I sat down to make a list of things I need to do before I leave for home in the next few days, and quickly abandoned it, partly because I realised there was no way I was getting all of that done, and plus, it made me think of a more interesting list: what I want to do on my month-long holiday when I get home in a few days. I’ll be in Delhi in winter after a long time, but also in Pune and a couple other places, including Shimla. So without much ado, on the agenda is:
1. Sunday morning, after a lazy breakfast, head to the old city in Delhi to soak in the winter sun and hunt around for some gems in the legendary Daryaganj sunday secondhand book market. Find a tea stall afterwards and hotly debate the bizarre ideas of "urban development and beautification" that threatens these old urban institutions. Check out what’s playing at the old Golcha cinema, most likely shudder and move on.
2. Go to the Nizamuddin dargah in Delhi for the Thursday night qawwali. I have missed this too many times already. Later, get lost near Nizamuddin and hopefully emerge at the railway station and attempt to retrace path (am not hoping to do this but something tells me it will happen, yet again, even though, sadly, I will not be on my trusted Vespa from many years ago)
3. Eat the carrot-radish salad available at every street corner in Delhi in winter, with the farty black salt garnish. I positively disliked this back then and just want to make sure everything’s still the same.
4. In Pune, after recovering from the shock of the New Software City transformation that renders neighbourhoods unfamiliar even in a few months’ time, argue with old librarian at the BISM library for permission to see an old manuscript I’ve been wanting to work on. Do my best to make it there and back without being seen by an aunt who lives right next door.
5. Comb the Sonya Maruti Chowk neighbourhood, where all the historic jewellery shops are in Pune, with my sister in order to find the perfect sparkling nosestud. Attempt to dislodge heart from throat while riding pillion with sister, while secretly sighing with relief that she is a much worse driver than I ever was. Later, browse in the needlework and wool shops in Tulshibaag, buy really really cheap Pony needles and gawk at the acrylics. Eat some kutchi dabeli at the stall opposite the Shagun store, and/or bhel at Navratna. Check out some Puneri cotton sarees at Peshwai.
6. Take the Kalka-Shimla train up into the hills. Walk around the old Viceregal Lodge Indian Institute of Advanced Study and unwind. Try to find an old dhaba from years ago where I had absolutely the best alu parathas with Amul butter EVER.
7. Read Shrilal Shukla’s Hindi novel Raag Darbari, which I just started and which is hilarious.
All of this interspersed with an academic conference, catching up with old friends at the good ol’ alma mater (those of you who know about JNU and might be reading this, some of the stuff in that wikipedia link is hilarious) and at my old job, some grading, eating sinful amounts of food and marvelling yet again at all the weirdos in my extended family. Oh, and hopefully plenty of knitting.
Tags: Travel by desiknitter
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