After Shashi Tharoor calls idlis 'perfect dream of human civilisation', Swiggy delivers them to his door

The delivery followed a series of comments by Shashi Tharoor highlighting his appreciation for idlis.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor received a delivery of idlis from Swiggy after his recent post in defence of the South Indian dish drew wide attention online. The Thiruvananthapuram parliamentarian, known for his elaborate writing style, had taken to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to a user who had described idlis as “steamed regret”.

Tharoor countered the remark with a detailed appreciation of the dish. He wrote: “Poor soul has clearly never had a good one. A truly great idli is a cloud, a whisper, a perfect dream of the perfectibility of human civilisation.”

He continued with further praise: “It’s a sublime creation, a delicate, weightless morsel of rice and lentil, steamed to an ethereal fluffiness that melts on the tongue. With the right accompaniments, it is the culinary equivalent of a Beethoven symphony, a Tagore sangeet, a Husain painting, a Tendulkar century. To call such a thing ‘regret’ is to have no soul, no palate, no appreciation for the finest achievements of South Indian culture.”

Poor soul has clearly never had a good one. A truly great idli is a cloud, a whisper, a perfect dream of the perfectibility of human civilisation. It's a sublime creation, a delicate, weightless morsel of rice and lentil, steamed to an ethereal fluffiness that melts on the… https://t.co/J4NE2ddgua

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 27, 2025

The post quickly circulated on social media, prompting Swiggy to acknowledge Tharoor’s words with a gesture of its own. On Sunday, Swiggy employees and delivery personnel arrived at his residence carrying parcels of freshly prepared idlis. A photograph shared by the company on X showed the MP posing with the team and the food.

https://t.co/oTaJ2Ykrsn pic.twitter.com/PifmOlitQF

— Swiggy Food (@Swiggy) September 28, 2025

Swiggy also issued a message alongside the post, written in Hindi. The company stated: “It is a matter of extreme delight for us that we had the opportunity to serve Shri Tharoor Ji the region's finest idli. We hope that our team has succeeded in satisfying his taste buds and that these unparalleled marvels of culinary art have brought him to a state of supreme bliss.”

While in Vienna, I enjoyed the luxury of a Idli breakfast each morning at #Prosi restaurant, one of the best Indian bistros in the Austrian capital. With an attached Indian supermarket across the street, Prosi has become a haven for expatriate Indians and travellers missing home… pic.twitter.com/u8eBXEyNmL

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 1, 2025

The delivery followed a series of comments by Tharoor highlighting his appreciation of the dish. Prior to this, he had posted about enjoying idli breakfasts while in Vienna. Sharing a photograph at the time, he wrote: “While in Vienna, I enjoyed the luxury of an Idli breakfast each morning at #Prosi restaurant, one of the best Indian bistros in the Austrian capital.”