6. Doodh Goli

While I often speak of the sights and sounds, I also vividly recall the flavours of home. Naturally, my mother’s cooking stands out along with the fruits and berries from the farm. But beyond these, I cherish the simple pleasure of running errands to the grocery store. It was a delight to receive the extra change of 4 Annas—a quarter of a rupee—that could buy four doodh golis, also known as milk candy. Whoever claimed that money can’t buy happiness clearly never visited Sonavne kaka’s grocery store. (And by “kaka,” I mean uncle in Marathi, not Dutch.) Oh, and for clarification, “Bhang” refers to cannabis.

Four for four aanas
seemed like a good deal
even then.

Now
the doodh goli has been replaced
by packets of Gems
and whatnot.

If you google it,
you’ll find images of milk duds,
and Bengali desserts,
even recipes for bhang
for some odd reason.
But not
the sweet – orange –
almost perfect spheres
of lacteal bliss
that Sonavne Kaka sold
in his grocery store.

When I think now
of those tall glass jars,
filled to the brim
with sticky treats of primal pleasure,
sold loose,
not in plastic wrappers,
a little part of me – dies,
knowing that they don’t exist anymore.

At least,
not in Sonavane Kaka’s
grocery store.