Share
Vadodara is no stranger to protests, but few expected the latest one to be sparked by two missing pani puris. Near Sursagar, a woman stopped traffic this week after refusing to accept what she called unfair treatment from a popular street vendor.
According to bystanders, she was served fewer puris than promised and asked the vendor to make up the difference. Instead of topping up her plate, he reportedly told her to step aside. Instead of leaving, she chose the nearest open space: the middle of the road, and sat down firmly.
For the next half hour, the traffic around her slowed to a careful crawl as two-wheelers and rickshaws tried to squeeze past. People gathered, phones came out, and soon the argument about a few missing puris had turned into the city’s most-watched live drama.
The vendor, seemingly unfazed, carried on with his business as the protest gathered attention. Eventually, the traffic police intervened, persuading the woman to vacate the road and restore some normalcy to the area.
Vadodara has witnessed rallies over civic services, student movements, and political disputes. This time, it was a missing pair of pani puris that brought a busy junction to a standstill; proof, perhaps, that in this city even the smallest crunch can spark the biggest commotion. And while the scene looked comical to many, it also underlined a simple truth: the way vendors treat customers can hit harder than expected, and sometimes a person sitting down for pani puri may really just be sitting down for a bit of compassion.
