Dadi had started dictating her list of items to be bought for Holi since last evening. “Who can match the flavour of mouth-watering dahi vadas and crispy golden gujhiyas prepared by Dadi?” said Garima excitedly. mom smiled in agreement.
Dadi generously offered her advice, “It is not too difficult learn if you have some patience”
Garima giggled, “But who can challenge your skills, my sweet dadi?” and ran off, twirling her braids.
Dadi turned her attention to mom, “You must get everything by evening from the market or else some item might not be available.”
“Don’t worry. Today, everything from salt to sugar can be ordered online and it will be delivered at our doorstep,” mom assured her.
“But why online when the kirana shop is just around the corner?” Dadi retorted.
“Oh ho, dadi, what is the need to go to the kirana shop when we can get the stuff at our doorstep tomorrow?” said Sarvang, coming out of his room.
Dadi tried to reason with him, “But the kirana shop is hardly 100 metres away.”
“Oh dadi! You are so outdated. This is age of online shopping.” Sarvang laughed and ran off with his cricket bat.
“We walked kilometres to fetch whatever was required at home when we were young. We never cared about whether goods would be delivered at our doorstep or not.” Dadi was annoyed but there was no one to hear her.
A waiting game
In the evening, Dadi asked, “I hope all the ingredients required for dahi vada and gujhiyas have been ordered.”
Young Mihir replied, “Yes, mom ordered everything online the moment you gave her the list.”
Dadi quietly said, “Gokul from the kirana shop is so considerate. He brings our order even when it’s raining. He could also have earned something if we had ordered from his shop.”
“Dadi, our order has been placed online; rest assured.” Sarvang smiled confidently.
The next morning, dadi was eager to know the status of the order. So Mihir checked and confirmed, “Dispatched and expected tomorrow”. Now dadi was left with no other option but to wait. The next day, she was informed that the status of the order was “Out for Delivery” but nothing arrived that day.
On the third day, dadi was restless and could not hide her displeasure, “Two more days for Holi and your online order is yet to arrive. How can we prepare the gujhiyas if all the ingredients are not available in time?”
Everyone was eagerly waiting for the delivery, except dadi who murmured again, “If I had had my way, I would have bought the goods from Gokul’s shop”.
Suddenly the door bell rang and everyone rushed to the door. A smart delivery boy greeted mom and handed over the carton. mom heaved an ecstatic sigh of relief.
Dadi was still annoyed, “I don’t like these last-minute preparations. We used to prepare gujhiyas at least two days in advance.”
“I will soak the dal for the vadas and help you with the gujhiyas tomorrow. Let us relax now since the ingredients have arrived,” mom tried to soothe dadi’s feelings.
Something amiss
The next morning when mom unpacked the carton, she looked worried. “I cannot find the khoya .” She called the helpline of the online service but the executive only offered polite apologies for the mistake.
Dadi asked Sarvang to call Gokul’s kirana shop. He came back with the reply that all the khoya had been sold. mom was disappointed when she noticed dadi’s dejected face but nothing could be done at this hour.
Suddenly the doorbell chimed and the sound rang through the silent house.
To everyone’s surprise, Gokul stood there holding a box. “I had kept some khoya for my home; I brought half of it for you. If no gujhiyas are prepared at your home, how can we enjoy ours?” he said, as he gave the box to dadi.
