Sambar meal

This incident was recited by Mr. Siraj Taher the President of Hyderabad Bird watchers society. Mr. Siraj Taher is an avid bird watcher and a wild life enthusiast. A relative of Siraj was visiting Hyderabad. He was tired of the vegetarian food that was being served to him. 

While he was travelling he found a sign ‘Sambar served here”. Excitedly our man goes inside and orders Sambar. The waiter was puzzled “what will you have the Sambar with?” “Oh only the Sambar, please” “But sir how can you have only Sambar? What about the main dish?” said the puzzled waiter. “Thanks you but I want only the Sambar”. The waiter went inside and bought a bowl full of Sambar (a sort of soup or watery dal that is consumed along with rice and idlis).

The bewildered relative of Siraj looked all around and said “where is the Sambar?” “Sir, this is Sambar”. “But I don’t see any meat pieces” “Why will you see meat? This is a pure vegetarian restaurant”

Intervention by knowledgeable people saved the day. The relative was thinking that Sambar meant the deer that is found in India. In the north India the deer are called Sambar and the poor man thought that the hotel was serving deer meat. The fact of the matter was the hotel has a sign which said “Idly and Sambar served here” but the idly part was not visible and that created the confusion.