I was having my dinner in the mess tonight, menu being rice and rajma (the local laws in Uttar Pradesh probably make it compulsory to serve rajma thrice a week), and gulabjamuns, when a senior walks up with a jar in his hand.

"Anyone here eats fish?" he asks. I am stumped, unable to believe my ears and manage to just blurt out a "WHAT??".

"Fish yaar, I just came from home and have this fish pickle with me. You want it?"

My reaction was similar to what popeye's reaction will be if someone offers him spinach after three months of spinach-less existence. I grabbed the jar, thinking about how much pickle I could take without seeming unpolitely greedy. I took a few spoonfulls and thanked him profusely for the favour.

Fish in dinner!!! My fish-daata was a Bengali and was a bit surprised to learn that there are subcastes among Maharashtrians who are just as crazy for fish. I thanked him a billion times more and told him he can have upto 60% of my kingdom (Mads, are you gonna talk about the way in which i choose percentages again?).

As Satyen would say - "Joi Bongla"!