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

Delhi Diary

Brrr it's cold. Don't remember a colder Rashtrapati Bhavan Republic Day Reception in the past 18 or so that I have attended. The gatherings at the Reception have grown enormously in recent years. It was a couple of hundred's in the Eighties but now a couple of thousand.















The Mughal Gardens through which the guests walk was resplendent with a variety of roses, petunias and pansies in full bloom. The other winter annuals are yet to start blooming. One does get chance to meet with old friends. There was as usual a preponderance of Defence Forces officers but one also spotted faces of a known politicians of yest er-years ( Buta Singh V. C Shukla),artists,writers and scribes; met a few friends in the bureaucracy and police. All in all the function still carries the aura and grandeur of the Raj with buglers on hte ramparts of the Presidential palace heralding the arrival of our first Lady PresidentPratibhaji and Zarkozy, her French counterpart who was Chief Guest at India's 59th Republic day celeberations.















With icy winds blowing over Rashtrapati Bhavan lawns under an overcast sky, there was less glamour to be seen among the guests! Ladies had to cover their backless Cholis with Pashmina and Jamavar shawls. Many in the gathering were disappointed not to get a glimpse of Bruni the French President's girlfriend who according to media gossip was to have joined him at the Taj in Agra ,which he visited immediately after the Republic Day Parade in the morning. There was a 30 minute holdup in the proceedings due to the delayed arrival of Zarkosy's flight from Agra.















Have to attend my Chhotey Mama's younger daughter's son's wedding in the Delhi Cantt later in the evening, Trying to brace myself for this heroic act by lacing myself with Rum in Hot water with Daalchini and Laung. Will wear leggings and thermal vest underneath the Band Gala. Why can't we do something about the Delhi weddings- like making them strictly family affairs or holding much smaller Receptions spread over a year ( a memorable event like marriage should not be allowed to fade away in the one week). This would bring relief to the hundreds of guests who have to travel long distances and face traffic jams to be there at Farm Houses and Party Places in far corners of the city. The experience during peak wedding dates is nightamarish. And yet the Melas continue. Because they came so you go!!











Incidentally, I wore my dark Pinstiped Sherwani and Churidar to the RPB Reception and the comments from friends were very interesting. I quote a few- Very Elegant and approprate"; "Hope to wear this one day if I can stay in shape"; " Didn't know you had joined politics"; " Have you converted ?"- all speaking volumes for background of those who made them. I tried explaining to a few that "this was the only formal wear used by my family for generations so I am comfotable in them"to the presribed and dress worn by all first generation leaders of free India from the North. But I gave up!!






Will attempt attaching a few pictures from my outdoor garden as promised and encouraged to do by Abhiram my older son in his comments added to my last Blog tomorrow, if I manage to save it with my limited knowledge of computronics!!





For your viewing pleasure are attched a few pictures of fresh blooms in my home garden taken this morning with my Nikon Coolpix

C U next week .

Have a great week ahead

Weekly Delhi Diary

After three warm days, winter began creeping back midweek with the temps dropping and the skies remaining occasionally overcast over Delhi. All in all, fairly dicey weather from the colds and coughs angle.

Winter annuals laid out in Lutyens Delhi's roadside parks and traffic islands have begun to bloom with the Calendulas and Dahlias taking the lead over the other varieties. The Chrysanthemums ( Mums in America), the first to bloom and spreading colour and joy the past month in private and public gardens took a beating when Delhi experienced sharp showers on January 9 night. They are now being removed and replaced by by pots of other winter annuals.
In my own home garden, the marigolds have begun to wither and pansy buds formation started, with just a few blooms peaking shyly from behind a thick cluster of leaves. These are, of course, the hybrid varieties from Sakata( Japanese) seedlings. The hardier desi yellow varieties are already in full bloom

Next week shall try to sprinkle my weekly diary with outdoor pictures taken from my digital camera to make the blog more colourful.

My namesake ( Anil Kumble) has brought a wave of good cheer all over India with the team's fantastic victory over the Aussies at the invincible Perth ground. Th tenacity displayed by each member of the team in the teeth of a fierce opposition from the Australian team was in my view, the key to the magic victory scored by us. The match by any standard was very interesting and watchable, restoring, to an extent, the waning appetite among Indian cricket lovers in Test cricket. More hard work and the same spirit may well see India levelling the Series at Adelaide.

Delhiites long expectation of faster commute to Gurgaon are finally set to become a reality with the official opening of the long network of Fly Overs connecting Delhi with Gurgaon and the IGI airport three days before( Jan 23) the Republic Day.
One listens almost daily to the woes of road users over the traffic snarls and increasing chaos on Delhi roads. But the solution, in my view, certainly does not lie in the attention this gets in the local print and electronic media.

First I would like to bring to the notice of the highly spoilt Delhi road users that the delays being suffered by them are nothing compared to the other Metros like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Calcutta.

Also, some credit is due to the city planners and the authorities in Delhi, whether in the Central or state Gov ts for at least thinking about the traffic needs of one of the fastest growing cities of the world in terms of power driven vehicles, in a holistic manner, though a couple of decades late , some planning is finally discernible!

Most of the blame for the chaos on Delhi roads is due to the utter lack of road sense on the part of the users and the almost total absence of enforcement of traffic laws by the Delhi Police.Insufficiency of numbers of Delhi traffic police may be contributing to this phenomenon, but is totally unacceptable as an excuse on the part of DP. I think better supervision and utilization of existing resources is called for.

