Halwai ki Dukaan aur Makkhi

Halwai Ki Dukaan-ein (Sweetmeat Shop's) are an integral part of our lives in the Indian Subcontinent. We love sweets and we do a fabulous job in preparing them. The people who do this beautiful task of creating delicacies like the Barfi's, Jalebi's, Laddoo's, e.t.c. are called Halwai's in Indian Lingo. Shops which dish out these beautiful creations, which make our lives sweet, also serve snacks and starters like the Samosa's, Bread Pakora's, Kutchories, e.t.c. These items sell like hot cakes too as they are very much loved by the Indian taste buds.

BUT, this article is not about the beautiful items present in the Halwai Ki Dukaan, this item is not about how the Halwai prepares these delicacies. This article is all about the ancient and time tested relationship between the 'halwai ki dukaan and makkhiyaan' (to put it in refined english - about the hygiene standards, or the lack of it, in a sweet meat shop) ! 

Since the time when Halwai ki dukanein came up in the Indian subcontinent the Makkhiyaan have made it their bastion. Go to any part of India, mind you India is a huge country, wherever you spot a halwai ki dukaan you will spot swarms of makkhi's around.

This is a time tested relationship, in comparison to which the relationships between 'Indian Police and Bribes-Taking', 'Manmaohan Singh and Silence', 'UPA Government and Scams', 'Modi and Attitude' are nothing ! As a halwai would say 'Yeh sab toh abhi aaye hain, matbal police aur rishvat ko chhorh ke, unka rishta bhi kafi purana hain, lekin phir bhi humari dukaan aur makkhiyon ke rishtey se zyada purana nahi !'

Let me share some excerpts of a conversation I had with the Halwai next door -
Me - Aur balwan bhai kaise ho ?
Balwan Halwai - Sab badiya hain bhai ! Aur bataiye kyaa lengein ?
Me - Samosey toh kafi acchey lag rahey hain lekin itni makkhiyan kyun baithi hui hain inke upar ?
Balwan Halwai - Arey inka toh sasuraal hain yeh ! Jab marzi aayein jaayein !
Me - Matlab ? Inse germs phailta hain ?

Balwan Halwai - Arey bhai, yeh sab to jaan pehchaan ki makkhiyan hain, inka toh roz ka aana jana laga rehta hain, aap fikar na karein ! Kuch hua toh yeh yahi pe milengi aake bathiya lena !
Me- Arey samosey aur kutchoriyon ke upar koi kapda daal ke rakha karo !
Balwan Halwai - Accha bhaiya yeh lo (Saying this he starts looking for a cloth, finds a dirty rag which had fallen on the floor and flings it over the food items), Ab khush !
Me - (Tongue - Tied at what he just saw)
Balwan Halwai - Arey ab kyaa hua bhai ? Oh, kapdey ke andar makkhiyan phas gayi hongi yehi soch rahey ho na ! Usey bhi hata deta hun (Saying this he lift's the dirty rag and shoo's away the flies with his hand, revealing his grime filled fingernails)
Me - Sahi kaha aapney ! Yeh inka sasuraal hi hain !
Balwan Halwai - Bilkul ! Aur dekhiye na, jab tak kisi dukaan mein makkhiyan nahi hoti ho tab tak log jaatey hi nahi us dukaan mein, sochtey hain uski dukaan khaali hain, ya phir uske samoson mein tashte nahi hain ! Makkhiyan toh aam janta ka Phood Tashter hain, mano ya na mano !
Me- Matlab jo khana makhiyon ko nahi pasand woh logon ko bhi nahi pasand
Balwan Halwai - Bilkul! ab aap samajh rahey hain humaari baat. Arey vishva mein kahi bhi chalein jao, halwai ka dukaan aur usmey bharti makkhi ka drishya jab bhi aapke saamney aayega aapko bharat ki yaad dilayega (chuckles)
Me - Chalo yaar, chaar samosey hi baandh do
Balwan Halwai - Abhi lo !
Me - Lekin in par makkhiyaan baithi hain unka kyaa ? Ek baar garam tel mein fry kar ke de do ?!

Balwan Halwai - Humra maachis nahi mil raha ! Lekin aap fiqar mat karo, main chaat masala daal deta hun ! Aur agar koi dikkat hui toh yeh bagal mein chemist ki dukaan hai, mera dur ka rishtedaar hain ! Usse pudin hara le lena !
Me - Accha Bhai ! Phir Miltey hain.......