4 min readApr 24, 2026 03:35 PM IST First published on: Apr 24, 2026 at 03:35 PM ISTStardom remains elusive, then comes unannounced. The humble jhalmuri, sold at street corners in West Bengal, had a mundane existence till a high-voltage election in the eastern state catapulted it into the limelight.It happened on April 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country’s top executive, walked into a nondescript jhalmuri stall in Bengal’s Jhargram for a snack break. He shared a video of his interaction with Bikram Shaw, the shop’s owner, on X. Jhalmuri’s moment had come. It was now a talking point, not in a debate over street food, but a political war of words.AdvertisementIn an election in which the ruling Trinamool Congress and the challenger BJP have given no quarter, how could jhalmuri disappear from the discourse without Mamata Banerjee weighing in? The firebrand leader mocked the Prime Minister’s snack break, claiming it was a scripted drama.She also dared him to try out Bengal’s staple fish and rice now that he had enjoyed the state’s popular snack. Banerjee even offered to cook for him. “You will come to Bengal and have jhalmuri. Will you have fish and rice too? You won’t eat fish, eggs, or meat, will you eat my head?” she said at a rally.Also Read | Why ‘poverty is the only caste’ is a myth: From Telangana, a measure of caste inequalityThe Prime Minister responded with a jibe. He said he enjoyed the jhalmuri, but the Trinamool is feeling the jhal (heat).AdvertisementBut for jhalmuri, fame did not come easily. A staple in eastern India, it lived in obscurity for long, silently repeating to itself: Apna time aayega.It was, in fact, jhalmuri’s easy-going nature that became a bane. It is affordable, suits eastern India’s humid climate, and is easy on the gut. The ingredients, muri (puffed rice), mustard oil, chillies and some spices, are easily available and there are infinite customisation options.And the preparation? Well, all you need is a container to mix it all in, and you have your jhalmuri treat. But it is this simplicity that blocked jhalmuri’s way to a spot in the gastronomical hall of fame. What hurt the most was being taken for granted on its home turf. While people in other parts of the country still fancied it, those in the east consumed copious amounts of jhalmuri but rarely sang its praise. The Hindi idiom, ghar ki murgi daal barabar, appears true for muri too.But jhalmuri is no new kid on the block. It has been a witness to history. Food historians talk of its popularity among Allied soldiers in Kolkata during World War II.Snehashis Das, a culinary expert, had earlier told indianexpress.com that Jhalmuri owes some of its popularity to the Railways introduced by the British. “The British railways played a key role in making it widespread, as vendors would sell jhalmuri to passengers at train stations, offering a quick and easy meal for travellers,” he said.you may likeAnd it stuck around, witnessing the freedom struggle, Independence, wars, assassinations, and the rise and fall of political titans. We munched on it while discussing matters of national importance. But not once did we pause to think about what we are munching on.But no more. Jhalmuri has got its big break and is now basking in unexpected fame, while rolling its eyes at those who did not give it its due. The humble muri has triumphed, and it is now the muri eater’s turn to be humbled.The writer is deputy associate editor, The Indian Express. saikat.bose@expressindia.com