another city, another life
So much has been happening in my life. There's the move to Delhi from Bombay. Separation from your hometown normally causes instability and some level of grief. But in my case, I feel the need to be outside Bombay, for a bit, to really crave the madness of the city. All through my adult life, I've had various stints outside the city and I've always felt my heart beat harder for the city after I've been out for a year or two. Any more, and I miss it too much.In this process I've managed to make second homes of other cities. Pune, Columbia(S.C), Philly. I wonder how its going to be with Delhi. I've always thought of Delhi as a city I would never fit in. And this, despite being born there. Now, I find myself at this juncture where work forces me to move there. At least spend half my time in that city. Half my time would still be in Bombay. This is an ideal plan for me to feel the pulse of the city, which has so much more to offer than Bombay, as far as arts, culture and intelligentsia go. Its true!
In the past couple of months I have spent considerable time in the city and i realised its not as bad the un-hype. That's the weird structure of Indian metro cities. People from Bombay get along very easily with people from Bangalore or Chennai or Calcutta. It takes a little longer to let your guard down with a person from Delhi. I find this very misguided. I have been guilty of this to some extent, despite my gregarious nature.
"Beautiful city, crappy people", is the standard response I got, when I told people in B'bay that I was moving to Delhi. Not true. I have met a lot of very nice people, many of whom took their time to drop guard with B'bay people. "So, the feeling is mutual", I surmised. All very lovely people, i learned; in due course. And some very uninhibited free souls. Something I used to think was a B'bay/B'lore phenomenon. Now they're almost impossible to find in B'bay. I wonder how B'lore still manages to give birth to such gems. Must be the air, or the water, or the raagi.
There's this comment I've heard comparing B'bay to Del.
It goes:" Delhi makes everyone its own, But nobody makes Delhi their own. Bombay, on the other hand, resists everyone, but everyone wants to make Bombay their own."(Some of the punch may have been lost in translation. I apologise)
So, here I am, Dilli. Make me your own. I promise to try my hardest to return the favour.
posted by chandru @ 7:05 PM
2 Comments:
I heard Delhi is the new fashion capital of the east. I am sure it will keep your creative side busy. Good Luck!
yeah Chandru, I was telling Madhu that since most fashion creators were creating their paradise there- you have moved there. In a weird way it makes me sad to imagine B'bay without you. But if we have to roll the Delhi way, for you- SO BE IT!
Post a Comment
<< Home