On one such trip last Sunday Raphael Guerreiro Trikot , I passed through our ever famous, Laxmi Bakery in Sector 21. Laxmi Bakery is the oldest and most popular Bakery in Gandhinagar and at any given point of time throughout the year it is swarming with its loyal customers. Gandhinagar is a microcosm of about 2 lakh well-educated and tech-savvy bourgeois and those who have settled here for eons know anyone and everyone in the town. Hence of course, everyone knows Kishorebhai, the owner of Laxmi Bakery and Kishorebhai knows everyone!
The same old logo, pretty gross; the same old fascia and the name that does not have any remote connect with the business they are in to. They do not have a home delivery model, neither have they given any credit to anyone in all these years. The Bakery is just an old shop, not even modern, nor is it spic-and-span. I mean, it has not changed an iota ever since I have been in Gandhinagar. Still it can beat the best bakery in town some 100 times over. Gets me thinking as a branding professional, what is it that works for Kishorebhai? I mean none of the fundas that I believe and preach are applicable to him and still he is the most successful Bakery owner in this town! Well Marco Reus Trikot , this will be an interesting topic to dwell upon in my next article.
Standing at the sales counter my thoughts went back to yesteryears when Laxmi Bakery used to send Laaris (Hand Carts) to various sectors of Gandhinagar to sell its products. This hand cart was neatly painted in beige and they announced their arrival by ringing a bell. It had glass cabinets that showcased fresh-from-the-oven breads, buns, bhaji pav breads, tutti-frutti breads, rusk, biscuits Mario Gotze Trikot , occasional pineapple pastry鈥?It also had eggs and above all, the most priced item of our time 鈥?Cream Roll! It came with an option of white or pink cream. Priced I think at Rs. 5 apiece, they were an absolute treat. You actually had to earn them 鈥?behave, do your homework on time, do household chores, keep your room clean, not fight with your elder brother, eat all vegetables鈥?and then Mom would flash that Rs. 5 currency note, once in a week, so that you can fulfill your yearning. Which colour Cream Roll was it that I had last week? One should dare not repeat.
I wondered why? Anyways, I ordered for 3 Cream Rolls to be packed. Unfortunately, I did not have choice of colours as he only had them in white cream. One for my daughter, one for my niece and one for myself!
Engrossed in the yesteryears, I reached home after some time with a triumphant look on my face. I asked my kid and niece to guess what have I got them from Laxmi Bakery. Despite all possible hints, they failed. No, maybe I failed.
However Thomas Delaney Trikot , after disclosing the product after a brief teaser, they seemed totally unexcited. Upon my insistence they tried a bite of my dear Cream Roll, only to reject the product in its entirety with certain disdain the very next moment.
My world came crashing down. It was Kishorebhai defeat. No maybe it was my defeat.
What the heck? What is happening? Cream Roll does not have any takers anymore? Is it dying or is it already dead?
Guess it is true of a lot of products or services or traditions or rituals or behaviours of yesteryears that are quickly fading with the contemporary times.
I mean where is that Rasna Soft Drink Concentrate, which we all used to get together and make it as a part of ritual? Locked away in the refrigerator, it was given to you only once when you cried the hardest.
That Pepsi Cola Candy (Slush), which came in Orange, Kala Khatta, Cola flavours and did cost only 25 paise for a smaller plastic pack and 50 paise for the bigger one.
The count is endless and a news of dismay for a person like me.
RimJhim, Campa Cola, Gold Spot Achraf Hakimi Trikot , Canada Dry, Phantom Cigarette, Havaban Harde, Swad Hajme ki Goli, Big Fun and Fusen Bubble Gum, Chiclets, Kismi Chocolate, Mango Bite, Coffy Bite, Rol-a-cola Abdou Diallo Trikot , RoohAfza, Crax, Peppy, Nintendo Video Games, MRI Tennis Ball, Charminar Cigarettes, Illustrated Weekly of India, Indrajal Comics, Boroline, Hero Pen Dan-Axel Zagadou Trikot , Chelpark Ink, Rajdoot, Bajaj Scooters, Chal meri Luna, Cherry Blossom, Ambassador, Premier Padmini 鈥?Fiat, Contessa, HMT, Dyanora TV Roman Burki Trikot , Khaitan Fans, Woodwards Gripe Water 鈥?endless list, all lost in oblivion. All a continuous source of nostalgia; reminder of simple yet contented life!
So much so that the simple games like marbles, kho-kho, hide and seek, gilli danda, bhamardo (spinning top), seven tiles, statue, hopscotch Borussia Dortmund Trikot , jump rope, chor-sipahi, langdi, trading bollywood cards鈥re on the verge of extinction.
Unfortunately, there are no takers of these games in urban India, maybe they have been confined to rural pockets. Most of the urban children are not outdoor types. They are perennially engrossed in phones, laptops, and iPads or somewhere fulfilling the dire wishes of desperate parents of getting beyond 90+ percentile.
I would be tempted to write an epitaph for my dear Cream Roll, but I guess I am still not giving up hope. Nostalgia can be encashed; nostalgia can be a very credible and authentic s