My Tryst with Vegetarianism

And now Ladies and Gentlemen - for the good news. I have become vegetarian. Yes , you heard it ( rather , read it ) right the first time. No more meat , eggs or fish for me. ( Unlike some people I know who consider egg to belong to the veggie class, heh heh , you know who I am talking about ). No Sir, no half measures for me, me going the whole hog ( Aiyyo, that word had me drooling over visions of steaming hot pork fry ).

And before the smart asses among you snigger about Hare Rama Hare Krishna or new found love for my fellow Earthlings or road to salvation etc, let me tell you it was nothing romantic like that. Iam on a course of Ayurvedic medicines. And any fool will tell you ( I didnt know BTW ) that ayurvedic medicines and non-veg food are a strict no-no. The price one pays for ignorance. Now I find myself cut off from nonveg for one month.

Now in my house, my mother is the menu decider. So it seemed only correct that I inform her of this momentous decision.

The conversation went something like this
Me : Mother , Iam taking ayurvedic medicines for a month, so only veg food for me during that period.
Mother : What a pity. We are having chicken curry tonight.
Me : Ohhhhhhh.
Mother : Dont you worry. I will prepare some nice rasam for you
Me: No no. Dont go to all that trouble. Anyway, better not to take such decisions after sundown. I will start my medicines course from tomorrow.

Next day , there was no other option than to bid goodbye to the chicken legs, the mutton chops , the fish fries , the chilly beefs ( Control Sachin control , you are drooling again ) etc etc. And that as they say, was that.

Whats the big deal , you ask? I will tell you what the big deal is. I have now been on this diet for two whole days ( no less ) and its truly seemed an age. And its even more tortuous when I watch my friends digging into the chicken kabab and chilly chicken and me staring down on my plate desperately trying to protect my eyes from this nauseating vision ( wondering all the while how the hell do I keep the crunching sound out of my ears), and what do I find on my plate? - a couple of drumsticks and some potatoes looking up at me trying to look their comforting best.

Come to think of it, this torture doesnt have to last one whole month. Just increase the arishtam intake from three spoons to five and the kashayam from two to four. Dont think kashayam ( yuck!!) will cooperate though :(.

p.s : I have been reliably informed by two experts that the consumption of alcoholic drinks and ayurvedic medicines is mutually compatible. Only issue is that the area of expertise of these experts is drinking. Any independent confirmation will earn the undying gratitude of a thirsty throat.