Why eat Idli-Vada when you love Vada more than Idli?

“Don’t love me when you hate me!” Yet another day of Idli whispering to itself.

“Everyone loves vada more than Idli” what Idli believes, “and eat Idli only when there’s no vada. Or with circumstances; Idli is their backup.”

These are Idli’s thoughts. Idli that belongs to a shop by the name: “Nice Local South Indian.”

This Idli doesn’t know there are people who like Idli without vada. This Idli is not aware there are people who like Idli with Vada. This Idli is ignorant. This Idli is a little low with its self-esteem. Like a teenager with a cycle looking at their classmate coming to school with his father dropping by a gray shining mercedez. This Idli is a frog in a small pond.

Until that day when it heard of two friends talking. About the euphoria of Idli-Vada mix.

“Why eat Idli-Vada when you love Vada more than Idli?” shrugged a friend.

“While that’s true I love Vada more than Idli and could always order one full vada plate as you do, but there’s a reason I choose Idli-Vada mix.

It’s Idli that makes vada a vada.

What is Idli?

Idli is that Friday and Saturday school tests which get your nerves.

Idli is that school day full of social studies and science lectures with a PT period at last.

Idli is that cricket match you play and get exhausted and burnt out.

Idli is that deadline day to submit your college’s assignment.

Idli is that 10 km trek route up to a sunset point hill.

Idli is that 2 minutes of running before jumping for paragliding.

Idli is that ‘your amazon order will arrive in 3 days’ notification.

Idli is that tyre puncture where you’re pushing your vehicle to the garage.

Idli is that comedian’s open mic where no-one is laughing at their most jokes.

Idli is that train or a flight where people are returning to their hometown for Diwali.

What is Vada?

Vada is that sleepy sunday after your regular tests are finished.

Vada is that PT period coming at last, you’re playing with your friends till your last breath.

Vada is that sip you take after 2 hours of cricket match.

Vada is that assignment where your professor finally approves at the end.

Vada is that sunset view you happen to see after trekking for 10 kms.

Vada is that magical view after jumping for paragliding as if you’re playing GTA in real life.

Vada is that order you finally receive after 3–4 days.

Vada is that puncture getting fixed after sweating for hours.

Vada is that comedian’s show where they just began receiving more laughs than before.

Vada is that family-meets which happen occasionally for people living outside.

Vada tastes better when I take a bite of Idli, and then vada, rather than only taking a bite of vada.

It is Idli that makes vada a vada.” the other friend explained while having last bite of vada.