The miracle of Katra Ahluwalia

A flurry of messages from friends telling me that they'd read my blog 'inside-out' made me want to do the same. :D
As I was browsing through my posts on Amritsar, I was shocked to see NOT ONE POST describing the miracle of Katra Ahluwalia.

Katra Ahluwalia....located at the end of one of the numerous winding lanes oppsite the Golden Temple in the heart of Amritsar.Tangled electricity transmission cables hang overhead, parked cycles and motorbikes block a foot or two of the 6 foot-wide-lane, constant traffic - pedestrian and bikes/cycle rickshaws-tries to overtake you in the 4 ft of road left empty, the old mouldy buildings close in on either side of the road....as you walk deeper and deeper into old Amritsar.

Finally (well, actually, its just a 5-min walk!) you reach a clearing of sorts. A junction, if you care to call it that, where 3-4 lanes meet. Located in this prime real estate (yeah, right) is the epicentre of Amritsar's culinary delights. 'Gurdaas Ram Jalebian Waala' sells the most intoxicatingly delicious gulab jamuns and jalebis. A trip to Amritsar is futile without having sampled the fare here!

The store (I cant even call it that, its just like an open verandah of an old building) is resolutely no-frills with old and decidedly grimy looking walls and furniture.



But chances are, you'll never even notice this - because the first thing you would notice (if you're reasonably sane) are the kadhaais full of jalebis being fried in bubbling ghee. And the gulab jamuns glistening a golden brown in pans of syrup.







The gulab jamun here is a thing of beauty and grace. The size of a golf ball, it has a glorious golden-brown hue and the radiance of having soaked in just the right amount of syrup. You get one gulab jamun for a paltry Rs 4, in a 'dron' (a small bowl made of dried leaves) The spoon slips through with the greatest ease, the texture is so soft. But it is not overly squishy - it maintains the exquisite balance between firm bite and soft, soft meltingness. Drooool....

The jalebi, on the other hand looks like the gulab jamun's poor cousin.



It is not very attractive to look at - with its uneven appearance (some spirals are thin while others are swollen and misshapen) and dull orange-brown colour. (I adore a golden, delciate filigreed jalebi!). But take one bite.......................... and you're lost. The first crunch (yes, it is a resounding crunch!) floods your mouth with piping hot syrup, redolent with the aroma of ghee. It is an explosion of flavour! Each ungainly spiral is a mouthful of pure pleasure. You get a dron-full - about 4-5 small jalebis - for Rs 5. The prices make you weep.

As you recover from your reverie (the gulab jamuns and jalebis put you in a semi-trance), you notice that the tiny square (clearing/junction) is filled with like-minded people who are busy with their own dron-fulls of bliss. This place might be shabby and unkempt - but the satvik perfume of ghee-and-sugar that pervades all the tiny alleys and lanes more than makes up for the humble surroundings. Despite the 'heart of old Amritsar' location, this palce is easy to find - just ask anyone outside the Golden Temple and they'll give you directions to this treasure trove of goodies - if not walk you there themselves.

I know I am being repetitive - but I cannot stress this enough when I say that a trip to Amristar is futile if you do not sample the gulab jamuns- and more importantly, the jalebis at Katra Ahluwalia. Almost as futile as skipping the Golden Temple or the Wagha Border. Dont miss it.