India’s “Grave” Restaurant

I typically read the Trib’s Red Eye throughout the week. Normally, I pick it up on my way into work and on most days I get to read it as soon as I arrive. Today was a little different, though. I quickly thumbed through today’s edition, grabbed my Cosi $2 coupon and began to read the varying articles. The article that caught my eye was concerning a restaurant in Ahmedabad. Its a “restaurant seat with a graveside view” and apparently its quite popular.

What caught my attention is that the owner of the restaurant places a variety of either dried or real flowers atop these green painted graves. The graves, perhaps a holding place/bodily home for some privileged Sufis, are scattered throughout the restaurant and quite visible. The place of the dead–also known as a grave. This place of the dead is also a place where in the morning Indian men gather to read the newspaper and couples join together over candlelight in the evening. And there, just beside, behind, or adjacent to their coffee or dinner table, the place of the dead borders the place where life flourishes.

The culture in India has captivated me for some time. After watching a recent film, The Namesake, I found myself drawn to the varying issues of identity that so many Indians and Latin Americans face. Additionally, this article that I read in the RedEye presents a very stark reality of the intersection of life and death.

Where is the place of life? Furthermore, where is the place of death? Perhaps this place is found at the intersection of both realities?