On Idlis & the Congress

Idly, the staple dish of south India, has more connotations than the humble dish is given credit for. For instance, it is a plain, simple dish that metabolises quickly, takes on any additional flavouring and generally nourishes those who partake of it.

Much like Indians; who are able to assimilate into any society, enhance themselves with additional skills and in general contribute to the welfare of the society they become a part of. Idlis are pretty easy to make and lasts long, again much like Indians.

Much has been made about the Chinese dumplings and their version of rice-cakes. The difference is that unlike Idlis, they have a distinctive flavour, and are generally not suited for the honorific: easily assimilated.

Wikipedia, that boon of the 21st century, is so fascinated by the Idly that it gives a hyperlink- and image-filled feature, four pages long, before it can tear itself away to cite references and associated articles. Please note, I am still talking about the basic idly and not its variants, like the K-idly, kaduppu, rava idly, etc.

In the end however, one finds that the basic message is the same. The Idly is a simple dish and a habitué can enjoy different flavours with a host of condiments. Much like the Congress party’s ideologies, which change ever so often though the basics remain the same.

Wikipedia also points out that Idlis are useful even when extras have been made and not consumed immediately. Again the parallels to the Congress are striking. If there are excess units of the Congress, they can be transformed into localised versions, like the TRS, YRS, TMC (both) and so on. 

Idlis, for their part, can be transformed into uppma, cut up into smaller pieces and fried with chillies, peppers, onions and so on, or even can be deep fried to take most of its sustenance providing qualities. The end result may blow the roof off your mouth and trouble your stomach for a while. 

In this aspect also it is much like the Congress, which when pushed into a corner, spices up its agenda, especially on economics, and threatens your very health but is still able to prevail because of popular conceptions.

The Congress's styles are much like the Idly too. The latter is white and is served with red chilli powder and two chutneys white and green, the basic colours of the Congress. The party’s election symbol, the open palm, strikes a chord as well – as it can also stand for the ubiquitous Kai-endhi bhavans that ply their trade all over the country.

And every once in a while the Idly can be mixed thoroughly with milk or curds, with seasonings of choice, and pushed upon us under different names like Dodhiyanam. The only problem is Idly-lovers will strongly object to the demeaning of this dish by the comparisons with the Congress. To them all I can say is: I Am Sorry.