2nd APRIL 2017
Dhaula Kuan Bus stop.
1.00 pm
Dhaula kuan bus stop is crowded as usual. The April sun is shining away in glory forcing people to scramble for little islands of shade here and there. Few college girls wait for their buses, their faces and headS dexterously covered in layers of fabric. I am not very sure, what are they trying to avert --the suns blaze or the male gaze. If it is the latter then the futility of their effort can be acknowledged from the ogle their bare arms are receiving from a stout middle aged " muchhad" ( man with dense mustache) standing behind them.
The "semul" tree standing just behind the bus stop is now completely devoid of the scarlet profusion that had populated its branches till about a month ago. semul in full bloom is one of the most magnificent sights of north Indian springs. Now,a month later, some green leaves had started appearing on the fringes instead. Even for the "peepul", far away on the opposite side, the annual ritual of putting on a new garb of fresh leaves for summers has started. The leafless giant is now having russet heart shaped young leaves on some branches which in due course of time would turn green. In the scorching months of May and June ,watching millions of "peepul" leaves dancing slowly to the dust laden winds is no less a spectacle than the "amaltaas" with its cascading yellows. peepul , however to Indians is more than just a tree. You will hardly find a peepal in Delhi devoid of flowers, dhoop batti and other pooja related paraphernalia near its base... bearing untold stories of wishes,dreams and ambitions.
Suddenly, a fleet of red and green DTC buses shield the holy peepal from my sight. A visibly tired old man descends a green bus wearing soiled "gamcha" across his neck with which he keeps wiping the sweat caught between the criss cross of wrinkles on his forehead. He briefly walks towards the bantawala who has put his stall under a huge faded red umbrella, but after few mental calculations the old man turns away and chooses to buy some bananas .Probably thats a little sacrifice to make for the four bananas he will carry home for his ailing wife. . The bantawala is too immersed in his business to pay attention to the cacophony that surrounds him. This is business season for him. Behind an array of glass bottles topped with lemons , he is busy mixing soda, lime and Masala. TO a particular talkative customer he tells that while he sells banta for most of the year...he shifts to "chiniya badam" ( moongfali, peanuts) for the brief winter that Delhi has. Banta is undoubtedly the magic potion which makes Delhi seem like a little rebel ready to move out and conquer even as sun unleashes its unbearable wild fury.
At a distance ,a bougainvillea creeper has created an unlikely nook for some brisk business. A thela selling "chole kulche" stands there thronged by a little crowd of migrant laborers. Listening to their friendly banter ( and taking note of a particular accent) I realize they are from my side of the country ..Bihar. ... For the thousands of Bihari migrants in Delhi, a simple home cooked meal of "daal bhaat chokha" cooked by their wives is the stuff dreams are made of. So for such people Delhi's humble "chole kulche" comes to rescue. Yellow peas served with soft fluffy whitekulchas often accompanied with pickle and raw onion slices . THis one is truly Delhi's signature street food. One that provides much needed fuel to the daily fights of survival in this strange city.
Dhaula Kuan Bus stop.
1.00 pm
Dhaula kuan bus stop is crowded as usual. The April sun is shining away in glory forcing people to scramble for little islands of shade here and there. Few college girls wait for their buses, their faces and headS dexterously covered in layers of fabric. I am not very sure, what are they trying to avert --the suns blaze or the male gaze. If it is the latter then the futility of their effort can be acknowledged from the ogle their bare arms are receiving from a stout middle aged " muchhad" ( man with dense mustache) standing behind them.
The "semul" tree standing just behind the bus stop is now completely devoid of the scarlet profusion that had populated its branches till about a month ago. semul in full bloom is one of the most magnificent sights of north Indian springs. Now,a month later, some green leaves had started appearing on the fringes instead. Even for the "peepul", far away on the opposite side, the annual ritual of putting on a new garb of fresh leaves for summers has started. The leafless giant is now having russet heart shaped young leaves on some branches which in due course of time would turn green. In the scorching months of May and June ,watching millions of "peepul" leaves dancing slowly to the dust laden winds is no less a spectacle than the "amaltaas" with its cascading yellows. peepul , however to Indians is more than just a tree. You will hardly find a peepal in Delhi devoid of flowers, dhoop batti and other pooja related paraphernalia near its base... bearing untold stories of wishes,dreams and ambitions.
 |
| SEMUL FLOWERS |
Suddenly, a fleet of red and green DTC buses shield the holy peepal from my sight. A visibly tired old man descends a green bus wearing soiled "gamcha" across his neck with which he keeps wiping the sweat caught between the criss cross of wrinkles on his forehead. He briefly walks towards the bantawala who has put his stall under a huge faded red umbrella, but after few mental calculations the old man turns away and chooses to buy some bananas .Probably thats a little sacrifice to make for the four bananas he will carry home for his ailing wife. . The bantawala is too immersed in his business to pay attention to the cacophony that surrounds him. This is business season for him. Behind an array of glass bottles topped with lemons , he is busy mixing soda, lime and Masala. TO a particular talkative customer he tells that while he sells banta for most of the year...he shifts to "chiniya badam" ( moongfali, peanuts) for the brief winter that Delhi has. Banta is undoubtedly the magic potion which makes Delhi seem like a little rebel ready to move out and conquer even as sun unleashes its unbearable wild fury.
No comments:
Post a Comment