 tablespoon rose water, 1 tablespoon kewra water, garam masala half teaspoon, add water (measurement: for rice 1 cup, add water 1.5 cup) …..pressure cook on high heat (2 whistles ), and then let the pressure release on its own. When the pressure releases, open and add the birista, and then you have the easiest and the yummiest food of Kolkata. Pro tip: garam masala tastes better if green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves are blended together : ratio is 2:2:1, store bought garama masalas aren’t tasty)

Kolkata Mutton Biryani by Kaushik Ghosh

Marinate 1 kg of mutton (goat meat) with yoghurt, ginger garlic paste for 1 hour. Fry 500 grams of finely chopped onions till light brown. Set aside half as birista. Cook the mutton in the onions along with gota gorom masala (sabut garam masala), javithri (mace), jaiphal (nutmeg), shahi jeera and a bit of Biryani masala. Separately fry potato with turmeric and add to mutton when it is 75% cooked . Make rice with gota gorom masala, ghee and cook till 70%. Now is the layering:  meat, rice, birista, ghee, Biryani masala.  Top up with some saffron milk and a generous amount of kewra water. Put it on dum for 15-20 mins. Let it rest after that for 20 mins. And voila! It’s ready to be eaten.

 #Biryani    #Jakarta    #KolkataBiryani 

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