Soppamma
Vegetable vendor (courtesy: web)"Ammaaavreeeee.., soppuuuuuuuuuuu" (Madam..., Do you need 'soppu'?) - was the usual question from the gate by our Soppamma. Before I move ahead with the story, what is 'soppu' called in English? Category of leaves which are edible is called 'soppu' in Kannada - coriander, spinach, mint, etc. This Soppamma is the lady who sold 'edible leaves' to us every week. Till date, I don't know her real name! She was so reliable that we used to wait for her and not buy these leaves elsewhere. She being poor, mom always treated her for any illness. Mom finally became Soppamma's family doctor after taking care of Soppamma's daughter during her pregnancy.
I really appreciate the bonding that exists between such people in India. Customer-seller bonding grows much deeper than usually thought. This blog is to all those street sellers who used to sell us good stuff.
Vegetable vendor:
This was way back in 1988 when our vegetable vendor used to come home with her daughter twice or thrice a week. My eyes fill with the picture of she carrying a doubly huge basket on her head and her small daughter carrying the 'appendix' (like green chilies, coriander, mint, ginder, spinach) version. Her basket was so huge that it was customer's obligation to lift and place it on her head once purchase is done. We changed houses miles apart. Even then, she used to walk all the way to sell vegetables. Her punchline..."Ammaaavraaaaa, kaipalle reeeeeeeeeee" (Madam, vegetables...).
Aapus Mango vendor:
Mango season has to be linked with rain. Recollecting this guy, I imagine sun just out after a heavy downpour during school's Summer holidays. He used to come little drenched always. Carrying mango baskets was not a good idea as far as this vendor was concerned. He had some brains to convert a chair to a cart! He had put small wheels to a foldable steel chair - this way, he had two tiers to keep one basket on the seat and the other below it (minor adjustments done to chair). Selling these mangoes were not per Kg (as in Bangalore), but, per mango. 30-50 rupees a dozen depending on size and quality. His punchline, "appuuus maavinhannuuoooiiii"
'kadlepuri' vendor:
We usually bought kadlepuri (white plain puffed rice/churmuri) on the streets only. In Hubli, it was called 'churmuri' and in Bangalore, 'kadlepuri'. There were two varieties - thick-crispy one and thin-hollow one and we always preferred the former. The latter one had no brands usually, while the thick-crispy one had a branding to it. If you are in Hubli, call that "Belgaum churmuri"; if you are in Bangalore, call it "Mysore kadlepuri". It is always the variety of the 'other' city! Don't know what they really called that in Belgaum and Mysore though :). Hubli vendor's punchline - "Belgaum saadha churmuuurriiiiiaaaa". Bangalore vendor's punchline - 'kadlepuriiiiiiii' (in a monotonic note).
'apple tomato' vendor:
What??? Apple tomato??? This is what every morning tomato vendor shouted - "apple tomaaaaaaaaaato" - meaning - tomatoes are as red as apples!!! His only problem was, he ran fast and by the time we go near the gate, he is way far to return! His punchline - "apple tomaaaatooo" (quick, brisk and loud and 5 calls per minute).
Other street vendors included ice-cream vendors, candy vendors, 'haLeee paper', etc. I don't know if things are changing and these types of vendors vanishing away from the streets. May be, these forms of small businesses were less profitable and they have moved ahead to have permanent stalls/stores with better profits.
I really appreciate the bonding that exists between such people in India. Customer-seller bonding grows much deeper than usually thought. This blog is to all those street sellers who used to sell us good stuff.
Vegetable vendor:
This was way back in 1988 when our vegetable vendor used to come home with her daughter twice or thrice a week. My eyes fill with the picture of she carrying a doubly huge basket on her head and her small daughter carrying the 'appendix' (like green chilies, coriander, mint, ginder, spinach) version. Her basket was so huge that it was customer's obligation to lift and place it on her head once purchase is done. We changed houses miles apart. Even then, she used to walk all the way to sell vegetables. Her punchline..."Ammaaavraaaaa, kaipalle reeeeeeeeeee" (Madam, vegetables...).
Aapus Mango vendor:
Mango season has to be linked with rain. Recollecting this guy, I imagine sun just out after a heavy downpour during school's Summer holidays. He used to come little drenched always. Carrying mango baskets was not a good idea as far as this vendor was concerned. He had some brains to convert a chair to a cart! He had put small wheels to a foldable steel chair - this way, he had two tiers to keep one basket on the seat and the other below it (minor adjustments done to chair). Selling these mangoes were not per Kg (as in Bangalore), but, per mango. 30-50 rupees a dozen depending on size and quality. His punchline, "appuuus maavinhannuuoooiiii"
'kadlepuri' vendor:
We usually bought kadlepuri (white plain puffed rice/churmuri) on the streets only. In Hubli, it was called 'churmuri' and in Bangalore, 'kadlepuri'. There were two varieties - thick-crispy one and thin-hollow one and we always preferred the former. The latter one had no brands usually, while the thick-crispy one had a branding to it. If you are in Hubli, call that "Belgaum churmuri"; if you are in Bangalore, call it "Mysore kadlepuri". It is always the variety of the 'other' city! Don't know what they really called that in Belgaum and Mysore though :). Hubli vendor's punchline - "Belgaum saadha churmuuurriiiiiaaaa". Bangalore vendor's punchline - 'kadlepuriiiiiiii' (in a monotonic note).
'apple tomato' vendor:
What??? Apple tomato??? This is what every morning tomato vendor shouted - "apple tomaaaaaaaaaato" - meaning - tomatoes are as red as apples!!! His only problem was, he ran fast and by the time we go near the gate, he is way far to return! His punchline - "apple tomaaaatooo" (quick, brisk and loud and 5 calls per minute).
Other street vendors included ice-cream vendors, candy vendors, 'haLeee paper', etc. I don't know if things are changing and these types of vendors vanishing away from the streets. May be, these forms of small businesses were less profitable and they have moved ahead to have permanent stalls/stores with better profits.
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