Wednesday 1 July 2009

delhi...a bygone era

How some people leave a lasting imprint on your life, irrespective of the time they spent with you! How effortlessly they simply touch a moment and it gets imbibed in your very soul...for eternity. One is supposed to wipe away memories if they start to poison the present life but what can be done if its not so easy...if its next to impossible.

A bite of a forgone fruit brings back several memories of my beloved city, Delhi...it brings alive the summers, the sun, the dust, the smell of parched earth...it brings the joy of the first rains, the shared cup of coffee, the long walks on moonlit lonely roads with only fm radio for company.

A picture of purani delhi or india gate or qutab minar brings alive those pangs and I ache to go back to Delhi...I want to saunter on lonely roads, drive on roads leading to forgotten tombs, forts, mosques...feel the whiff of pakodas mixed with the smell of wet earth. Dusk cloaked in mist, airplanes over the highway, some friends to laugh with...some friends to bitch along...a song to sing at the top of my voice.

Unfurl a dupatta over the highest natural point...sit in the gentle waft of alternating hot and cold air, hear the peacock call, watch the parrots fly across the sky coloured by setting sun. Have biryani at tefla, sip the coffee at ganga dhaba...smile to see some memories walking along the road. walk down the length and breadth of the bylanes of JNU...watch longingly at the classrooms i will never be able to enter.

For me Delhi is alive as the best memories of my college days...the most tension free days i ever lived, the most happinesses i could buy in minumum pocket money...the most beautifull journeys that ever happened to me over a bus pass of DTC.

The thousands of times I have chatted with complete strangers, the rarest of times i have spent in a group i absolutely hated...the sidey policemen i came across in sojourns.

And burn and ache and long...
How I miss Delhi!

11 comments:

Manoshi Chatterjee मानोशी चटर्जी said...

you write beautiful.

Me said...

I didn't like Delhi at first but I have really started to appreciate it after nearly seven years. :-D

Unknown said...

Didn't know, you wrote equally touching, and beautifully in English.

Loved it...u have a skill! U have the ability to move mountains. Way to go..

Btw...I am enjoying Delhi..
and I love it


Raj

Razi Shahab said...

it is a real that delhi is a city of joy and good dreams.
i m also in delhi and i love it

Deepti said...

Me too....i just luv Delhi especially south Delhi
wish i cud be a part of it...but not possible.
Alike you, i too have spl memories of Delhi
I must admit that u r simply an awesome writer...who knows to mould feelings into words so well...

Deepti said...

Me too....i just luv Delhi especially south Delhi
wish i cud be a part of it...but not possible.
Alike you, i too have spl memories of Delhi
I must admit that u r simply an awesome writer...who knows to mould feelings into words so well...

Deepti said...

Me too....i just luv Delhi especially south Delhi
wish i cud be a part of it...but not possible.
Alike you, i too have spl memories of Delhi
I must admit that u r simply an awesome writer...who knows to mould feelings into words so well...

Deepti said...

Me too....i just luv Delhi especially south Delhi
wish i cud be a part of it...but not possible.
Alike you, i too have spl memories of Delhi
I must admit that u r simply an awesome writer...who knows to mould feelings into words so well...

Aditya Nabial said...

To be honest, am not too fond of Delhi...Mumbai and Bangalore work better for me. But JNU is a different world altogether. The place offers such wonderful opporutnities and perspectives and it depends on an individual to make the most of it. PSR, the library and the stadium were some of my favourite places and I will look back at my JNU days as a great learning experience.

One thing though I'll definitely not miss is the Delhi winter :-)

versesontherun

fleurvid said...

wow...i miss delhi the same way as u do...i almost caught my breath a couple of times...ur writing is beautiful :)

commited to life said...

i know its a very old post
but cant stop myself from commenting

am delhite
can understand all these emotions

truely delhi IS a wonderful plc to nurture your memories

p.s again passing by