When I read this, nostalgia crept back in.
Its been more than 13 yrs since I parted with my beloved Del, my birthplace.
We've been to approx. 3 cities post leaving Delhi and each time I was actually pretty excited at the prospect of discovering something new. And not for one moment I ever thought about going back to Del. Maybe I was too young to realize anything.
But since the past 1.5 years the feeling of “going back” is getting stronger. This is both surprising and heart-wrenching.
Surprising because I have spent only 1st seven yrs of my life there and the visits back home have considerably reduced for me, reason being my studies and exams which always find way into days when there are functions like नाना नानी की golden anniversary being celebrated or one of my cousin bros getting married. So I am the ONLY one who stays back while everyone else makes their presence felt in दिल्ली।
My last trip to Del was approx. 4 yrs back. The 3 weeks there consisted of meeting known and unknown relatives, finding out my 12th board marks, getting my 1st ever सलवार कमीज़s stitched in 3 different styles (churidar, patiala, parallels .. never wearing them more than once each .. not too fond of them .. they take away a certain part of me and I’m not too comfortable with that), going to CP (Connaught Place for the uninitiated) and other places. And ofcourse नानीs place was awesome as usual.
Also met my 1st ever childhood friend. We’ve been catching up a lot lately. Listening to my rants about Del she has resolved to find me a nice पंजाबी मुंडा residing over there. She made me list down my specifications and she is on the lookout.
But I am not too sure if I ever want to live the rest of my life there.
However, I DO know what I want to do/not do the next time I visit Del.
I don’t want to meet unknown/long-lost relatives (unless there are some cute cousin bros) … only the closest family. I don’t want to sit at home watching TV … I don’t want people to say everytime they look at me "हाय! कितनी बड़ी हो गयी है !"
Its been more than 13 yrs since I parted with my beloved Del, my birthplace.
We've been to approx. 3 cities post leaving Delhi and each time I was actually pretty excited at the prospect of discovering something new. And not for one moment I ever thought about going back to Del. Maybe I was too young to realize anything.
But since the past 1.5 years the feeling of “going back” is getting stronger. This is both surprising and heart-wrenching.
Surprising because I have spent only 1st seven yrs of my life there and the visits back home have considerably reduced for me, reason being my studies and exams which always find way into days when there are functions like नाना नानी की golden anniversary being celebrated or one of my cousin bros getting married. So I am the ONLY one who stays back while everyone else makes their presence felt in दिल्ली।
My last trip to Del was approx. 4 yrs back. The 3 weeks there consisted of meeting known and unknown relatives, finding out my 12th board marks, getting my 1st ever सलवार कमीज़s stitched in 3 different styles (churidar, patiala, parallels .. never wearing them more than once each .. not too fond of them .. they take away a certain part of me and I’m not too comfortable with that), going to CP (Connaught Place for the uninitiated) and other places. And ofcourse नानीs place was awesome as usual.
Also met my 1st ever childhood friend. We’ve been catching up a lot lately. Listening to my rants about Del she has resolved to find me a nice पंजाबी मुंडा residing over there. She made me list down my specifications and she is on the lookout.
But I am not too sure if I ever want to live the rest of my life there.
However, I DO know what I want to do/not do the next time I visit Del.
I don’t want to meet unknown/long-lost relatives (unless there are some cute cousin bros) … only the closest family. I don’t want to sit at home watching TV … I don’t want people to say everytime they look at me "हाय! कितनी बड़ी हो गयी है !"
I want to visit every nook and corner of the city … from the ढाबाs to the discs to the smallest दुकान to the malls alike. I want to SEE Delhi. I want to FEEL Delhi. I want Delhi to treat me like her own … a Delhite! I want to see the night sky in Del … to me it will certainly look different. I want to experience Del to the last drop of my blood so that I never ever forget it.
I don’t know why I have been feeling so strongly about going back considering I haven’t really spent much time there. And it’s a heart-wrenching feeling. I feel pathetic thinking about it. All I know is that the harder I try to make my trip a reality the harder it is to realize.
I am waiting for the day I will get to go back … go back to look at the house where I was born (the place has been sold now) … and I don’t even have a photograph…………..Go back to meet my friends ... see the city on my own … probably make new friends.
Delhi beckons me and I am desperate to stand on that ground again that I once called home…
11 comments:
I remember one of the first things we ever spoke of back in FE was Delhi.... :)
Anyway.....i miss Nirula's and Nathu's the most. And that "kitni badi ho gayee ladki" is universal I guess. I am a victim of that every year.... hehehe....
@gauri: That was actually the first thing that caused me to take more interest in you .. not realizing that we will build up a friendship so remarkable! :)
I miss nirula's too .. esp.the ice-cream sodas that we just dont get over here!
funny ..my comments dont get saved...this is this 3rd time ur blog has refused to register my comment.
OOooooooh OH MY GOD..i miss dilli too...dilli haat,dilli chaat,dilli gossip..absolutely evrything about it...but wen i think about the "safety" aspects i dont really miss it all dat much..
but yeah..ive spent few of my BEST years back der...made wonderful frnds..and yes dat place holds a verrrrrry special place in my heart..i m planning a visit sumtime dis year... so i m sure ull be glad to tag along.. ;)
As I had mentioned earlier [but failed to post] ... not to forget the chocobars and other chutku ice-creams on the lawns at India gate :) If you are quite young, one can throw in the added incentive of playing with the cool shaped balloons :D
@gay3: i will be delighted to accompany you my dear! yeah i am concerned about the safety too .. but i think we know enough people there who can guard us! ;) lol
@golu: yeah .. when u mentioned india gate the 1st thing that popped into my mind was that of those huge round balloons in varied colors that i used buy at Rs.5 each as a kid! :D i used to love those!! :D
God!!there are just sooo many things i miss about del!i cant write so much here! :|
India Gate... its a personal favorite too. Does anyone know the children's park right beside it? That place was heaven for a 7 year old and I used to frequent it almost every sunday morning.
@jaan: children's park is where i used to buy the balloons!! :D
every time my parent's wud say "we're going to india gate" i'd always ask "will u buy me ek bada wala gol gubbara .. dis time in red color?!" :D
Another place they'd frequently take me to was connaught place .. its like i almost grew up in CP!! we'd mostly be in that centremost circular garden they have there.
And my budday cakes wud always come from wenger's in CP (which is abt 1.5 hrs away frm my paternal home) .. and nxt to wenger's is keventer's whr u get awesome milkshakes, their best one being strawberry flavor! :D
PS: Anyone aware of D'Paul's in CP?? I recently came to know its owned by a distant(really distant) relative of mine .. though i've never been there!
Me talking of the children's park with the see-saw's and swings and an aquarium...not just the lawn surrounding India Gate!!
i remember that children's park had some see-saws , swings, AND tunnels.. god, i loved those.. and though i havent lived in del, just visited relatives, it has some real cool memories.. then, there was the appu ghar :) and the rail museum; and ofcourse nirulas at CP.
oh yeah .. THAT children's park! yeah that one was awesum .. and so was the rail museum and the doll museum!
and btw .. nirula's is everywhere .. but my fav.(for a reason close to my heart) is d one at karol bagh .. that one has been bombed twice and rebuilt and we jus cannot help but go back to it!
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