‘Bhog’
#RhituparnaChakraborty
Disclaimer: This is an original piece of work by Rhituparna Chakraborty. This work is not intended to hurt or rebuke anyone or any profession. This story is not connected/related to anyone or any organism alive or dead. This is a work of fiction. This work cannot be copied, published or reproduced elsewhere, without the consent of the author Rhituparna Chakraborty.
Sneha dropped her kids off at school and returned home. Her husband, Suhaas, had already left for work. Sneha went to the balcony next to her bedroom, laid out a yoga mat, and began her yoga practice. She completed all the stretches and breathing exercises, and then softly recited a silent prayer before heading to the kitchen.
Sneha had a packed schedule. On weekdays, she woke up at 5:30 a.m. She prepared breakfast and lunch for her children and husband, took her kids to school, returned home, followed her self-care routine, which included skincare and yoga. After that, she had her own breakfast and started her daily chores. Sneha worked as a freelance creative writer, so she needed a serene and tranquil environment for her work. Fortunately, she had a dependable house helper named Shobhna who managed various tasks, from cleaning the house to cooking, dusting, laundry, and even taking care of the balcony garden.
Sneha’s close friend Rachna occasionally visited her as Rachna’s office was conveniently located near Sneha’s home. Sneha always extended an invitation to Rachna for lunch, relishing the intellectual discussions they had during their meals. Although Rachna couldn’t come for lunch frequently due to her workload, she made an effort to join whenever her schedule allowed.
Today, Rachna had informed Sneha that she would come for lunch. Sneha promptly instructed Shobhna to prepare some delicious dishes. Shobhna was a skilled cook who poured her heart and soul into her culinary creations. She typically arrived around 10:30 a.m. and left at approximately 3 p.m.
The menu for the day included fluffy pooris, chana dal (lentil soup with a tempering of onions, curry leaves, and dry red chilies), coconut chutney, steamed rice, fried potatoes, steamed broccoli, green beans, and a delectable Greek salad. Shobhana always prepared healthy and flavorful dishes.
As Rachna arrived for lunch, Sneha greeted her with a warm hug and said, “Lunch is ready. Main jaldi se Bhog laga ke aati hoon” (I will quickly offer “Bhog” and then I will serve lunch on the table.) This routine was an integral part of Sneha’s daily practice — offering “Bhog” before meals and then serving the food at the dining table.
Rachna knew about Sneha’s deep devotion to God, so she patiently waited for Sneha to perform the Bhog ritual before enjoying their meal together. Sneha’s family was also aware of her commitment to this tradition, so on days when Sneha wasn’t at home, they followed the same practice — offering Bhog before having lunch.
Rachna, sitting comfortably on the couch, was scrolling through her phone when she thought of observing Sneha’s Bhog ritual. Quietly, Rachna made her way to the kitchen without Sneha noticing. Inside the kitchen, Rachna saw Sneha meticulously preparing Bhog. Sneha took two clean plates and a couple of small bowls, wiped them thoroughly with a clean cloth, and served fresh, piping-hot food in those plates. She didn’t include the stale rice and leftover dal from the previous day; instead, she served only freshly cooked dishes. Sneha also retrieved fresh fruits from the refrigerator, washed them carefully, cut them, and added them to the plates. After covering the plates and bowls, she began bringing them to the dining table.
Just as Sneha was about to complete the Bhog offering and invite Rachna to the table, she noticed Rachna standing at the kitchen door. With a warm smile, Sneha said, “Bhog lag gaya, chalo ab hum khaate hai” (The Bhog offering is done; let’s go and eat). Sneha then prepared another plate of fresh fruits and asked Rachna to take it to the dining table. She also reheated the leftover food from the previous day and served it in her plate before joining Rachna at the table.
During their meal, Rachna asked Sneha about her choice of larger plates for Bhog and the seemingly excessive quantity of food. She remarked, “I thought you served Bhog in tiny plates to Gods at your temple. And so much food? Ideally, we just offer morsels to God before eating.”
Sneha smiled and clarified, “I offer prayers at my temple. But Bhog, I usually offer here in the kitchen.” Rachna still appeared puzzled and asked, “I don’t understand. Also, why are you eating the leftover food? You could have given it to Shobhna; she could have taken it home.”
Sneha explained with a smile, “The two plates of food in the kitchen are for Shobhna and her young son. They both have lunch at my place, and Shobhna is a single mother. She manages to make ends meet and educate her child by working at my home and a few others. I can never give them stale or leftover food because, God forbid, if the food were to get contaminated, they might fall ill. No, I’d never risk that. So, I always serve them piping-hot, freshly cooked meals of their choice. For me, ‘Bhog’ is about making God’s creations happy, making souls happy. Shobhna’s child and Shobhna herself love fruits, so I always keep them at my home. Rachna, you see, I can afford exotic fruits, but they can’t. That’s why I’ve made it a custom in my home that we all eat lunch together, and whatever we eat, Shobhna and her child get to enjoy as well. Since Shobhna is quite shy, she would never help herself, so I serve their food for them. To me, that’s the most beautiful ‘Bhog.’”
Shobhna and her child savored every meal at Sneha’s home. Today, Sneha’s husband planned to bring fish on his way home from work because he had heard Shobhna’s son talking about fried fish and how delicious it was.
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