The Maharaja Only Drinks Ganga Jal! J. NARAIN THAKUR, the Maharaja�s head chef, describes what it is like to cook and serve the reclusive gourmet. |
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I'VE been a cook in the Ram Nagar Palace for over 40 years, first with His Highness Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh, now with Maharaja Anant Narain Singh, and no, I've never seen either of them eating or drinking. I come from Bihar, from a Thakur family of cooks, this is our khandani profession. My family has been in the Banaras royal family's service for ever since I can remember. What do I give the Maharaja for breakfast? He has a meetha breakfast, rasagulla, rasmalai, gulab jamun, barfi, peda. He repeats the same meal at 5 o'clock in the evening. But first thing he does after he gets up and has a wash, is eat kaju, badam and some murrabba with tea. He must have his bath and finish his pooja before 11 a.m. Immediately after that, he'll eat something sweet and salty. Like kachoris or samoosas. But not fruit. Lunch is at 1.30. It's dal-chawal, sabzi-roti, sometimes a sweet pulao, the vegetables change every day. There's no place for ginger and garlic in our cooking. But, yes, we use all other masalas. The Maharaja's dinner is at 9 p.m. It's puri-sabzi, kachori, kheer. He has great knowledge of food. Sometimes, he asks for something new, for some change in his menu. When he travels, I travel with him, I carry along our samaan, rations, bartan, choolah, ghee, spices, everything apart from fresh vegetables. And, of course, Ganga jal. He only drinks Ganga jal. He has to sit on the floor and drink. That's why he cannot do this in front of anybody. Do I find this tradition quaint? I don't know, it's a routine with me. In this day and age, I still cook on a wood fire for the Maharaja. Yes, we have gas, but they prefer their meals cooked on wood fires.
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