I still remember when the skyline of Kolkata used to turn into a riot of colours as the dusk descended, a familiar voice beckoned “Ghoti gorooooom, ghoti gorooooom…..” just like the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
All through my childhood I never understood the meaning of the name, why is it “Ghoti gorom”? Whose “Ghoti” is gorom? Why is it gorom? But the faint tinker of bells made me somehow happy.
After repeated pleading my mom to buy me Ghoti gorom, she would spare me a 5₹ coin. I would run to the farthest end of the lane where a thin man “Ghoti gorom Kaku” carrying a large ware in a cylindrical container aka ghoti tied securely with a gamchha and dangling from his neck with a number of medium-sized vessels surrounding the ghoti.
Of course I wasn’t allowed to eat Ghoti Gorom everyday. I was a very little girl when this magical snack made an entrance in my life. And our relationship is going steady till date!
So, what is “Ghoti Gorom”, it is actually a form of salted chanachur mixed with roasted peanuts, corns, finely chopped onions, green chillies and the star of the show, is the amra, which gives it a sour and tangy twist. He would then hand out the thonga (paper packet) of Ghoti gorom.
But unfortunately, “Ghoti Gorom” has lost its hold due to the steady threats from popular street-foods as roll, chowmein, momo, pasta, jhal muri and all. Though there are still some loyal band of followers like me who still continue to patronize Ghoti gorom in paper thonga. But still I call out “Jhaal chhara Kaku” for some reason,I am not sure why.
Nibble_O_Gram 