Delhi: Day1
It's been a mixed bag of emotions since landing in Delhi last night. (Horrid time: missed my flight in the morning - had to buy a fresh ticket - didn't get a direct flight, went through hyderabad - avoidable.)
The first thing that strikes you about delhi, at night or during the day, is the 'space'. Everything here is BIG. The houses are HUGE! Roads are quite awesome. All working towards getting ready for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. And Delhi has a 'Common Minimum Plan' for 2010 and 2020. All the shops in residential areas (more than half of them) are going to be shut down or sealed if not shut. By 2020 - about 30% of Delhi will be razed to the ground - primarily illegal settlements, encroachment of land, hutments and the like.
It was good to finally reach home last evening...had some yummy food (SpiceJet serves water and Minto's on the flight, and when i asked if we would be given something else - the hostess promised a 'surprise' {at which point i was thinking 'wet t-shirt contest'} - but i was given a cookie instead!!) ...had a good night's sleep.
..surfaced around 9 this morning...was ready and at the table by 10 for some breakfast....then was out to meet my cousins in Naraina Vihar. I'm presently staying in New Friends Colony - Naraina is about 45mins away. The other great thing about Delhi are the flyovers - thanks to them you just don't hit a 'junction' - you 'fly' past them! hehe
Once at my badima's place...i finally met my nephew!!! He's so enthuuuu!! :) :) :) Full of energy - he's barely a year old and is already talking...well, repeating words :) but very smart for a 1yr old! ....later, it struck me that 24 years ago...my parents were carrying one year old me around and my mama (mum's bro) was probably feeling the same as i did today....was a surreal feeling....that the 'lifecycle' happened so fast and the 'next generation' of Malhotra's was already here...
Had the same feeling again when i was browsing through my cousins' wedding album...and found a studio shot with my cousin, bhabhi and their son. I remember seeing a similar photo of my parents, my dad's parents - and me. ...that was shot 24 years ago....and here i was looking at the following generation with the generation following! ....maybe 'generation' isn't the right word...but this little one year old kid is the first of the next bunch...
The other conversation that was a constant today was about my wedding. And that i should get married within a year. :) I thought it was sweet, but i really don't want to be married for another 3 or 4 years at the very least. There's also the small matter of finding a girl and falling in love. I'm a romantic...so that's the route i'd like to take :)
Overall it's been a nice day...i love being with family. Especially coming to Delhi or going down to Coorg...meeting people you would only ever see in a wedding once in 5 or 7 years...or almost never. It's important to 'connect'. And to keep that 'connection' alive with these very people.
There's something so amazing, pure and simple about a photograph....a moment in time....they really do speak a 1000 words and more.
So don't be embarassed to take a photograph the next time you're out with the 'out've town cousins' at the favourite chinese restaurant. The embarassing picture of you - with your sunniest smile ever - AND a large piece of spinach in your teeth...might actually be worth the memory. ;) Hey, if it makes a few people laugh - what the heck!
The first thing that strikes you about delhi, at night or during the day, is the 'space'. Everything here is BIG. The houses are HUGE! Roads are quite awesome. All working towards getting ready for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. And Delhi has a 'Common Minimum Plan' for 2010 and 2020. All the shops in residential areas (more than half of them) are going to be shut down or sealed if not shut. By 2020 - about 30% of Delhi will be razed to the ground - primarily illegal settlements, encroachment of land, hutments and the like.
It was good to finally reach home last evening...had some yummy food (SpiceJet serves water and Minto's on the flight, and when i asked if we would be given something else - the hostess promised a 'surprise' {at which point i was thinking 'wet t-shirt contest'} - but i was given a cookie instead!!) ...had a good night's sleep.
..surfaced around 9 this morning...was ready and at the table by 10 for some breakfast....then was out to meet my cousins in Naraina Vihar. I'm presently staying in New Friends Colony - Naraina is about 45mins away. The other great thing about Delhi are the flyovers - thanks to them you just don't hit a 'junction' - you 'fly' past them! hehe
Once at my badima's place...i finally met my nephew!!! He's so enthuuuu!! :) :) :) Full of energy - he's barely a year old and is already talking...well, repeating words :) but very smart for a 1yr old! ....later, it struck me that 24 years ago...my parents were carrying one year old me around and my mama (mum's bro) was probably feeling the same as i did today....was a surreal feeling....that the 'lifecycle' happened so fast and the 'next generation' of Malhotra's was already here...
Had the same feeling again when i was browsing through my cousins' wedding album...and found a studio shot with my cousin, bhabhi and their son. I remember seeing a similar photo of my parents, my dad's parents - and me. ...that was shot 24 years ago....and here i was looking at the following generation with the generation following! ....maybe 'generation' isn't the right word...but this little one year old kid is the first of the next bunch...
The other conversation that was a constant today was about my wedding. And that i should get married within a year. :) I thought it was sweet, but i really don't want to be married for another 3 or 4 years at the very least. There's also the small matter of finding a girl and falling in love. I'm a romantic...so that's the route i'd like to take :)
Overall it's been a nice day...i love being with family. Especially coming to Delhi or going down to Coorg...meeting people you would only ever see in a wedding once in 5 or 7 years...or almost never. It's important to 'connect'. And to keep that 'connection' alive with these very people.
There's something so amazing, pure and simple about a photograph....a moment in time....they really do speak a 1000 words and more.
So don't be embarassed to take a photograph the next time you're out with the 'out've town cousins' at the favourite chinese restaurant. The embarassing picture of you - with your sunniest smile ever - AND a large piece of spinach in your teeth...might actually be worth the memory. ;) Hey, if it makes a few people laugh - what the heck!
