Weekly Delhi Diary- week ending February 16,2008

To the great relief of those (like me) who have a problem with keeping their toes warm during the winter in Delhi,the season finally shows signs of change. Cold winds continue,but there is a perceptible warmth in the sun, which shines bright over Delhi, thoughout the day since wednesday. One is cosy and warm in the sun, but cold when inside. This phenomenon is to be experienced, and not described.

There are clear signs of Spring.I hope that the hordes of winter annuals planted in my garden will soon start to bloom!

On the social scene, the wedding season is back with a bang. The Annual Book Fair in Pragati Maidan concluded last week with record number of visitors. The annual Surajkund Mela in the outskirts of Delhi in Haryana, which has been growing in popularity, and even finds mention under Events Worth Witnessing in the last issue( Asia) of Time magazine, is on. Did not venture to either for two reasons - I work on week-days, and reports of the huge crowds at the venues raising unhealthy dust and long cuues on weekends.There is a 2 day Sufi Music festival being organised by the Times of India at the Kuli Khan's tomb at Qutub Minar, the Defence Expo Exhibition ( MOD)alongwith Security Exhibition Export Promotion Council & CISF) at the Pragati Maidan, Flower Tourism festival at the Garden of Five Senses being organized by Delhi Tourism and the Moghal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan being thrown open to the public

Two quick thoughts to share here- the oragnisers of these events are all Govt bodies and the need for better planning to make sure that those genuinely interested, are able to visit them, without hassles of traffic,parking, entry and exit, in a reasonably dust and filth free environment, including clean facilties of Loos within two to three minutes from where one is, when the need arises!

On a more personal note, a rather hectic weekend lies ahead - the Delhi Police Day Parade tomorrow followed by the CISF Security Exhibition inauguration on Sunday morning. Looking forward to the "Jodha Akbar" show at the the Citiwalk Mall PVR at 4.45 PM on Sunday- thanks to Shubhi's amazing advance planning for Movie tickets!

The lettuce in the kitchen garden are becoming bigger and jucier. The Methi and the Moolis are developing buds and seeds- signs of aging!! They have to be cut . The life of a vegetable is simpler than humans.

I am continuing the Blog on Saturday. The Delhi Police as usual put up a good show at their Raising Day Parade at Kings Way Camp. DP is sixty one years old today we were informed. No one denies the important role the DP has to play in improving the quality of life of Delhiites. But the comfort level of the average citizen on seeing a policeman remains woefully low. But that is another story about which a lot has been said and written but little done, and life goes on- Sab Chalta hai. One has the temples and Masjids and Gurudwaras mushrooming all over the city to pray, and forget the discomforts of every day life.Blame the Sarkar- the Netas and Babus but not think how we as individuals can make a difference.

Enough of lecturebaazi for the week I guess.
Looking fwd to another bright and sunny day ahead tomorrow and the week ahead

Weekly Delhi Diary for week ending February 9, 2008

Icy winds continue to blow over the city. Though the sun is out bright for the past couple of days, the temperatures reamin sub normal. The cosiest place to be in during the day time is a black sedan car with windows up! The cold winds hit you as soon as you step out.

Freakish weather all over with Mumbaikars running for woollens and lit fires. Did I hear right that several parts of Gujarat are in grip of cold wave as well, and there was snowfall over Bhuj!
Tomorrow is Basant Panchami-heralding the onset of spring and warmer weather- celebtrated in parts of north India by wearing yellow coloured clothes, flying kites and having Zarda (sweet saffron rice with Pista, Badaam, Kishmish), Pili Tahiri ( Rice with Gobhi, Alu and Matar). The day is observed as Saraswati Pooja among the educated in the north and the Begalis.
It also signalled hard mugging days ahead for the students since the annual examinations were generally held in March- April.
The sweet rice- Zarda deserves a little more. It surprises me that this delicacy has not been made popular by gourmets of the Mughlai cuisine. I think it deserves more recognition than it has recievedso far in homes and resturants in north India.

But the weather over most of north India this year is not typically Basant Panchami variety.

A strong aroma mixed with nostalgia greeted me when I entered home after work late Friday evening. Shailey, was in the kitchen making guava jelly out of the left over over-ripe guavas sent from Allahabad by my friend Bugun. Knowing my weakness for fresh Allhabad guavas and Moongphalis alongwith with the two varieties of salt one mixed with fresh dhaniya leaves and hari mirch and the other with zeera and kala namak ( natly wrapped in scraps of newspper stips )with which every Allhabadi (worth his salt) is so familiar (they sell like hot cakes all over the city in every nook and corner throughout the winter months), Bugun religiously sends three consigments of these, thrice during the winter months every year to remind us of the good old days. The guava jelly made by my Maa were a favourte at breakfast for the family, especially my father who devoured it with relish, spread over pieces of bread, with generous helpings of a layer of fresh Malai.

