In Bhopal circles, kitty party menus on diet amid LPG shortage

BHOPAL: The ripple effects of rising LPG prices - fuelled by tensions between Iran, United States and Israel - are now simmering far beyond kitchen stoves. In Bhopal, they've quietly reached one of the city's most vibrant social circuits: The kitty party.For food-loving kitty groups known for elaborate spreads and restaurant-hopping rituals, the spike has meant dialing down the extravagance - sometimes reluctantly, at times creatively.Harpreet Saluja of the 'Just Enjoy' kitty group says the change was impossible to ignore this month."Every month we head to a classy restaurant and enjoy everything - mocktails, starters, main course and desserts. It's a full-on feast," she laughs.

"But when we visited a star hotel recently, the menu prices had climbed so much that we skipped the fluff and went straight to the main course. It felt strange, but when each of us is part of three or four kitty groups, the wallet starts protesting." Members of the 'Sparkle' group faced a similar moment of truth just as they kicked off a new kitty round this month.Kalpana Dewan, one of the group's prominent members, says their years-old routine needed a quick makeover.

"We've always had a proper lunch kitty at the same restaurant. But this time the buffet was nearly 30% more expensive. So, we switched to a high-tea format at a different venue. It's lighter on the pocket - though our foodie hearts still miss the lavish lunches." It's not just venues that are shrinking; menus are going on a diet too. "In our 'Divine Divas' kitty, hosted at an upscale restaurant, we earlier had four sweets and four savouries for high tea," says senior member Mrinalini Verma.

"But now we've cut the spread by almost half. Surprisingly, no one minds. Everyone knows prices are soaring."With many members juggling three or four kitties every month, some hosts are turning the challenge into an opportunity to experiment. Amrita Goel of 'Sweet and Sorted' group recently swapped the usual restaurant outing for a themed get-together at home. "Hosting 15-20 people is definitely more work, but I decided to make it fun," she says. "We created a village-themed setup with a scarecrow, a baithak and even a chulha corner. Everyone loved it - we clicked endless pictures and chatted for hours. In fact, it felt more relaxed than a restaurant lunch."