Trips to India are always eventful even if you have nothing planned. It has been hardly a week in India and I am thoroughly entertained.
1. It starts right from the movement when you leave the aircraft and enter your homeland. A huge gust of warm, suffocating air enters your nostrils and reminds you that you are there. The guys at the immigration are really funny. I guess their boring job takes their humor to strange levels and they never leave an opportunity to have some fun. Sample this: my new passport and the photo on it is only 2 years old yet the guy asks me ..
officer: bhai saab .. yeh passport pe foto aap ki hi hai
me: haanji sir
officer: but lag nahin rahi
It left me speechless for a second or two and then I had tough time controlling my laughter.
2. Driving home from the airport comes with its own pleasures. It is like playing a video game where you have to save yourself from all the mines on the road and where you are free to take any lane at your wish without even caring about using the indicators. Who cares ? The guys at the back will take care of saving himself. But I was amazed to observe that the pollution levels have come down drastically in Delhi and also the traffic has eased all thanks to the Delhi Metro. Really appreciable work.
3. I went to see the ODI between India and England at Feroz Shah Kotla grounds and it really overwhelmed me. It was not just warm weather but the warmth from the people sitting there and enjoying the atmosphere which made my day. It made me feel that staying in Germany has made me mind-my-own-business kind of a guy. Human interaction is pretty limited in Germany and seeing the complete contrast from people sitting around me moved me a bit. I have seen many Bundesliga matches at the stadiums but nothing comes to watching cricket live at the stadium in India. People around me were opening their life books so casually that I could not help noticing it. It was an awesome day and India won !
4. I hardly have any urge to switch on the TV since the local gossip is entertaining enough. Who is going with whom, who did what, who ran out with whom, who left whom. Just a cup of tea and there is you go. The Pandora's box opens up. A lot of that gossip is true but a lot is made more interesting by sprinkling in the spicy bits. Now, this is such a contrast from the place I have been living for so long where everyone is only concerned about themselves. Both sides have their pros and cons.
I am sure a lot of this is told before but I wanted to pen down my own experiences. More of the updates on the visit later.
I am sure a lot of this is told before but I wanted to pen down my own experiences. More of the updates on the visit later.
6 comments:
And I used to think we Dilliwalas are too cold for comfort :)
I believed the same but this trip had been a game changer for me. Feel like moving back.
I think ppl in Delhi are cold and distanced mostly, there is lot of distrust in ppl. But as soon as they realise that u r one of their sort, they begin to open up.
Glad to hear that u felt that the pollution level were lower than earlier. Yeah, it changed, but now again reports are showing it's increasing.
RESTLESS
I agree to what you said, Restless. I think more than the people, it is our new ways of life to blame for all the lack of trust amongst us. I hope it gets better with time :)
Video game? You used the exact terminology that I use!! It drives me really crazy when I see these freaks driving.
In the Delhi edition of this video game, highest points should be given if you can safely maneuver those newly built U turns. Like the one which comes when going from Green Park Metro towards AIIMS Metro. Just out of the blue, without any signs or warnings, the road splits into two without white markings, one going straight and the other allowing you to take a U turn. Of course they are helpful but for someone unfamiliar on that route who is tailing a bigger vehicle trying to overtake from left will directly book a room in AIIMS. One can only avoid that by luck or using another life like in a video game :)
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