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Thursday, December 23, 2010

THE ONION STORY


As most of us struggle with the last bit of our penny and patiently wait for the New Year which is round the corner; we are also counting days when we would get our salary.

Personally, the news of the onion’s price did not affect me much more than a story idea. Reason: I do not have to worry about buying it because I live with my parents and they take care of it. But then today I went around talking to shopkeepers and buyers for my story (with our intern Yeshey) and realized how much difference it makes.

We stopped at few vegetable vendors and spoke to them. The story they pondered on to us were so very realistic and so true. Although we live in a small society and pursue the modals of Gross National Happiness, an inflation incident thousands of miles away from our land, impacts lives of hundreds back home.

I never realized that if the price of the onion goes up, the cost of momos would go up. This I realized after I stood to pay at one of my favorite eatery (Zombala). One among the similar looking girl told me that they raised the price to Nu 40(from 35) owing the onion price.

Ahhhh…why didn’t I even think about it? See, it directly or indirectly affects me.

The other day, we had guests for dinner and then I was narrating them about the hike and my uncle (a jolly old man) said, “Do not offer me raw onions with food then,” while my mother continued, “No worries” and dad added, “Last week I bought it for Nu 45 a Kilo, If I had known I would have bought more.”

And I felt it doesn’t affect me!!!

With the hike, I came across many interesting lines from people whose living depended on the tear shedding delicacy. Almost all curries mom cooks would be tasteless without it.

Interesting comments: “The inflation is good enough to bring down a government in India.”

" I finished the last onion in the house yesterday and now I will have to survive without onions for weeks coz they are suddenly too damn expensive!"- Mahim



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