It is December. The sun rises reluctantly from behind the fog. The
leafless trees are standing still, their bare branches looking
mysterious in the hazy morning landscape. On some days, the fog is so
thick that when you look out of your window in the early morning, you
don't see anything except layers and layers of it, giving the view a
misty, dreamy look. The best place to be at this hour is under your cosy
quilt, but very few can actually afford to do so. Children have to be
forced out of their beds to be in time for their school. One can see
hordes of them - bundled up in warm clothes- waiting at bus stops all
over the city. You wonder how hard it will be for them to hold a pen
with their numb fingers and actually write something in their notebooks.
But kids in Delhi are made of sterner stuff. They manage to tackle the
extremes in their city's weather with a nonchalance that often eludes
their elders.
Around mid-morning, when the sun is finally out and shining-albeit
weakly-it is a beautiful day. Dahlias and chrysanthemums are in bloom,
their umpteen shades a feast for the eyes. Take a walk in a park, go to
the market or just soak in the sun anywhere, it feels great to be
outdoors. Those who are fortunate to have a patch of land outside their
houses, make good use of it by growing seasonal vegetables in it. It is
very refreshing to see green leaves of coriander, mustard, spinach and
methi,
huge heads of cauliflower and cabbage along with the leaves of carrots
and radishes that are growing underground in your neighbourhood. When a
kind neighbour sends her fresh produce over, you can see how good a
really 'fresh' vegetable tastes.
A visit to the Sarojini Nagar market or Dilli Haat in the late
morning/early afternoon is very tempting. While the latter is mostly
frequented by lovers of handloom fabrics and handicrafts, the former is
popular with the masses. Clothes, footwear, luggage, utensils, household
items, gifts, groceries, vegetables, fruits...one can find almost
anything in the lanes and bylanes of this sprawling market. It is
flooded with Christmas merchandise at this time of the year. Most of the
goods available here are generally easy on one's pocket, making it a
favoured destination of shoppers in South Delhi. The soft drink and
ice-cream stalls are forgotten. Instead tiny shops selling tea are doing
brisk business. And the spicy
aloo-tikki has people queueing up
outside a small shop that churns out the wonderful stuff. It is just
right when one wants to take a break from the tough bargaining that is a
part of shopping at the Sarojini Nagar market.
The sun begins to lose its warmth around dusk. It becomes dark quite
early, and suddenly too. Time to get indoors and put on one's socks,
mittens, mufflers, scarves, caps, sweaters...whatever. The concrete
structures that our houses are, turn into ice-boxes in the absence of
heating. Icy water gushes out of the taps, especially at night and early
in the mornings. People who cannot tolerate this, find winters to be a
difficult time. But, for those who are fine with it, this is the right
season to be in Delhi. Barring a few very cold and sunless days, the
daytime is usually pleasant.
Travelling in and out of Delhi by train or air? Now that's a different
story. Seasoned travellers avoid Delhi during winter months if they can. But those who must visit Delhi or transit through it, find themselves completely at the mercy of the fog that seems to have its
own mind. There are indefinite delays, flight diversions, missed
connections, chaos at the airport and railway stations resulting in a lot of
discomfort and uncertainty. This is one instance where nature makes us
realize that it is in command, and we just have to bow to its wishes.
I have filled this post with
some wonderful images of blossoms captured by Prateek a few years ago at
a chrysanthemum show at the Dilli Haat. Hope these bring alive the
colours of a Delhi winter on your screens and touch your hearts with
their awesome beauty.
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