Life lessons can come from the most unexpected places: sometimes from a book, sometimes from a conversation, and occasionally, from a plate of your favourite food. For most Indians, chole bhature is an emotion. That perfect mix of spicy, tangy chole (chickpeas) and soft bhature can make even the dullest day better. Now, what if this comfort food could also teach us something profound about life? Former Google managing director Parminder Singh found just that: wisdom in a plate of chole bhature. In a LinkedIn post, he compared life's unfairness to the fate of the “second bhatura.”
Singh compares life to the number of bhaturas you are enjoying with chole (chana masala sabji). He claims that the first one always feels perfect. But according to him, by the time you start the second, things will have changed - you're already feeling full, guilt begins to settle in, and that second bhatura no longer feels as special as the first one.
“There's no better proof that life is unfair than the second bhatura,” he wrote. “Think about it, both bhaturas start off as equals. The second could easily have been the first. But fate intervenes.”
He continues, “By the time you're done with the first, three things happen: You're already full. 300 calories of guilt are whispering in your ear. The second one has gone limp," but he adds, “You still eat it, but half-heartedly. No oohs, no aahs, just quiet resignation.”
Elaborating about indulging in the second bhatura, which, according to him, is the second part of life, he shares, “The second bhatura did nothing wrong. It simply suffered from bad timing and faded away unappreciated,” hinting at how sometimes good things or people go unappreciated, not because they lack value, but because of the circumstances.
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He ended the post saying, “So next time someone preaches about karma or fairness, ask them. What about the second bhatura?"
Take a look at the post here:
The post struck a chord online.
Jit Nagpal, founder of SCIENTE, said, "Maybe the second bhatura is luckier after all. It lives longer, rests more, and finds meaning in unexpected ways. Even if it never gets eaten, it escapes guilt calories, and it might still feed hungry ants or a stray dog. Not every purpose is fulfilled the same way. Some just take a longer route."
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Another shared, "Parminder Singh, I have solved this dilemma of colder limp 2nd bhatoora by requesting the restaurant to serve 1 by 1, at times asked for customisation, one plain and 2nd kasoori methi bhatoora to cause intentional delay tactic hashtag ‘Khaane Dono Hain'."
Someone added, "Every office has a second bhatoora - the one who shows up, delivers, and still doesn't get the same love. Wrong timing. Right effort. Quiet story."