Nostalgia and comfort food (music, movies and more)

I think comfort food has got more to do with nostalgia than with anything else. Comfort foods are almost always traditional to that culture, the food people grew up eating, the ones that are easy to prepare and bring back fond memories of the family kitchen and warmth of a family meal. As much as I love fish, it is funny that my best loved comfort food does not include fish. It is warm steamed rice mixed with boiled eggs, boiled potatoes and clarified butter. A bowl of hearty chicken soup would come second and the ubiquitous "Maggi" (instant noodles) would come a close third. I am deeply indebted to Maggi for saving me from starving on great many evenings when I was a student. I think warm dishes are more common comfort foods than cold ones. It gives me the same feeling as getting home from work on a Friday, taking a long hot shower and getting under warm blankets (with a nice story book). Isn't that a fuzzy feeling?

Just like comfort food, I have comfort music and movies too. Here also nostalgia plays a big role. A sudden encounter with a Kishore Kumar song on YouTube or watching a Felu-da movie would give me a better glimpse of home than talking to an unknown Indian. Those things that we relate our childhood memories to are the ones that give a comforting feeling when we are sad, sick or simply need a break.

This is one of my most favorite songs ever!