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Binu Sivan's avatar

“The investigation was successful because by the end, the mystery was not solved, but kept alive.” What a fabulous teacher you are !🤗🤗🤗. Didn’t know about the heatstroke nuska. One lives and learns 😊. An 🧅 for you 🤗

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Binu!! You found the onion emoji and your comment made me dance. 💓

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Binu Sivan's avatar

I searched for the onion 😂. Had to give you one, and now one more - 🧅💗💗❤️

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Raju Tai's avatar

Yay Thank you 🌸🧅 I will chop them for lunch ♥️

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nazmo wala's avatar

You are such a genius teacher/writer/observer. I often jealous with your students, I compare all my teachers with you. Tumhari aankhein jahan poetry dekh par rahi hai, wo dekhna rare hai. Humse apna dekhna share karne ke liye, bahot shukriya Raju.

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

Can we please start a petition to get Raju Tai to teach us how to have a lovely affair with metaphors?!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Sanobar, I am preparing for this.... 💓

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

Bass, I'm waiting in line to book a place :))

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, dearest nazmo wala. Can't wait to eat white onions with you. And to admire other ordinary pleasures of life.

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Mukta Naik's avatar

I now want to taste them, smash them and tie them on my head with a scarf. FOMO ho Gaya!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Will bring them for you if we meet some day ❤️🤍

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Sarah Teresa Cook's avatar

I love everything about this so much.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Sarah! Felt like a butterfly being read by you. 💓

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Neena Verma's avatar

You make the mundane feel so important & loveble. You inspire me to write an ode to baingan ka bhartta

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Neena. I NEED to read anything you write on Baingan ka Bharta... 💓

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Shinjini's avatar

I didn’t know that carrying an onion with you could prevent heat stroke! And seeing that string of white onions reminds me that I haven’t really noticed them selling in Delhi.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Yes, Shinjini! Nature is marvellous... I'm so happy to be read by you... I am looking forward to dive into your archive too. 💓

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ulhas vairagkar's avatar

Aah! Unfortunately, one cannot easily get white onions in Delhi! For first 30-0dd years in my life, smashing an onion on the floor to eat with Bhakari and chatani was such a simple and pure joy! Nostalgia! My mouth is watering!! Albeit, my wife from Ahmedabad could never understand it!

Thank you.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Ah what a visual, Ulhas! Bhakri, chatni, and white onion. 💓 Thank you.

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Krisha Gohil's avatar

The onomatopoeia made this essay so rich. It was so Saturday to read eventho I hate onions, you almost changed my mind haha.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Ah! Thank you Krisha, that is so so kind. I didn't notice the onomatopoeia. 💓 I've hated onions for many years before liking them so I hear you.. 💓

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Krisha Gohil's avatar

Satisfying*

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Mumbai || Paused's avatar

Always fascinated by the white onions sometimes seen hanging in Mumbai, never knew the origin of this practice!

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Swagata Yadavar's avatar

So much love and beauty here. Let me try an ode too this week!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Yesss Please! And please share with me 💘 Thank you

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Priyanka Bhadani's avatar

Your ode is fabulous, Raju. I was also taken back to the time of reading Neruda’s ode to a sandwich in college. It was so much fun, but your class seems twice funner. “You are the nearest sun I have seen.” 🤍🤍

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Priyanka! Reading the sandwich ode ASAP. 🌹🌹

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Shalini Puri's avatar

What a magical ode Raju! And you have educated and enriched us on the wonders of the white onion, as also inspired us to write odes of the many seemingly ordinary but actually extraordinary things that surround us everyday.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Dear Shalini, thank you so much. 🌹💓

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Tanya Shakil's avatar

My father grew up in Katol and Nagpur and he told me carrying an onion in their pockets against the ‘looh’ was one of the measures they took :).

Loved this beautiful, evocative piece Raju.

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Raju Tai's avatar

This is such a coool fact, Tanya. I am so glad to find this unexpected connection. 💓💓

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Sai Raje's avatar

Delicious essay. I LOVE white onions, your ode brought back happy memories of family holidays in dusty Konkan villages where we’d always buy a braid or two of white onions on the way home!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Sai... So glad to find a white onion lover... Konkan food is epic!

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Nikita Deshpande's avatar

This is ABSOLUTELY stunning, Raju. You brought alive the ritual of kanda thechun khaane!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Nikita... Mast stunning kaam karneka hai life mein... when there are such stunning and uplifting friends.. 💓💓

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