Just few days back I realised that this will be my 11th year in Delhi. Time flies I must say. But then my stay all these years was not bad either as Delhi taught me a lot of things and also gave me a lot than I expected - say descent education, great friends, nice food (be it tandoori chicken or chole kulche), fuzzy beer, Delhi Metro, AIIMS & South Ex flyovers, many more PVR, broaden mind etc. Well I guess I happen to find myself here.. though lost in a huge immigrant crowd. But these stay were full of surprises..
Surprise I:
I happen to came Delhi in 1996 for a small period of time when mom was going through some in-service course. It was a 2 month course and she decided to carry me and my young sibling along. The first thing which made me scare was when the Air Hostess announced "The temperature outside is 42 degree Celsius", and I thought either I misheard her or maybe she got the info wrong! As the place where I came from it never crosses 35 degrees in summers and even if it does the rain drenches all at night.
When we reached her destination which was Kendriya Vidyalaya, INA, I was pretty much sure that this place is one burning place of hell and the hot winds made things worse. I wondered how come people stay in such a dusty, hot place? The school had a different scenario totally as all the other teachers attending the in-service course too were from variety of different places in India and I was sure the weather in Delhi was their first time experience. The peons and helpers were cutting huge logs of ice and distributing to the people who were putting up in various classes and where they had these desert coolers running berserk. They were pouring those icy water in these coolers to help them keep their room cooler. I remember we had frozen Frootie that afternoon.
Also later in 1998 when our whole family came to Delhi for dad's treatment now that time the heat was different as the newspaper and radios were announcing 47 Degree Celsius. There were dust storms and extreme heat. I heard some people talk on the roadside once - "This heat is because of the testing of Nuclear Bombs at Pokhran and the wind blowing from Pokhran to Delhi is bringing all the heat." I felt like laughing at their faces... idiots! Well I don't think that was any good reason.
I wondered how the rain and cold would have been in Delhi and that box opened soon in 2000 when I took admission in Delhi University. That rainy day I thought Delhi is one crazy place coz it was raining ... raining .. raining ... non stop for almost 5 - 6 days in a row. The bus stops were flooded, the roads were flooded and then when I realised that people here don't make proper drainage system at their homes. The water doesn't have any direction and it just floods anything. I made sure not to go anywhere but sleep all those rainy days.
The cold on the other hand was good. Yes I mean good coz that's the time when I really find Delhi tolerable. Smog everywhere and its difficult to see even the neighbouring house. The winds were pinchy yet enjoyable.
... wait till I continue with some more experiences... more surprises on my way!!
Surprise I:
I happen to came Delhi in 1996 for a small period of time when mom was going through some in-service course. It was a 2 month course and she decided to carry me and my young sibling along. The first thing which made me scare was when the Air Hostess announced "The temperature outside is 42 degree Celsius", and I thought either I misheard her or maybe she got the info wrong! As the place where I came from it never crosses 35 degrees in summers and even if it does the rain drenches all at night.
When we reached her destination which was Kendriya Vidyalaya, INA, I was pretty much sure that this place is one burning place of hell and the hot winds made things worse. I wondered how come people stay in such a dusty, hot place? The school had a different scenario totally as all the other teachers attending the in-service course too were from variety of different places in India and I was sure the weather in Delhi was their first time experience. The peons and helpers were cutting huge logs of ice and distributing to the people who were putting up in various classes and where they had these desert coolers running berserk. They were pouring those icy water in these coolers to help them keep their room cooler. I remember we had frozen Frootie that afternoon.
Also later in 1998 when our whole family came to Delhi for dad's treatment now that time the heat was different as the newspaper and radios were announcing 47 Degree Celsius. There were dust storms and extreme heat. I heard some people talk on the roadside once - "This heat is because of the testing of Nuclear Bombs at Pokhran and the wind blowing from Pokhran to Delhi is bringing all the heat." I felt like laughing at their faces... idiots! Well I don't think that was any good reason.
I wondered how the rain and cold would have been in Delhi and that box opened soon in 2000 when I took admission in Delhi University. That rainy day I thought Delhi is one crazy place coz it was raining ... raining .. raining ... non stop for almost 5 - 6 days in a row. The bus stops were flooded, the roads were flooded and then when I realised that people here don't make proper drainage system at their homes. The water doesn't have any direction and it just floods anything. I made sure not to go anywhere but sleep all those rainy days.
The cold on the other hand was good. Yes I mean good coz that's the time when I really find Delhi tolerable. Smog everywhere and its difficult to see even the neighbouring house. The winds were pinchy yet enjoyable.
... wait till I continue with some more experiences... more surprises on my way!!
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