As I stood at Gate 20, waiting to board my flight back to
Nonetheless, the woman in front wore a green-ish sari, very typical and simple and was constantly smiling and making jokes in hindi to her husband. They must've been in their 40's, no doubt ending a short trip in D.C.
Amidst all these people, most of which were professionals, shuttling between New York and D.C. (as I do), here stood this very 'Indian' couple. Not only very Indian - but very
There is a noteworthy difference between wearing D&G Bumble-bee shades above your forehead thereby making some sort of fashion statement and wearing a plain pair of shades above your head as a convenience. This lady wore it as a convenience. The typical Aunty style - right on top, serving two essential purposes. (1) It kept her hair back so they wouldn't fall all over her face while she committed herself to the current task of boarding her flight. (2) It was blazing hot outside, so in a second's notice, she could bring them down to serve the purpose they were invented for. Brilliant.
She then pulled out an Ericsson phone, one of those bricks that serve 30 functions, only 2 of which will really ever be used. Ahhh... but wait... can't see the screen -out came the reading glasses from her bag.
Lady: "Anilllll.... what the bloody hell is this? Sameer has just sent a text but I can't see it"
Evidently Anil: "Uffff... why do you buy these complicated things if you're never going to learn to use it baba...."
Lady: "Arre... if you don't teach me then how will I learn baba..?"
Anil: "Read the manual... there's a reason the phone comes with one"
Lady: "But the manual's at home ya... and I don't have the patience so just tell me"
Anil: "I don't have patience for you... achha... do you have the boarding passes"
Lady: "Yes baba... no need to get so hysterical for no reason"
Anil: "Hysterical? ... I just asked you a question... ismae hysterical ki kya baat hai"
Lady: "Achha shuttup now... I have to read Sameer's message"
Anil: (sigh)... *shakes head*
Behind them stood a 24 year old man, thrown back to his Delhi days with a severe longing to be home. All it took was 5 minutes of watching this couple and I had an awkward affection for them - more as a sincere "thank you".
I got on the flight and flew home. I have three homes. The one dearest to my heart,
I hope Joy's able to make it out to
June 23, 2006
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12 comments:
Hehehehe.. ya i totally get the 'Delhi' phenomenon!
Another 'Delhi thing' I saw in Paris - young Indian newly married women who can be seen wearing tank tops and sleeveless shirts, with the trademark bangles (the red & cream coloured ones) covering their hands upto the elbows! Unmistakable!
@Ruchika - No doubt on their honeymoon. Paris? Not sure why someone would pick that as a honeymoon spot.
Odd, isn't it, how home can be such a relative thing?
In the past 6 years, I'll be shifting to a new city for the third time... Hyderabad.
Delhi is my home, I was born there and grew into it... and feel most comfortable there. There are times when I walk down the bylanes of the colony where my family moved to 20 years ago, and around every corner is a memory... that's where I fell off my cycle and hurt my knee.... that's the electic pole where my cruddy cycle's brakes failed and I banged up my chin... leading to an unfortunate incident where I ended up with blood-soaked cotton glued to my chin. Had to go that way to school for 3 days in class 7...
Spent 3 years in Bangalore and consider myself a Bangalorean as well... though my Kannada is shoddy at best...
Been in Madurai for 3 years, and whether I liked it or not, it's gotten under my skin... I'm definately going to miss it.
Next week I move to Hyderabad for another couple of years... I wonder how that will turn out to be.
Home is where the heart is.
That particular couple are the parents' of a friend of mine. I was chatting with him right before reading your post. He was talking about how there was major havoc at some family getogether function thingy in Delhi caused to due to his mother's inability to respond to a text msg his brother sent on her new funky phone (not that she needed a new phone or such a fancy one for that matter....but that also (!) is Delhi) right before they were getting on a flt from DC to NY.
Small world.. but then again once you've lived in Delhi you get used to that... Everybody knows everybody and there is no escape - no matter where you go... and definetely not in Goa around Christmas and NYE. Which brings me to something else... If I remember correctly I bumped into you and Joy on that fateful night of your run-in with Mausam... Btw was that before or after Joy tackled me on Baga beach and you stood there looking completely bemused... what bemused, you were laughing your head off....
Oh, Paris may not have Switzerland's snow-clad mountains or Thailand's hot beaches, but it has 'love in the air'! Take a boatride on the Seine on a clear summer afternoon and u'll know its a great place to be in with someone you love :-)
Aman - get your arse here for new-years-eve. Surdi will probably come see you in July/August, and Mohla will be in Delhi in Dec and Joy/Anya can come after. New York City is a horrible place to be on New Years Eve, I don't have to tell fellow NY-ers that.
Oh, and I got a couple-a-bottles of Glen waiting for you.
@Rohan - dude your comments are like a post themselves. Mad long! But couldn't agree with you more - Home definitely is... where the heart is.
@Maya - thats beyond uncanny. Thats just illogical crazyness. small world huh? talk about taking a swim in a small wad of spit.
@Ruchika - the last time I took a boat ride on the Seine, we were robbed - thats right - robbed. We also had a cab ride with a fairly rude (but entertaining) French dude in a fiery red blazer, sleeves rolled up, who cursed us "Indians" out.
@Arun - but.. but.. I have Glen here Arun :-) Surdy might not come in July/August. Karan might change his plans and be in New York on New Years and Delhi afterwards. Joy is also uncertain but there's a good chance he'll come. Maya and Anya will probably come too.
No doubt New Yalk is not my favorite place for New Years but when you're with good friends (i.e. Joy, Karan, Anya, Maya etc.) a night of expensive decadence in some hi-fi club will undoubtedly be a good time dude. Plus you know I have to be in Delhi on Jan. 23rd so... yeah... won't work.
oh... and mind you - there's nothing great about Delhi on New Years either.
you DO realise that New Years is still about... oh I dunno ... SIX months away, give or take a few days...
The reason nobody wants to spend NYE in Delhi is b'coz you usually end up being at some party that you pay waaaay to much to get into and by the time you realise you've been suckered it starts POURING buckets..
Cut-to: mass exodus Goa... which now also is boring since the Goa State Govt has banned ALL loud music after 10p.m.
Which means find new place to go get wasted.. this year - New York.
Goa banned music after 10 pm?
Thats the stupidest decision they've ever made. A large part of their income over the New Year comes from raving Europeans AND of course Indians from all over. They come, they spend money on rent and foot and booz. No seriously. What is wrong with these people? ARGH!
mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam..
Mumbai - the decadent perpetually crowded and submerged, serial bomb blasted financial and party capital on of india
Chennai - the decadent wild and wicked land of hypocritical and neandethral tamilians who are living in absolute oblivion to their identity
Delhi - the decadent place ive grown up and and ache to go back to, jus not enough, bump into the world neuvo riche national and poltical capital of india
be it ever so humble... theres no place like home???
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