Gestalt Psychology and Dahi Bhalla

 Gestalt Psychology is a fascinating school of thought which explains that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. We can see the gestalt principles being applied to various aspects of life. It is this synergy effect which is emphasized in team building.

Our delicious Indian chaats have identical effect on our human brain and taste buds. The chaat has a taste which is way more than the sum of the individual items that go into making a chaat at a roadside store (chaat is best had at a roadside stall only).

The history of Indian chaat is very interesting. Google it. True Unity in Diversity in our country can be understood by enjoying the piquancy of chaats across India. Just as dialect changes every few kilometers in our country so does the flavour and ingredients of chaats. 

The king of all chaats Pani Puri/ Puchka/Pani Batasha/Golgappa is enjoyed differently in every part of the country. The famous Bhelpuri of Mumbai has its special tang in Kolkata under the name of Jhalmudi. The simple Ragda Pattice in Mumbai is enjoyed as Ghughni in Kolkata. The Dahi Bhalla up North has its unique taste as Dahi Vada down South India.

Everyone has their favourite place to relish their favorite chaats. If you ask a Surti where one can get the best kachori chaat and the answer would be inside MTB college campus, ask where one can get best chaats in Mumbai and the answer would be outside Matunga station at Gupta Chaat centre which is amidst many famous colleges. The best papdi chaat in Kolkata will be outside Shivnath Shastri college and Pune's famous SPDP (Sev Puri, Dahi Puri) is outside Fergusson College at Vaishali Hotel. There may be other centres serving better versions of these chaats but the experience and memories attached to these chaat corners makes it famous and every time a person revisits that city a trip to the specific chaat corner has to be checked in the to do list. 

I personally never return from Surat without visiting the famous Ghanghor, nor miss meeting the Mehta House Puchkawala in Kolkata. Am yet to explore the famous chaat corners in Mumbai, but will soon do so and establish my preferences for any of your reference. Now that I have told you my favourite places, I would love to hear about your experiences and keep it as a ready reference when I visit the city.

Enjoy life just as you enjoy your chaat.