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Who buys these things? That’s the question I’ve asked myself whenever I’ve come across a display of candies at Indian stores in the US. By candies, I mean the uniquely desi ones – the Nutrine, Melody, Ravalgaon and similar confectionery. Which children are these displays targeted at?
Indian-American kids in the US have grown up on Mars and KitKat and MilkyWay. In fact, come to think of it, I hardly see any kids at the Indian stores, and never near the candy. I can safely rule out the children of even the short-term visitors – software engineers and so on, for I believe kids growing up in India too prefer Mars to Melody these days. So who does eat these sweets?
Pan Pasand
And then R brought home some Pan Pasand a few days ago. It was a recipe for instant nostalgia. Remember the old Doordarshan ad where Archana Joglekar shrieks
“Shaadi? Aur Tumse?? Kabhi Nahin!!” ? (Marriage? With You? Never!)
One Pan Pasand later, her tone becomes much mellower, even if she says the same thing. (But does the mellower tone mean there is hope for the guy? We never find out.)
As the Pan Pasand melted in my mouth, releasing its unique (for a candy) flavor of paan, I realized that the target audience for these candy displays had never been the children. They are for us – the poor benighted adult desis caught with the memories of the sweets we had in childhood, even as the supermarket aisles in India today are filled with Mars bars and Hersheys – sweets we once relied on visitors to supply us with. A lot of them are probably made in India now – I know, for one, that KitKats are. So like Indian Made Foreign Liquor, we now have Indian Made Foreign Sweets now.
Meanwhile, those of us who have moved to the US, have changed, ironically, from getting imported Mars bars in childhood to looking for imported Pan Pasand as adults.
And while on that, next time I am in the Indian store, I am going to look out for some Alpenliebe.
Popularity: 7% [?]
maddy
Lazy Pineapple
Incognito
Sujatha
An enchanting post! Walking down the memory lane can be emo at times
Cheer up, you’ve been awarded at http://kirantarun.com/2009/11/11/and-the-award-goes-to/... Go claim your loot!
Oh thanks! Addicting Blog indeed
I’m honored.
Hey, nice post. Your last line left me humming, “Dil lalchaaye, raha na jaaye…”
Have been reading but rarely commenting here lately. Keep up the good work.
I remember, that was the Alpenliebe jingle, wasn’t it ?
Pan Pasand rocks.
I used to get packets of these candies from the Indian store quite often. Nostalgia for sure, but nothing beats the flavor!
You bought them too? Yes, the flavor is unique. Great way to stand out.
Pan Pasand and that advt. is nostalgia. I liked the aftertaste of Pan Pasand after dinner. I sometimes pick it from Indian stores.
So..one more adult consumer. Pan Pasand sure has fans!
ah melody khao, khud jaan jao!
also that coffee-toffee ad was solid…
Ah, the coffee-toffee ad. We are just showing our age
Pan Pasand was a fav. I wonder if it is available now.
Alpenliebe is available though.
Are you saying it’s possible Pan Pasand may not be as widely available in India now (while it lurks in every desi store in US)? The irony.
Lekhni:
“Which children are these displays targeted at?”
What makes you think candies are only targeted at children? I know more adults, some child-free ones too, who carry mini-sweet-marts in their bags and pockets, than I do children doing the same.
No, kids would not be allowed to carry sweet-marts in their bags. Grown-up kids have that advantage over them