TURA: Culinary indulgences have always been a part of A’chik festivities and this time around it is no different.
Along with the sculptured walls and the manicured gardens by the waysides, the ABDK Soba has also witnessed the mushrooming of small food stalls by the roadsides to cater to the gourmet and the hungry alike.
From small snackies to your usual delectable ‘ mi aro bijak’ (rice and local curry) all form part of the menu. And while the famished are delighted, the stall owners are only too happy to serve.
Be it the famed and much sought after Do’o Kalai, a traditional item of local chicken cooked with black lentils, the chilly laden ‘wak kappa’ made with a dash of ‘karchi’ an alkaline product derived from the burnt ashes of banana tree, or the hot and tempting ‘nakam bitchi’ or dried fish prepared with ginger and chillies; name it and you have it at numerous food stalls set up all along the route to the venue of the ABDK Soba taking place in Tura.
Sunday is expected to be the grand finale of the Soba where record number of people will gather to listen to the teachings of the Gospel by preacher and reverend Dr. Christian Abraham Benjamin.
“We are expecting a lot of hungry people after the church service gets over on Sunday. The biggest number of devotees will be from the Salgro region (Northern Garo Hills) which is the birthplace of Christianity and they will expect the traditional dishes on the menu. That is why our menu is on the Salgro delicacies of ‘Do’o Bangsi’ (locally called as Kalai Do’o) and ‘Geda Pura’ (pork cooked with the inner middle part of the banana trunk),” said A K Sangma, one many enthusiastic stall owners hosting traditional food in the Holy Cross-Walbakgre junction.
Many have roped in experts in traditional cooking from the villages to prepare the meals during the Soba.
Traditional items are not the only items on sale, Chinese food also happens to be much in demand among the public who have been thronging the Soba venue in their thousands since the last four days. Some stall owners have come up with innovative ideas to draw the maximum crowds, like one stall owner displaying in bold letters about sale of ‘Darjeeling’ momos or dumplings.
“Whatever the menu may be, customers will welcome the food. But we must not run for profit and instead ensure we provide the service to the hungry. That is the beauty of our Christian values,” said a retired government employee running a food stall near the venue of the ABDK Soba.