A lady showed up her half -eaten lunch with steamed vegetables, boiled eggs, and salad loaded on top of rice & dal . The plate seemed hitting my face while I kept wondering about the white ceramic plate. I mean, almost all the kitchens in India look the same, with the same cutlery and similar indoor plants in it, and not to forget the same kind of blue knives with floral images on it. And the second question that bothered me was: when did we Indians start eating our meals in just one plate? The elaborate Indian cuisine is meant for variety, for the display of vibrant colors on the plate and the brilliance of serving different side dishes in katoris, while the main plate can have rice, salad, papad, and achar on it. But now the modern aesthetic has completely changed this vision.
Then the algorithm picks up the next visual where a woman restlessly exercises to tone her body while holding up the protein powder that she intakes, clearly hinting at the fact that you should do the same too. The next visual compels me to zoom in and wonder in astonishment. The man sitting in his humble abode just puts one egg after the other in his mouth with an absolute smile of a winner while struggling the swallow what is in his mouth! The title below read mukbang ASMR.
The next video that popped up was an Indian Wedding showcasing Uncles with big tummies eating to their heart’s desire while the food itself begged these uncles to eat in moderation. Then came the next shocker: a little girl throwing tantrums while eating. She needed her iPad while eating !And her parents were feeling proud about it. And I felt short of words.
Then there was a beautiful woman elegantly dressed, roaming in the streets of Paris, hopping from one cafe to another, showcasing the importance of slow living while herself taking selfies at multiple aesthetic shots without resting for a second . Every second, I was as if transported from one dimension to another. From disgust to surprise; from shock to aspiration; I felt a whole range of emotion within me. Then I felt a little awkward. The burnt smell from my own kitchen was as if it churned the inner organs of my stomach. My mix vegetable curry probably had been left unattended for quite some time. It probably was burning now.
With a rage, I uninstalled the app, threw my phone away on the bed & muttered under my breath:
“Damn you, Instagram !”
Love,
Chinmayee
