Rahi’s Rainbow Tiffin

(For ages 3-6)

Rahi clutched her steel tiffin box tighter as she walked into her new school in the heart of busy and bustling Bangalore. The classroom was bright with alphabet charts and children’s artwork, but everything felt strange and different. Her tummy felt like it had butterflies doing somersaults inside.

At lunchtime, while other children quickly formed groups, Rahi sat alone at her desk. The familiar smell of her Ajji’s Ragi Mudde and Soppu Saaru brought a sense of familiarity and comfort, but she noticed other children’s curious glances.

Maya, who wore red ribbons in her hair, came closer. “What smells so interesting?”

“It’s my Ajji’s special food,” Rahi said softly, almost shy as if she would be punished for bringing this in tiffin. But she continued in her low and sweet-sounding voice, “She says ragi mudde is what they feed baby elephants at the Bannerghatta sanctuary to make them strong!”

This caught everyone’s attention. A few children laughed at her innocence but most of them were amused with this new kid in the class. Soon, children gathered around with their own lunch boxes. Ahmed opened his tiffin to reveal colorful parathas shaped like flowers. “My Ammi makes them look pretty so I eat all my vegetables,” he explained proudly.

Sarah shared her fusion sandwich – mint chutney with cheese. “It’s like India and England in one bite!” she giggled. Deepak had appam and stew, while Lin had dumplings her grandmother had taught her to make.

As they shared food and stories, Rahi learned that Maya’s mother was a chef who experimented with healthy recipes at her own cafe, Ahmed’s father owned a medical shop, and Sarah’s parents met at a cooking class many years back. Each food had a story, a family, a tradition behind it.

The next day, Rahi brought extra ragi mudde, and Ajji packed small portions of their garden-grown greens. During lunch, she taught her friends the traditional way of eating it – rolling the mudde into small balls and dipping it in saaru.

“All of you read stories, right? Food is like a story but a story that we can eat!” their teacher Ms. Sharma told them as she observed the children share. “Each dish tells us about a place, a family, and their love.”

That evening, while helping Ajji water their balcony herb garden, Rahi said, “You know, Ajji, today I learned that different foods are like different languages – they all say ‘I care about you’ in their own special way.”

Ajji smiled, tucking a tulsi leaf behind Rahi’s ear. “And when we share our food, we share a piece of our heart, we share that story with everyone and we make them part of our own small World”

Word Guide:

• Ragi mudde: A healthy ball-shaped food made from finger millet
• Soppu saaru: A nutritious curry made with local greens
• Fusion: Mixing different styles or traditions
• Tulsi: Holy basil plant