Why these Indian parotta makers want to return to China

RAMANATHAPURAM: Nearly 400 'Indu Sui Bing', or Indian fly parotta masters from Puliyur area and adjoining villages in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district who flew to India in January and February when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak in China are restlessly waiting to return. Despite the recent tensions between the two countries following the stand-off at Galwan Valley, their decision to return to the neighbouring country remains unchanged. Twenty Indian soldiers, including Hawildar Palani from Tamil Nadu, lost their lives during the face-off with Chinese soldiers. “As an Indian citizen I am disturbed by the martyrdom of Palani, who hails from our district, at Galwan Valley on June 15. He died protecting India. But I cannot condemn China. Though I am an Indian citizen, I rose to this level because of China,” says Umamani Kalingarathinam, 45, of Puliyur who has been making parottas in China since 2004. medium74113864These parotta masters had successful careers making ‘Indu Sui Bing’ or ' Indian fly bread' at hotels in China, Unlike India, where it served as the main dish, the multi-flavoured ‘Indu Sui Bing’ is served as dessert in China and shared by two or more people. The delicacy that weighs about 150 grams is priced at Rs 200 apiece when stuffed with a variety of fruits like banana, pineapple or flavoured spreads like peanut butter and vegetables. The non-vegetarian ‘Sui Bing’ stuffed with sardine, chicken, mutton, beef and rarely pork costs Rs 250. On an average a parotta master can earn Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 a month in China. medium76829508But it is not only employment, the parotta makers have friends in China, whom they miss. Although the Indian government has banned 59 Chinese mobile apps including chat application WeChat, they have managed to stay in touch with family and friends in China through virtual private network (VPN). Umamani said his brother-in-law Ananthakrishnan, 32, is still in China making parottas in Xian city, Shaanxi province. Umamani's Chinese employer and friends also eagerly wait for him to return.Another parotta master from Puliyur, R Prabhu, 32, had been making ‘Indu Sui Bing’ in Shanghai for 13 years before he was forced to return home due to the pandemic. After completing a course at the Industrial Training Institute, he worked at an electrical company in Chennai for Rs 4,000 a month. In 2007, he flew to Shanghai where he started making parottas for Rs 10,000 a month, which increased over the years. “I was making Rs 1 lakh a month before I flew to India due to Covid-19 on January 31,” he said, adding that he was without a job for the last five months.With his earning in China, Prabhu repaid debts to the tune of Rs 15 lakh and got his sister married. He said his employer and friends in China have not developed hatred towards him due to the tension across the border. “We are not experts to comment on government policies, international affairs, trade and commerce. All we want is go back to work and earn,” he said. medium74114084Some are even willing to work in India. T Parthiban, 37, who was making Rs 55,000-Rs 60,000 a month in Guangdong, is even ready to get back to work here as a parotta maker for Rs 15,000 a month. “Leave alone China. Let the government of India open hotels here so that I can run the family without debts. I need to feed a family of five and currently I am jobless. I have debts to the tune of Rs 4.5 lakh to be repaid and am left with no other option but to go to China to work if I cannot find a job here,” he said. medium74113924How Tamil Nadu's parotta became China's dessertChina's tryst with parottaas began in the 1990s, when a young P Ahamed, who was working at a night-time eatery in Malaysia, took Tamil Nadu's parotta to China and became a role model for hundreds of villagers in drought-hit Ramanathapuram. Tossing a parotta high into the air and catching it with his hands, then repeating the process to widen the diameter of the dough started out as a hobby for Ahamed. Now 49, he says he never imagined he would be a pioneer in taking parottas to China.Ahamad started making parottas at a small eatery in his village in Ramanathapuram district that his family ran in front of their house in 1987 after he failed Class X. In 1990, Abdul Rahman (who later became his father-in-law) took him to Malaysia to make parottas. “I worked there for four years and was tossing the dough in the air when Fang, a Chinese from Malaysia, curiously observed me and asked if I would go to China to do the same,” he said. medium74113763The young parotta maker who was drawing Rs 12,000 a month back then in 1994 took the offer when Fang promised double the salary. More surprises awaited him in China. “The climate in Guangzhou was cold but people there were unexpectedly warm. I was treated like a celebrity as they were fascinated by a foreigner with dark brown complexion, which was completely new to them. They used to touch my skin to check if I am really tan,” he laughed.In 1995, Ahamad took his cousin Syed to China to help him out. While Syed continues as an ‘Indu Sui Bing’ maker, Ahamed quit and switched to exporting commodities from China. The network spread with relatives and friends referred from various parts of the district and neighbouring districts like Sivaganga and Pudukottai. Hundreds of parotta masters now work as ‘Indu Sui Bing’ makers in China.Umamani Kalingarathinam said the Chinese were fascinated to see parotta masters toss the dough high up in the air and spread it till its diameter was about 3 feet. "The dough is then garnished with fruits, vegetables and non-vegetarian dishes before it is folded to the size of ‘A4’ paper and baked on a flat pan. Cut into 12 to 16 pieces, it is served like cookies as a delicious dessert, with each customer tasting a piece or two after a sumptuous Chinese meal," he added.medium76849808This story was originally published in February 2020. It has since been updated