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The idea for this book was triggered by a seminar on trends by Kantar Market Research in 2020 in which they presented the Brand Footprint, an annual ranking of the most chosen consumer brands based on a composite measure of population, penetration, and purchase frequency. The report revealed that the most chosen consumer product in India is biscuits. More than tea or sugar or soap, it is the humble biscuit that rules consumer popularity. This makes sense to me. Biscuits are eaten morning, evening, and night. Biscuits are an early morning energy food, a mid-day break, a commuter survival kit, a teatime indulgence, a midnight snack. They are liked across family and friends, from toddlers to children to teens to grandparents, from singles to couples to aunts to uncles. After all biscuits are loved crunchy and soggy — a popular habit is to dunk biscuits in hot tea. Biscuits are a part of childhood, adolescence, adult life. They belong to us all. They represent pleasantness and comfort, safety, and softness for everyone. They can transcend distance, time and monetary means withtheir endearing accessibility and emotional crunch.
Their mild sweetness. Their rich, warm ‘apnapan’ (closeness). Life is about Biscuit Moments. Moments which are like biscuits: small and sweet, sometimes crisp, and sometimes soft. They happen anywhere, anytime, with anyone but we can all relate to them. They inject a bit of sweetness and character in the humdrum. They allow us a few moments of escape from the routine. I have always liked the small, sweet moments of life. I have appreciated them, giggled over them, drawn strength from them. Shared them, been cheered by them. Moments such as waking up late on winter weekends and sitting in the soft sunshine with a cup of spiced tea while ignoring the incessant buzzing of mobile phones. The fragrance of early monsoon showers wafting into the balconies of glassy condominiums. Lingering family meals when the attraction of screens wanes in front of candid comments, wide discussions on many topics, cheeky scuffles on the ‘right’ pronunciation. If you think about it, there is such sweetness in the everyday. We have an ability to connect, an ability not to take things too seriously, to forget all our troubles over a biscuit and a cup of tea. We see small capsules of such joy in every nook, corner, and cranny of our diverse land. Taken for granted, we miss them when we’re away. Biscuit Moments symbolise this sweetness. They symbolise the everyday joys of our music, our textiles, our hospitality, our gastronomy, our evolving fashions. The musician plays the flute outside a five- star breakfast buffet; soft melodies to soothe furrowed brows. A saree salesman shows off the drape of the saree ‘pallu’ on his elbow, and another one, and another and another. The elderly taxi driver gives a humorous take on life. He helps with suggestions for the onward journey, lifts bags and patiently waits for the customer who stops on the way to ‘just pick up’ something. The chatty vegetable vendor gestures to his helper to allow the hard bargaining customer a win — extra lemons or extra carry bags. There is no challenge too big, no request too silly, no demand too exasperating that a customer can make. The generous sweep of everyday warmth and sweetness makes it all happen. I want to celebrate these small, sweet moments and spread their cheer. A page or two spent on a variety of Biscuit Moments; perhaps you can get the tea.
