Every day of every year, the same Sun rises, and even though every day is wholesomely dedicated to love, there is a special day! On this day, the Sun rises in the shape of a heart, with the outlines that are red, the groups of birds in the sky are no more shy, it is the day when the singles are a little wayward, and the couples recognize all the signs the sky shows to them. This day, they choose to look at heart-shaped Sun without their sunglasses on! Any guesses?

To celebrate it, I met one such lovingly couple this V-Day! We’ve been on a hunt for people who cherish their love performing some monotonous activities together! Sanchit and I visited Dr. Nalin Joshi and his wife Dr. Kalpana Joshi.

To be freakishly honest, I was a bit scared. You know I’d heard things about doctors and their ‘seriousness’, and you know me! I’m one clumsy fella, a bit o’ the ol’ nervousness and I’d have landed up spilling hot coffee into their laps! But, luckily, the day was saved, thanks to the admirable couple. Ahem. Relationship goals!

Turns out the two of them dated for about a decade before they got married! Dr. Nalin narrated the story of how his bade papa helped him a great deal in convincing his parents. On the other hand, the blithe Punjaban Dr. Kalpana was gleefully accepted with open arms into a family of Brahmins.

The couple today, would cook together.

“We’ll be cooking Idli chaat today”, said Dr. Kalpana.

Dr. Nalin had already begun symmetrically chopping the veggies when their daughter Aparna, who I’d befriended by now, told me that Sanchit and I were to welcome the jolly lot for some snacking!

“That’s so lovely, but thanks, I’ve had my lunch.” My brain put a familiarly unexpected voice into my mouth.

My stomach yelled out to Mr. Brain “Good gracious, Mr. Brain! What gives you the right to decide whether I’m hungry or not? It’s mah lyf, mah choice, yo!”

While Dr. Nalin chopped the veggies, Dr. Kalpana told us how much she enjoyed a “Gobhi Musallam” cooked by her husband. Dr. Nalin, the coolest Doc in the neighbourhood, agreed. It is a dish, every friend of his envies him for (but of course, for the wrong reasons)

Dr. Nalin: I had once sent it to a very close friend, and I just happened to tell his wife that I was the one who had cooked it. I later got a call from the friend who said ‘Bhaai tumko banaake khilaana hai to khilaao, meri khushaal zindagi me aag kyun laga rahe ho?”

Dr. Kalpana threw in chopped veggies and her special sauces to chaatify the idli. Btw, it’s sooji idli!

She told us about the first time he cooked her a meal.

Dr. Kalpana: It is by far, still my favourite meal cooked by him. I remember I was struggling to prepare for a viva, and he wouldn’t let me leave without breakfast. So, he cooked me Maggi Noodles.

Awww. Maggi always saves the day!

After the idlis were tossed and served hot, we attacked the drool-worthy idlis as ‘sophisticatedly’ as possible.
Fun fact: Dr. Nalin loved playing guitars but he could never learn. High five, Doctor! I’ve been trying for the past eight years or so!

#CupidWishes

May the journey of bed in breakfasts and chivalrous cooking continue.

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