Onions and tears

Onions are known to activate the lachrymal glands while being cut and chopped. Yet, it is the very absence of this humble vegetable from the housewives shopping basket that has brought the Nation to tears. As with all commodities the price of onion has sky rocketed beyond the means of the middle class family leave alone those living on the fringes of poverty. The time is not far when people reminisce of the good old days, where the use of onion in cooking was not a status symbol and even the common man could afford to eat it everyday.

The Indian Government instead of running from Washington to St. Petersburg in search of the elusive non-voting seat in the UNSC should focus its energies and efforts in getting “make the household budget last the full month” a competitive event in the Olympics. This will give twin and tangible benefits, firstly India will be assured of a sure shot gold in the Olympics and in other sporting events where this is made a competitive sport. And secondly our Ministers can claim to promoting sports and doing their mite to ensure an Olympic gold for India, when ever the issue of price rise comes up.

The Indian housewives balancing of the household budget is nothing short of a miracle. How else could one explain the infinite stretching of the household budget to meet the ever increasing price rise. No economic theory can explain how a limited salary can continuously expand to meet the relentless demands made on it month after month, year after year. Whether it is the 40-50% hikes in school fees, the frequent rise in petrol and diesel prices, the hike in auto and cab fares, the barrage of increase in food prices, dal one day, milk the other, and vegetables another day, the budget of the Indian house wife has been taking these blows square on the chin even as it prepares itself for the next one to land.

In lass than a decade, we seem to have fallen from a nation shining to a nation crying. Yesterday it was the cost of pulses we were raving about and today it is the onion. The price of onions has been propelled into the stratosphere and is selling in the range of Rs.70 to Rs.100 a kilo. It remains to be seen how the Indian housewife will weather this latest attack on her household budget. The humble onion has been her ally in making ends meet. She has banked on it to balance meals and feed a family of four with vegetables that could barely fill the belly of two, by adding it for bulk and quantity. And today her ally has fallen to the combined assault of hoarders greed and the Government’s apathy, leaving her to face the fight alone. Left with no choice the house wife may now look at a liberal seasoning food with salt and chilies to make ends meet. The only fallout one foresees is the increase in arguments and fights at the dining table. Which is not so bad, Spice as they say is what makes life interesting!!!
By Neera Kishore

Courtesy: Hindi Milap, Hyderabad