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Punjabi fare makes way for fast food in Amritsar
by Ravinder Singh Robin

          Amritsar: Bazar Bharpunjain, in Amritar, known for its traditional culinary delights, is going modern. Burger, patties, hot-dogs and sandwiches have become more popular than traditional snacks like roasted channa, roasted channa dal, sweet murmura, chana namkeen, and spicy peanuts. For the nearly two dozens manufacturers of Bazar Bharpunjain in Qila Bangia here, work starts at dawn. Traditional snacks are sold seasonally. The manufacturers, however, blame the introduction of fast food for their losses. They are also disappointed with their children’s lack of desire to inherit the family business. Madan Mohan, a manufacturer of roasted traditional food, has been in this business since his childhood. “Even if our items contain more nutrition than fast food, the youngsters don’t like eating traditional food. Where have those people gone...where has the time gone? Everything just seems to be passing by lightening speed nowadays.” “The roasted groundnut used to be in high demand during winter, whereas sweet phulian was used as an offering to God in temples. Roasted channa was in great demand during the summer,” adds Bhole Shah, another manufacturer. “A few years back, we used to sell three to four quintals of roasted channa daily, but now, sales have come down to 50 kilograms a day. Today’s children prefer spending Rupees 30 on a plate of noodles, but would not buy a nutritious roasted channa which comes for just rupees five,” adds Shah.
- April 30, 2007