Saturday 25 April 2009

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

“Cooking it up”

Durban, South Africa

They were smoke signals – signals of devotion. Outside my room I could hear laughter, wood crackling in fire. It was early morning – 3am. I peered out of my window and noticed the blotches of light set against the darkness. I was curious so I made my way outside to get closer. There were 108 lit fires each cooking generous amounts of breyani, the local’s favourite food. Today’s batch of breyani would feed 25 000 people or more, satisfying the palate with this combination of patra rice, sugar beans and a mixture of vegetables. Later this is to be followed with a tasty split-pea dhall.

The dozens of cooks and assistants look forward to the yearly Chariot Festival and the labour of love behind it. I spoke with the cooks and the people feeding wood into the happy fires, heating each 75–litre pot. They all smelled smoky and so did I. While we are on the topic of cooking in devotion a fierce devotional cooking demo competition took place at the outdoor stage between two seasoned monks, Bhakti Caitanya Swami and Bhakti Brnga Govinda Swami bedazzled a huge crowd with their expertise in culinary skills, talking up a mouth-wateringly good rap food that is vegetarian and then offered to Krishna.

According to the organizers, the biggest draw as usual on site is the drama. “The Eight Boy” pulled in a full house 2000 capacity and even got my good friend, Vaiyasaki, a fellow Canadian and chanting leader, excited, “Put it on Broadway – as is.” He was serious.At the Festival, each year there is lots to see and do. There are lots to see and do. At every stall or stage at North Beach, someone is cooking up a storm.

2 Km

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