Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s residence)
Safdarjung Tomb
Delhi Haat- an arts and crafts bazaar with traders from all over India
Qutab Minar-a soaring 73m high tower built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak
Raj Ghat- Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial
Childhood holds a special place in everyone’s heart and so does the place where you spent it. I spent most of my childhood in New Delhi–the beautiful capital of India and one of the oldest cities’ in the world. I’ve revisited it several times; in my memories and in my dreams. No matter how old I get I remember everything precisely—the house we used to rent in Rajori Garden; the neighborhood children I used to play with; wading knee-deep in streets flooded after the rains; Holy Child- the all-girls school I attended; the chole bhature and Coke I used to buy with my lunch money; the yearly school picnics; going out for the movies with my parents; eating ‘faluda’ in Karol Bagh; drinking cold coffee at Janpath; watching my mother knitting colorful woolen sweaters; the school rickshawallah hailing me loudly by name–‘Simmo!”
These memories are fresh as if they happened yesterday.
So when I got the chance to go back to New Delhi my excitement knew no bounds. And to tell you the truth it was as spectacular as it always was. I was thus inspired to include it in my novel ‘The Accidental Wife’. Following is an excerpt—
So this is where she lives, Rihaan mused, as the taxi cab rolled to a halt in front of a series of quaint, old red brick buildings in a relatively quiet and secluded neighborhood just outside the Delhi University Enclave. The thick morning fog that cloaked the entire locale had just begun to lift bestowing an oddly surreal and mystical essence to the surroundings.
“Block D is right in front of you, sahib,” the cabbie remarked, pointing to the apartments at the very end of the street.
Instructing the man to wait, Rihaan sprinted in that direction.
The name board at the bottom of the stairs announced that Naina Rathod’s apartment was located on the 4th floor. Deepika’s name was not listed alongside hers.
Hope she’s at home and in a receptive mood, he thought as he raced up the staircase.
“Ruko! Stop!”
Pausing mid-stride, Rihaan twisted around but didn’t spot where the voice was coming from.
“Look down, mister!”
Rihaan craned his neck and detected a rail-thin, bespectacled boy barely over eight or nine years old scowling up at him.
“If you are heading for Naina didi’s place, let me tell you she doesn’t see anyone without an appointment. Do you have one?”
Rihaan cocked an amused eyebrow. “Uh…no, I don’t. Perhaps she’ll see me without one? By the way, who are you may I ask?”
Puffing up his frail chest, the boy declared with pride, “I’m her bodyguard and personal secretary. Anyway, you won’t find her at home right now. She teaches tutorials every morning.”
Rihaan took a quick peek at his watch. “I guess I’ll have to wait then.”
“Oh…you don’t give up, do you? Are you one of her aashiqs? Haven’t seen you around before,” the boy asked suspiciously.
“Aashiqs? What Aashiqs?”
“One among her many students and colleagues who keep dropping by on some pretext or other, wanting to chat or take her out.”
So she has bewitched quite a few other men as well! Poor rascals! Rihaan thought amused.
“Are you her boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend? Why do you ask?” Rihaan queried curiously.
“You are her type, I think. Serious, and… not really bad to look at,” the boy admitted grudgingly. “If not, then I was going to ask her to wait a few more years till I’m all grown upwhen we can be together and…”
“Zip your mouth, bachu, cause I am her boyfriend,” Rihaan erupted. Gosh! Did I really say that? I must have gone mad!
—-0—-
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A Casual Fling With The Keyboard 