I AM A JAMMUITE: A Taste That Lingers

Zayaka jo yaadon mein bas jaaye, aur apni kahani hum sab ko suna jaaye.

Anil Kumar Sharma

Some tastes are forgotten the moment the plate is cleared. Others stay quietly and gently long after the meal is over. They do not announce their presence. They simply remain, like a familiar memory revisiting the heart uninvited.

Life unfolds in much the same way. Not every moment demands attention, yet some moments leave an imprint so deep that time itself fails to erase them. What truly matters is not the grandeur of an experience, but the sincerity with which it is lived.

True zayaka is not about excess or embellishment. It is about balance, simplicity, and honesty. A single bite, prepared with care, can awaken emotions buried beneath years of routine. In that instant, taste transforms into memory.

We often rush through experiences, judging them by their immediate appeal. But wisdom lies in the pause that follows, the silence where feelings settle and meanings reveal themselves. That is where the real flavour resides.

Time moves forward relentlessly, yet certain impressions refuse to fade. They linger softly, like the aroma of a familiar dish or the warmth of a heartfelt gesture. These moments define us not loudly, but enduringly.

We are shaped by the era into which we are born and by the experiences we quietly absorb from our surroundings.

Childhood carries everlasting memories of street vendors and small mohalla shops, offering traditional tastes and familiar aromas. Alongside these memories were the firm yet caring words of elders, meant to prepare us for life and anchor us in values. Spiritual guidance came gently, teaching compassion, restraint, and a sense of larger purpose.

Equally significant were the lessons imparted by our teachers. These teachings shaped our roles in society and the dignity we carry in daily life. At times, we absorbed them sincerely. At other times, we accepted them casually, simply because they were imposed upon us. The consequences of embracing or neglecting those lessons began to surface later, often revealing their true zayaka with quiet regret.

In our younger years, advice often felt irritating. Its depth and relevance escaped us. Only with time did its meaning become clear. What we failed to adopt sincerely then now feels like a silent deprivation, understood much later in life.

Time, however, has a way of reversing roles.

Today, the very lessons once taught to us by our elders are echoed back by the next generation. Sometimes they come with urgency, sometimes with impatience. We are told we are not keeping pace with time, that we lack the modern additives required to survive in a rapidly changing world.

And today, we listen much like we once did, with the same blend of acceptance and resistance.

Between what we once resisted and what we are now urged to accept lies a simple truth. Not everything that impacts us does so immediately.

Values and wisdom rarely announce themselves at first encounter. We are often carried by narratives that promise instant clarity and quick results. Belief follows, sometimes unquestioningly. Only with time do we realise which voices carried substance and which merely created noise. A few leaders, like a refined taste, leave an enduring imprint. Others fade quickly, remembered only for fleeting influence.

It is often said that a good alcoholic brand reveals its quality later, while poor quality announces itself instantly with a harsh jolt. The parallel is unmistakable. True quality, whether in taste, thought, leadership, or values, settles slowly. It does not rush to impress. It waits to be understood.

Life follows the same rhythm. The first bite may excite or disappoint, but the aftertaste never lies. What truly matters is not what dazzles in the moment, but what stays with us long after, shaping our choices, our character, and our conscience.

In the end, life is remembered not by how much was served, but by how deeply it was felt. What lingers becomes part of who we are.

Zayaka jo yaadon mein bas jaaye, aur apni kahani hum sab ko suna jaaye.
A flavour that settles into memory and quietly tells its story to us all.
(STRAIGHT TALK COMMUNICATIONS EXCLUSIVE)