"Beware the ides of March" the Soothsayer had warned Julius Ceaser!But why should we?
My late sister Minoojji,perhaps the liveliest among the 7 Chowdhry children, was born on this day. I used to tease her that Shakespear had foreseen her arrival and had issued a general warning through his immortal writing!I miss and pray for her today.
After my return from a short trip to Mumbai last weekend,to my suprise, Delhi had become much cooler. Cool bracing winds continue to make the mornings and evenings very pleasant.
The winter annuals are also at their peak. My 9 months old home garden is turning into a riot of colours.
This morning, I had finished with my weekly oil massage by Ram Kumar, ITBP barber who has helped me indulge in this luxury for a tip of a mere Rs 100 for about 15 years incessantly pleading for his several realives to get some Govt job or the other, occasinally reminding me when my supply of imported ( Neuteregena) Body oil stock was running low and he may have to switch to the smelly and sticky mustard oil unless Bhaiyya Log ( my sons) living abroad replenish the stock.
Could hear a commotion among the domestic helps, security staff and the part time Maali . Lakhu, our domestic of twenty years standing was asserting his auohority by informing the Security guy on the gate, "Thehro Hum aake dekhte hain". "What is it" I asked. " Koi Madam ayi hain or garden ki photo lena chahti hain" he answered me in his usual reverent tone. I stepped out and found a young lady with a camera at the door step with her digital camera. " I lived here a decade ago with my parents( father IAS)- got married ( to an IAS) in a Mandap under that tree. Have returned to look at the house whenever on my visits to Delhi out of nostalgia, but never found the garden looking so beautiful" she explained, with nostalgia written all over her face.
" Thank you", I said with a sense of pride expanding my aging chest. "You may click as many pictures as you please" I responded cheerfully. My day was made!!
The other day, as I left office to collect my wife from her school where she teaches or our usual lunch get-togetheras at home, she frantically called on my cell phone. " I won't be free for another 20 minutes so you go home and start your lunch, unless you want to spend 15 minutes at the Priya complex (adjoining her school in Vasant Vihar)". OK I said and asked to stop the car near Priya Cinema.
Perhaps for the first time in many years I found that I was at a fovourite hang out of the young in Delhi all by myself. I walked along leasurely observing activity all around me at the busy shopping , eating and entertainment complex.
It was indeed very fascinating to see youngsters of all hues enjoying themselves during the lunch hour. From school kids to college students. What I found intresting was that there were two distinct layers of the Delhi youth mostly in denim jeans and T shirts, all enjoying themselves- the richer kids inside the posh retaurants like Punabi By Nature, TGI Friday, Macdonalds, Nirulas, Barista etc and the not so affluent, equally happy tucking in the Momos, Chinese , South and North Indian cusine at the numerous kiosks selling adjoining the posh shops and eating places. The added advantage at these kiosks was that you could guide the cooks on exactly how much Masala and chillies you wanted in your mouth watering dishes being prepared in the open air.The weather was balmy and the mixed aromas of the far eastern and Indian cuisine filled the air. There were certainly signs of the new buying power of the young in India's capital city.
Sunday was spent exploring Gurgaon and Manesar on Delhi Jaipur road with old friends Dilip and Sushil looking for investment opportunities for our NRI kids. The explosion of construction of swanky commercial buildings on both sides of the NH 8 was amazing and thrilling.
Took pictures of our home garden on my return home.
Will try to post a few on this blog for your viewing pleasure.
My next weekly blog will hopefully be about my impressions of Hongkong which I am visiting after 15 years.
visit Delhi
2 comments:
Good to have the blog come back to its usual Delhi round up. Not sure why but you always manage to make Delhi sound better than what I find it when I return on my yearly trips :)I am sure the garden is in the best of bloom. Looking forward to having you and Mom here this week! Pretty exciting ..
Good to get the regular update Dad. The massacre continues on Wall Street with one bank after another crumbling!
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