Knowing our onions…
Onions are in the news.Onion prices have gone through the roof.Do I smell another scam or what ? The humble onion grabs several headlines in almost all newspapers.Even our otherwise cool-as-a cucumber PM Manmohan Singh,has stepped in to bring down the onion prices by suggesting some measures like banning exports,selling onions at controlled rated from Nafed stores and importing onions from the ever obliging (!) neighbour – Pakistan (onion politics ?).As usual,Planning Commission blames Agricultural Minisitry,which in turn, blames unseasonal rains and middlemen raising the prices to their own advantage.This blame game is like that musical chairs game we often play during social get togethers !
I recall from memory that the humble onions had been the sole reason for fall of at least two Governments-one at the centre in 1980 and one in Delhi in 1998.BJP and others opposition parties are now rallying against the Congress these days,trying to use scams,corruption and now onions, as platforms for dislodging the Government !
I am reminded of several smelly and delightful quotes on onions from my collection.Close your nostrils and enjoy their flavour :
1. Life is like an onion : you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.-Carl Sandburg.
2. An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.- Will Rogers.
3. Life is an onion and one peels it crying-A French Proverb.
4. An onion will not produce a rose- A Latin Proverb.
5. A cat has nine lives,as the onion has seven skins- A German Proverb.
6. An onion shared with a friend tastes like roast lamb- An Egyptian Proverb.
7. It is better to have bread and an onion with peace than stuffed fowl with strife- An Arabian Proverb.
8. Different men have different opinions-some like apples,some onions.-An Indonesian Proverb.
9. Give graciously-even an onion – An Afghan Proverb.
10. Happy is said to be the family which can eat onions together-Charles Dudley Warner.
11. Life is like an onion.Why? Because you peel away layer after layer and when you come to the end you have nothing.- A Yiddish Proverb.
Well,all said and done,with the onion prices becoming a tear-jerker,above quotes and proverbs take a totally different meaning today.
Our Hindi films are usually a song and dance stuff, as is well known to the outside world at large. Our songs have lyrics extolling the virtues of Pyaar (Love). During these trying times it would be really socially relevant to replace this word with Pyaaz ( the Hindi word for onion) and our usual songs could be a hit with the masses as are reality shows currently.
Imagine songs like :
“Dill will pyaaz wyaaz main kya jaanoo rey,jaanoo to jaanoo bas itna ki,main tujhey apna maanoon rey…”
“De de pyaaz de,pyaaz de,pyaaz de,rey de de pyaaz de..”
“Pyaaz khaaya tau darna kya,pyaaz khaaya,koi chori nahin ki,ghut ghut aahein bharna kya..”
“Lekey pehla pehla pyaaz,bhar key saanson mein khumar, jaadoo nagri sey aaya hai koi jaadugar…”
“Pyaaz bantatey chalo, hey pyaaz bantatey chalo..”
“Pyaaz humein kis mod pey ley aaya…koi tau bataaey,hai…”
“Pyaaz to ek din mehnga hona thaa,ho gaya…”
“Pyaaz huaa,ek raaz hua, hai pyaaz sey fir kyon, darta hai dill..”
“Pyaaz binaa zindagi bekaar hai…”
“Pyaaz khaaney waaley,pyaaz khaatey hain shaan sey…”
“Pyaaz ke iss khel mein,teraa peechcha naan chhodunga soniey,bhej dey chahey jail mein..”
“Pyaaz maanga hai tum sey,naan inkaar karo…”
“Aaj kal terey merey pyaaz key charchey harr zabaan parr,sab ko maloom hai….”
“Pyaaz,zindagi hai..eh pyaaz bandagi hai…”
2. An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.- Will Rogers.
3. Life is an onion and one peels it crying-A French Proverb.
4. An onion will not produce a rose- A Latin Proverb.
5. A cat has nine lives,as the onion has seven skins- A German Proverb.
6. An onion shared with a friend tastes like roast lamb- An Egyptian Proverb.
7. It is better to have bread and an onion with peace than stuffed fowl with strife- An Arabian Proverb.
8. Different men have different opinions-some like apples,some onions.-An Indonesian Proverb.
9. Give graciously-even an onion – An Afghan Proverb.
10. Happy is said to be the family which can eat onions together-Charles Dudley Warner.
11. Life is like an onion.Why? Because you peel away layer after layer and when you come to the end you have nothing.- A Yiddish Proverb.
Well,all said and done,with the onion prices becoming a tear-jerker,above quotes and proverbs take a totally different meaning today.