Four days ago,as I was getting ready to go to work, I got a frantic call from Kuckee my Mausi's daughter who lives in Calcutta telling me that Bhaggo Mausi, her Mom was very unwell and had to be taken to a hospital by " Mala". " Who is Mala?", I asked. "She is the the one who started Silver Line School" was the very helpful answer! "Cd I have her cell no" " Yes Bhaiyya I think you shd be in direct touch with her to get the latest situation on the ground" was the answer. Kuckee wanted
the phone #s of my nephews and nieces who stay in the neighbourhood of Bhaggo Mausi in Ghaziabad, adding that although there was a Calcutta Bundh, she was trying to fly out to Delhi and Tottoo her younger sister who stays in Jallandhar will leave by road in the next hour. Tried to reach Mala on her cell but her Vodaphone was "either swithed off or out of range" !!
Contacted my nephew and niece in G Bad and told them to get the update on Bhaggo Mausi's condition. Felt very proud to get an update shortly thereafter that she was better.Thank God that there was better connectivity among our family!

Was reminded that I am getting old today. We landed up at a lunch get together at a club in NOIDA to discover that it was for next Sunday!Had checked out invitation card to see the time and the venue before we left. But did not see the date beacuse I was so sure that it was today.

Anyway, went to see Bhaggo Mausi after a lunch in a Chinese restaurant in Sector 18 NOIDA.
She didn't look very good but was very very happy to see us. All of eighty six years . Made her sit up and brush her silver hair. Think she will pull through, with both her daughters and sons in law with her now. But Bhaggo Mausi chooses to live by herself in the large house built by Mausaji, post retirement in 1964. A maid and her husnand who works in the college she was principal of, stay with her and look after her needs for the past 16 years!She remembered her family,including my Maa, and how she me-her dark son! Very affectionate and unaffetced, like the rest of my mother's family.


After Bhaggo Mausi, we went over my late sister's home in Gbad to meet with her children- all doing well, by God's grace.
So much for this weekend. Hopefully, the last "cold weekend in Delhi.
Take care all, and God Bless
Love

Delhi Diary ( February 2, 2008)

No respite from the Cold wave conditions over Delhi!

Today was worse than yesterday with the sky overcast thoughout the day. The brisk walk to Nehru Park with Shailey in the morning, and a spot of gardening braced me for the day . But by noon the icy winds began to cast its gloom.

Looking back at the week gone by, Delhiites continued to shiver. Seems like the cold wave is almost a worldwide phenomena. Today, I heard that parts of China are experiencing the worst cold wave conditions in 50 years!Hope it gets over in Delhi soon.

India got a drubbing by the Kangaroos in Melborne. Typical of us to falter badly after the heroic victory at the Twenty Twenty world Cup. Forever, dicieving their fans fans after flattering them - that's the Indian Cricket team!

The long awaited Delhi Gurgaon Expressway finally opened. But the newspapers are full of stories about problems being faced by the commuters due to faulty functioning of the controls at the Toll posts Teething troubles I hope.

Lunch at the Islamic Culture Centre on Lodhi road with friends from the US ( the food was nothing to write home about but the decor was impresive with tialled Islamic caligraphy murals on the walls and ceilings of the recently commisioned building. It was followed by tea in Delhi Gymkhana Club alcoves. There was no place to sit by the four fireplaces. But the tea and muffins were nice. Now to the dinner at the Army Golf Course.

It drizzled bit in the evening washing the dust laden trees and plants. The forecast for tomorrow is bright and sunny day. Looking foward to it.

Not much to write about the winter annuals. Not many bud formations or blooms t except the Pansies and Calendulas, (which I didn't plant) noticed. A sample of another fresh bloom in the potted plants at home is added for your viewing pleasure-

Another small dinner get-together being hosted at home tomorrow night for a former colleague leaving on posting abroad to Germany. A mutton and fish menu of home cooked and well tried recipes planned. Chicken is going off the table in Delhi due to the fear of bird flu having spread to several parts of West Bengal and even Pakistan( Karachi)!!

Nothing more for this week.

Good luck to all