« One day, one discovery »: a journey to meet enchanting places and to find more light to bring sunshine to 2021 ! Open door to the Parisian ballads! D-19″

Since it is decidedly too complicated to go for a walk in India these days, since it is raining this morning in Paris, it becomes urgent to go for a walk in the Indian quarter, near the Gare du Nord station.

Start with a drive through the Brady Passage. As soon as you cross the threshold of the gallery, you will be seized by the change of scenery and let yourself be lulled into the arms of India.

The Palace of Pondicherry then the Palace of the Rajpouts on the right, Little India or the Treasure of Kashmir on the left and finally towards the back of the gallery, the famous Velan shop.

Weave between the colourful silk fabrics. Twirling between the symbols everywhere.

Slip inside the shop and let yourself be lulled by Indian music and songs. Soak up the new sounds of the Hindi language exchanges between the shopkeepers. Get caught up in the colourful decorations.

In the jam aisle, rave about all kinds of exotic fruits that carry the sun’s rays into the heart of the shop.

On the canned food stalls, let yourself be carried away by the names of the dishes that immediately make you salivate: Madras, Massala, Rogan Josh, Balti, Biryani … In less than 20 minutes, you will be propelled to the confines of India without even having taken a plane.

Discover a Pav Bhaji of Mumbaï or a dalh of lentils with cream. The scents of spices and incense float between the shelves to the delight of visitors and offer an instant dive into the heart of Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi or any other city in this country of a thousand flavours.

After buying ajwain seeds to prepare pakoras, continue the journey to the rue du Faubourg St Denis.

Even if the restaurants are closed for the most part, life is swarming, sneaking everywhere, swarming and overflowing on the pavements and in the shimmering colourful shops.

In the many shops in the rue Cail, find vegetables with enchanting names … such as gombos or vendekaï …

… with astonishing shapes like goyas or pavakkaï. These green vegetables in the shape of a pimply cucumber… Also called in some regions of India; Karela, whatever their name, these squashes have the particularity of always being bitter… Remembering that all these vegetables have never managed to find their translation in the West, which makes our Indian friends laugh a lot!

Other vegetables are smaller in size such as Kovakkaai or also called Parwal. They are actually small ivy squash. They are also called « weird vegetables » but whatever their name, they are delicious when cooked with a yoghurt sauce.

Finally, get excited about the beautifully coloured aubergines . Also called Baigan, they are succulent whether in bharta (purée) or pakora (fritter).

Finally, discover pepper leaves and banana leaves for the service of the famous thali.

Don’t forget, the no less famous chilli peppers without which Indian cuisine would not be Indian cuisine.

Sneaking between the stalls loaded with lychees from Mauritius, a little wink for Grégoire and Amandine !😉

Take a trip to the utensil shops in search of katori and copper kettledrums.

Have fun finding here too the garlands of saffron-coloured flowers, offerings for the many gods.

Not being able to resist the appeal of colours and being infatuated with the multiplicity of fabrics, each one more vividly coloured than the last. A festival for our fulfilled senses at the end of the day.

Enter a colourful shop overflowing with polychrome trinkets.

To be totally wrapped up at the sight of all those little bells and multicoloured garlands. Wander between the colourful rays until you feel dizzy.

Imagine for a few moments the enchantment of Indian weddings in sari, sherwani or kurta in shimmering and colourful shades.

Ride back on the bike in the Fourteenth and finally enjoy a drink in the pretty copper timpani. To be completely fulfilled to have been able to immerse oneself in the Indian world for one day, just two pedal turns away from here.

Par Nathalie

Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)