Our Hindi films are usually a song and dance stuff, as is well known to the outside world at large. Our songs have lyrics extolling the virtues of Pyaar (Love). During these trying times it would be really socially relevant to replace this word with Pyaaz ( the Hindi word for onion) and our usual songs could be a hit with the masses as are reality shows currently.
Imagine songs like :
“Dill will pyaaz wyaaz main kya jaanoo rey,jaanoo to jaanoo bas itna ki,main tujhey apna maanoon rey…”
“De de pyaaz de,pyaaz de,pyaaz de,rey de de pyaaz de..”
“Pyaaz khaaya tau darna kya,pyaaz khaaya,koi chori nahin ki,ghut ghut aahein bharna kya..”
“Lekey pehla pehla pyaaz,bhar key saanson mein khumar, jaadoo nagri sey aaya hai koi jaadugar…”
“Pyaaz bantatey chalo, hey pyaaz bantatey chalo..”
“Pyaaz humein kis mod pey ley aaya…koi tau bataaey,hai…”
“Pyaaz to ek din mehnga hona thaa,ho gaya…”
“Pyaaz huaa,ek raaz hua, hai pyaaz sey fir kyon, darta hai dill..”
“Pyaaz binaa zindagi bekaar hai…”
“Pyaaz khaaney waaley,pyaaz khaatey hain shaan sey…”
“Pyaaz ke iss khel mein,teraa peechcha naan chhodunga soniey,bhej dey chahey jail mein..”
“Pyaaz maanga hai tum sey,naan inkaar karo…”
“Aaj kal terey merey pyaaz key charchey harr zabaan parr,sab ko maloom hai….”
“Pyaaz,zindagi hai..eh pyaaz bandagi hai…”
“An onion a day,keeps the doctor away…” was a poor man’s way towards his health as against a rich man’s quote : “An apple a day,keeps the doctor away..”
This season,families here, are requesting Santa Claus to gift them bags of 5 or 10 kgs of onions instead of the usual Christmas goodies.
It may not be quite un-imaginable or out of place to see guests attending wedding parties and functions with designer gift hampers or packs of hand picked first quality onions, for the hosts,instead of cookies and sweetmeats.And such packs will be accepted with tears of joy by the hosts,don’t you think ?
This season,families here, are requesting Santa Claus to gift them bags of 5 or 10 kgs of onions instead of the usual Christmas goodies.
It may not be quite un-imaginable or out of place to see guests attending wedding parties and functions with designer gift hampers or packs of hand picked first quality onions, for the hosts,instead of cookies and sweetmeats.And such packs will be accepted with tears of joy by the hosts,don’t you think ?
Well, there is a crying need for a few kgs of these onions in my kitchen, as my wife has arranged a kitty party of the friendly neighbourhood ladies on Christmas Day at our pyaaz-less house.So I am off on a pyaaz hunt….You feel sorry for me ? Yes,you should !
Loved reading those quotes ! Next it is the turn for tomatoes we are told ! Thanks for sharing ,
Raj Nandy, New Delhi
Dec 23, 2010
You have written a fine essay on the topic of the day “Mr. Onion” May Late Onion rest in peace.
Rajaram Ramachandran, Juhu, Mumbai (Camp Vijayawada)
Dec 23, 2010
Dear Raj ji and Rajaram ji,thanks for your scintillating comments on my opinion. Recently I read a couple of lines on the subject of onions in Urdu.Here are they :
Hui jo daal garam aur sabziyan mehngi,
Kitchen mein jaake bhala kya woh dilnawaz karey,
Muamlat-e-muhabbat ka ab yeh alam hai
Main pyar pyar karoon aur woh pyaz pyaz karey !
J S BROCA, New Delhi
Dec 25, 2010
Really enjoyed this piece, and I remember in my childhood days, when my dad used to say how the humble onion was the poor man’s apple. It is sad to see onions heading to rations. Whats has the world come to? Though the song word pyaar replaced with pyaaz was hilarious… Regards.
The recommendations you contributed here are quite precious. It had been such an exciting surprise to see that awaiting me after i woke up this very day. They are generally to the point and easy to understand. Warm regards for the thoughtful ideas you’ve shared here.
As a Newbie, I am permanently searching online for articles that can be of assistance to me. Thank you
Highly interesting blog. This was a really interesting post. Thanks!
Pyaz ke bina sabzi kya aur pyar ke bina zindagi kya; Similarity is pyaz bhi rulata hai aur pyar bhi and difference is pyaz ke bina papi pet ji nahi sakta; chalo pyar bina to dil ji bhi leta.
Next me thinks dahej me 100 kg pyaz me kaam chal jayega!!
I simply could not go away your site prior to suggesting that I actually enjoyed the usual information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back frequently in order to check up on new posts