Saturday, July 21, 2007

Delhi: Of roadside cholle, Livewire Spirit and the Ugly Delhi Belly

Been some time, coz its been long since i was able to gather my thoughts. Aisa nahin tat time nahin raha aur intent nahin raha just that thoughts have their own way piling up.

Reached apne vatan (meri pyaari dilli) almost a week back, after packing off from my old flame-mumbai. Jab bhi mumbai se durr jaata hun, there s some invisble magnetism which re-appears pulling me back. I hope am able to resist it this time.

Had heard, had read but am first time expeiencing the fun of a sabbatical. Totally relaxed and directionless.

Free of schedules.........

Today was going to my old den, enclave and somethings change for the better and somethings never change. Notorious as they are for their stubborness, delhi autowallahs(blame me for chosing a day when i had no one to drop me nor i had something available for myself) had their brief tete-e-tete with yours truly. And me insisting on travellign by Meter(which is a showpiece element as far as they are concerned) post loads of wraggling, and me having my way i realized to my dismay and the autowallah to his newly found smile, that the rates on the meter had been rationalized and it finally totalled up more than he was originally bargaining for.

So much so for my overrated bargaining confidence...............


Delhi food does something to your olfactorial tendencies. This huge brass drum dishing out mattri cholle, something which i grew up on during school days, and the moment my gaze caught the familiar shape, all fundas which i religiously dish out to fellow mumbaikers of hygiene etc went for a toss.
The mouth-watering was so sudden and permanent that it was as if iam being governed by some programmed chip. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyy, i am loving it. The mirchi, the teekha pan, khatta, y am i not back to this place for ever, i lament.


Being an avid shopper and vouyeristic tendencies of seeing people shop, malls khulle new and i dunt go, equation doesnt complete. To chale hum shopping on Friday evening. And what i liked most was the inclusivness of Delhi malls. For the first time, Delhi is showing a character where what you are, what you speak and where you come from doesnt prohibit you from being a part of the social circus. People who sometime back would not have thought about going to malls or who could not have, were thronging the empty spaces with fervour and not getting overawed by the western ambience or style. It was no longer about the exclusive club or elitist feel that Delhi usually throws to non-ostentatious fellow delhi-ites. It is the new layer which is adding another dimension to the milieu of socially active Delhi.

When i started writing this piece, i had thought about putting something in detail, something when i heard really disturbed me. But now i dunt know whether whats right or not. Just would say, immoral promiscuity is seeping in pretty fast as Delhi moves in to the fast lane. Certain instituions are sacrosanct but i feel sacrilege is being committed because of the adulterous lifestyle people are accepting and adopting. I hope all this rut doesnt end up creating an Ugly Delhi Belly

I read something really lovely today. Would want to dish it out

Fate served me meanly, but I looked at her and laughed,
That none might know how bitter was the cup I quaffed
Along came Joy and paused beside me where I sat,
Saying, 'I came to see what you were laughing at