Another thought on how we celebrate Republic Day. Yes we must be remember the sacrifices of our forefathers in achieving Independence and Democracy in a befitting manner, and keep patriotism and nationalism alive,no doubt. But the scale on which we spend and the rather repetitive nature of the elaborate processions and march pasts on Raj Path causing immense discomfort to road users over several days needs to be looked at again.Is the objective being achieved ?Is there no scope for a more imaginative and innovative approach , but to see India's rich and diverse heritage folk art and and dances performed by children floated past ??


Enough for this week, I think. Hey, this chance to share my thoughts on subjects of interest has whetted my appetite to continue writing this weekly.
How do you find it? Pl help me to make it more readable.
Best of everything in the week ahead

A Cold Week End in Delhi

The Met office was right for a change when it predicted fall in min temp on the weekend, due to "cold westerly winds". Though the sun was out bright and warm, the strong cold winds kept Delhites chilled and mostly indoors. Shailey went to the Garden of Five Senses with the NTRO Ladies Club for Housie and Lunch at the the Bhau Sahib Ka Dhaba, I lazed around after Ram Kumar's rub down. Went to CP to get my new wollen trouser refitted at Mhan lal and Sons ( unsuccessfully) and had Patiey ke Mataren and Kulchey at Bhogal's behind Scindhia House. Then Ashok Saikia's Prayer Meting at the Chinmaya Mission at Lodhi Rd in the evening.. It could have been better. The Bhajan singer broke in with a Nhajan set on Bollywood tune which put me off. The speakers were also inimpressive, except the last who( Gunnu) spoke from the heart and made people close to Ashok cry Today was Lohri. There was no agenda. Shuchi's parents dropped in with the Moongphalis, Revadi and Ghazak. Had tea with them outside on the terrace. Called Kaushal Sahib to check whether they were home and joined them for lunch. Came back and enjoyed a snooze. Lallan( Maj Gen Parmar) and his wife dropped in in the evening and joined us for dinner. All in all a relaxed Sunday. Not much to do in the garden, except watering the beds and sprinking of the lawns. Spinach, Lal Moolis and Dhaniya were cropped and shared with the Sawhneys and Kaushals. Cmpleted my sixth day on the Treadmill during the week. Maight take a break tomorrow and take a walk in Nehru Garden if I wake up early enough. That's all for tonight. Shailey's school officially reopens tomorrow. So back to the routine.

Another Year Begins

A leap year I am told.





The last year ended on a very dark note - losing an old jewel among my friends, suddenly and without any apparent reason, except a one in a thousandth case of cardio surgery complications, at one of the best equipped and manned Heart Care centres in Delhi. The combined prayers and efforts of the best Cardiovascular surgeons in town over several tortous hours failed to check the cruel hand of fate .


The grief stricken faces of Ranjana, Suman, Pikku and the Saikia brothers known to me for over 40 years was too much to bear and I left the hospital, desolate, around midnight. I knew that the battle was over, and the last minute efforts of the AIIMS team which went into the Escorts OT were highly unlikely to succeed.


When Gokul confirmed at 0430 hrs on the cell phone that Ashok ( Roon to family) was no more. Oh No was my reaction in disbelief, though I knew that it was inevitable when I had slept. That is the philosophy of miracles not happening!





Did not quite feel upto leaving for the airport with the kids for the brief get away at Goa planned months in advance. I had anticipated the family taking ashok to Titabar in Assam for the last rites which I was informed was being done. Embalming at AIIMS and the entire family alongwith the remains leaving for Guwahati by the 4 PM flt. Moon the brother immediately after Roon ( based in Jorhat Assam)had already in the morning via Calcutta to make advance preparations.



It was over. Only the formalities involving the family remained to be carried out. The gettogether of three generation cutting across contents involving six cuples and children would have turned sour if I dropped out at the last minute. his would not be fair I thought. So I went to the airport.



Shailey and I were in Goa after nearly eight years. Despite the steep rise in the volume and density of the autos on the roads, we were not disappointed. Met up the few old friends from the early seventies when I spent three years there, as SP Goa , Daman and Diu. The landscape was as charming and the air as balmy as before. The pace of life suddenly slows down as one drives out of the Dabolim( Goa) airport in the port town of Vasco.



The one big change was the bridge over the Zuari river. Earlier, there was only the two ferry boats which took across four cars at a time in the opposite directions.



The Sun and Sand hotel overlooking the Mandovi ( the other great river estuary on which Goa is located) in Panjim is an architectual beauty . It appears tht the five storied hotel has been woven around the old trees on the hill top. A nice and cozy place with the proverbial Goan friendly and hospitable service.



Funkiet Martins and Dr Antonio Valadares our old friends had both gone out of their way as usual to arrange every evening entertainment for the nearly fourteen strong family which had congregated in Goa to spend three nights together. We met up with Funkiet and Antonio's families at different places including the fabulous house of Sadiq, Funkiet's brother-in law married to Gidda, Nanda's ( Funkiet's wife) sister overlooking the Arabian Sea at Donna Paula, a picturesque land mark of Goa close to Panjim town.

Except for our 1 year old granddaughter Antara's stomach infection and six months old Akshay (my late brother's grandson) alo being similarly infected just before our departure at Dabolim, the Goa trip was enjoyable and tranquil with a lot of good goan sea-food, wine, drinks and live music by Goan musical Groups.



Goa was nice and warm but Delhi was feezing when we landed at Palam on Second Jan evening. Delhi was in the grip of a severe cold wave withtemperatures 5 degrees below normal.





The family and close friends dinner do at home last night was well attended with almost all turning up. Shailey had as susual put together a lot of good food while the Boys and I kept the best drinks flowing. All 40 + had a good time with the kids spilling into the bedrooms and the Study.



More in my next Blog for the family with some stuff on my favourite subject Gardening.

Wishing all a happy and healthy 2008