Chaliyu, Taasdi…the bowls of Gujarati serve ware

These Vatka/વાટકા to us are just bowls. One name for all. However, they are individuals in their own right and Gujarati language has specific names for them depending on their shape and use. Top right is Taasdi/તાંસળી, a brass or bronze bowl designed for one bowl meals, which usually is crumbled rotla/millet flatbread in kadhi, milk or rasawala shaak. The Taasdi are large enough to hold 1-litre liquid. In an era when wars were fought with swords, the Taasdi worked as protective gear when the foot soldiers wore it overhead ( like a helmet, underneath the turban. It protected them from sword ambush. On the top left is Dabariyo/ડાબરિયો a slightly deep bowl or one with tall walls. On the bottom left is Chaaliyu/છાલિયું one of the most popular bowls on our Thaali. It is used to serve milk, dal, kadhi or Raab. Always made with brass a chaaliya will invariably bear the beaten imprint over it. A perfect sized chaaliya holds 500 ml liquid. The Tasdi will always be bigger than Chaaliya. On the bottom right is Kaasiyu, a bowl made with Kansa/bronze metal. They have a rather flat bottom and the rim has an inward curve. There is another shape in Kaansiyu/કાંસિયા with the bowl walls leaning outwards, I have those too but in Ahmedabad. Hopefully, someday will line and capture all these Vaatka variants together. I was rummaging through the prop boxes yesterday and found all of these seating into the other. With the renewed interest of writing about these Patra, I photographed them as they usually are to be found in rural homes across Gujarat, neatly lined up over a Abhrai/open kitchen shelves. Apart from Taasdi all three bowls are family heirlooms