By Two Coffee and other stories

By Two Coffee and other stories brewed in Bangalore by Megha opens with the below dedication - ‘dedicated to the city of Bangalore that gave me everything’. And this itself made me fall in love with the book for the cities we live in play a vital role in our lives and in forming memories in my opinion. Bangalore is no Red Bull energy drink but I must admit that this city gave me wings, the first taste of financial independence, a certain emotional detachment from my family and enhanced my ability to handle personal life crises on my own. A city that does all of this literally gives you everything. 

Mala, our protagonist, through sweet stories of her childhood and growing up days (from the time she's 5 years old) takes us on a little trip down the memory lane. These stories perfectly capture the zeitgeist of 1980-90s and paint a beautiful picture of the carefree, simplistic joy of bygone times for which our craving has only become fervent, staying stuck in a global pandemic for over two years now. 

The stories with Kannada titles (their meanings in English appear alongside) set in a quaint colony called CR Nagar in Bangalore’s largest residential area - Jayanagar bear the stamp of simplicity and authenticity. The oil bath/head bath ritual, special breakfast of dosa, shallots sambar and chutney, hot bisibele bath with raita for lunch on Sundays and the Ganesha festival celebrations, Mala’s games with her friends, little squabbles with her cousin, every moment she spends with her family gives us bright smiles and quiet tears, the former in acknowledgement of and the latter in missing these little pleasures. Mala’s relationship with her ajja and ajji (her maternal grandparents) is absolutely heartwarming. 

With little nuggets of information on the Glass House in Lalbagh, naale baa mystery of the 90s, it is interesting to witness the Bangalore cityscape transform along with Mala’s growing up and becoming a dentist. The by two coffee which most of us order de facto in Darshinis (the affordable restaurants in Bangalore) at the end of a sumptuous meal has a strong emotional place in this little book. Soaked in nostalgia, rendered in simple language and brimming with love and gratitude, By Two Coffee and other stories is a delight to every reader, whether you hail from Bangalore or not.