The story of a Faluda

Colombo,needless to say, is sometimes the surface of the sun.Scorching hot and all you long for is something cold and sweet.I had never been a fan of faluda, never really tried one either but now that I have discovered the lure of that ghastly pink concoction,there's no turning back.But I wanted more from this drink-something more than just the unearthly mix of tastes and textures,I wanted a story to entertain me as well.What can I say, sometimes a girl needs a meal and a show.So here's the story of the humble Faluda; as much as I could dig up without actually travelling to its supposed place of origin.

But before that-one distinction-in Sri Lanka you can find two varieties of faluda:the Bombay Faluda and the Sri Lankan Faluda.The difference being the lack of or inclusion of certain ingredients,with the basic mix of milk,rose water and basil seeds/tapioca ( cassata) being the constant.The "fancier" (and in my opinion tastier) Bombay Faluda includes an assortment of jellies,cashews,more colorful flavors and of course more of that ice cream.The one in the picture is the Sri Lankan Faluda-humbler and somewhat lighter on the calories.

It seems that all sources (including the ever reliable Wiki) agree on one fact-that faluda or falooda was introduced to India from Iran via the Parsi community that settled in India during the Muhgal period.It is believed to derive from the Persian drink/dessert Faloodeh.One of the interesting facts about the drink is that the original version is supposed to have included vermicelli made either of wheat or arrowroot.Although the "stringy/crunchy" texture is maintained in the Sri Lankan versions through the use of basil seeds.tukmaria seeds or what is called "cassata".It is the Iranian connection through its diaspora in India that is saluted through the celebrated Bombay Faluda. The drink was possibly brought to Sri Lanka through the small Parsi community who make it their home and then ( as in most cases) adopted and then adapted to suit the tastes and needs of the people. For example,the vermicelli was substituted with the "cassata".Other than this minor change, the falooda/faloodeh has somehow resisted major changes,even with centuries,generations of travel and change,it has stayed loyal to its beginnings.

The humble ( or not so humble) Faluda is a testament to the endurance of travel and migration-the very fact that I can now enjoy a Persian dessert brought to India during the Mughal period,which had then traveled yet another cultural distance to Sri Lanka to finally find its own place among a diverse community of people.