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Recalling Maggi: Memories of a twisted snack

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Abhijit Majumder
Abhijit MajumderJun 04, 2015 | 11:32

Recalling Maggi: Memories of a twisted snack

When advertisements of a new snack named "Maggi" started appearing in Kolkata in the ‘80s, there was a sudden outbreak of giggles and hushed jokes.

“Imagine so-and-so uncle going to grocer’s and asking, "Ekta Maggi deben (give me Maggi)," youngsters would say, rolling on the floor in the pre-ROFL era.

The mirth stemmed from the fact that in Bengali, the similar-sounding "maagi" is a coarse, old street slang for women — just like "item" in Mumbai — and "maagi-baji" is the equivalent of the north Indian "ladki-bazi".

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So, young Bengalis’ first verdict about Maggi noodles in ‘80s Kolkata was "cholbey na"…won’t sell. Too embarrassing to ask for; just like buying a condom those days.

But mothers changed Maggi’s destiny, not the hungry kids, as advertised. The shortest chow mien or hakka noodles recipes available in cooking books would take at least half an hour to make. Maggi took, if not two, about five or seven minutes. Handy at schooltime, handier after playtime.

It did prick the middle class conscience that something that tastes good should get made this quick, that the pleasure of taste and saved time should come so easy. So, more and more greens and vegetables started going into the snack. Much later, Maggi itself started its yuck and boring atta version to buy peace with its consumers’ collective conscience.

Much before the recent damning lab tests, rumours of Maggi being unhealthy — even bizarre ones that the masala had addictives, not additives — kept steaming up periodically, but swiftly wafted out of the window.

By the time one moved to college and hostel in Mumbai, Maggi had become staple. It was cheap, fast, and one could spend a long time thinking of one’s last messy date while twirling the little noodle strands carelessly with a fork.

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After a drinking night-out, there was Maggi. After a ruined dinner date or a break-up, there was Maggi. After late-night study, there was omelette-pav at Churchgate station at 3am and, of course, Maggi. Night after lonely night, millions of bachelors, hostelites, just-separated and divorcees have found a companion they could rely and, funny as it sounds, feast on.

Over the years, Nestle has chosen to advertise Maggi as children’s snack. But perhaps no other commercial product has had greater influence over singlehood in India than Maggi noodles.

If charges against it are proven, Maggi will only validate an old adage — something that happens in an instant, is intimate and feels good is not good for your health.

Last updated: June 04, 2015 | 11:32
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