Mastering the art of making ‘chapatis’

Last week I went to a gurdwara to click some pictures of gurpurab celebrations. In the community kitchen, I saw women rolling ‘chapatis’ and then swinging them in the air, making a perfect ‘rumali roti’. The scene instantly reminded me of my childhood days when an elderly woman in our neighbourhood use to make such ‘rumali rotis’ and we as children use to learn the art from her and trying it back home only letting the ‘chapatis’ stick either on the walls or on the roof. Waving the ‘chapati’ is no child’s play and it needs practice to be perfect. Everybody can roll a ‘chapati’, but only a few can make it perfectly.

Two sides of traffic police

In the morning while walking from the railway station to my house, I saw a naka set up by the traffic police at an unusual location near Guru Nanak Stadium. I later understood that the traffic police wanted to catch the offenders by surprise. A majority of motorcyclists, who do not wear helmets, avoid taking the main roads as traffic police nakas are almost predictable. The traffic policemen were seen playing the cat and mouse game, chasing and stopping the traffic offenders. During afternoon, while travelling to the office, I saw a massive traffic jam near Mata Rani Chowk near Bhadaur house. Many commuters were seen reversing their vehicles to avoid being caught in the traffic jam. Suddenly, when two PCR cops came from behind, I heaved a sigh of relief thinking that the policemen will soon streamline the traffic. But I was wrong. The PCR officer also reversed their vehicle and sped through the alternative route without caring for the harassed commuters. In the absence of cops, the people remained stuck in the jam for a long time.

Summer camps craze

Making full use of the summer break, camps and workshops are being organised in various schools, private coaching centres and clubs these days to provide tips and to brush-up the hidden talent among students. Not just that, students or teachers take pains to provide training, but parents, too, pay extra attention so that their wards could learn various activities. One such camp concluded at Sutlej Club here and the ones who took part in the camp presented well at the end of the camp. Also, the musical and cultural evening at the club got appreciation from members.

Contributed by Manav Mander, Mohit Khanna and Shivani Bhakoo