[Reader-list] City, Cityscape and City i-fellows

[vijender chauhan]

Hi,
I am sitting here, the 'historical' coffee house at the terrace of Mohan 
Singh Place at C.P. This visit of mine is not first visit to this place. 
Though this one is after a long interval- some years I suppose. The giant 
twin parabolas of McDonalds casting a shadow  on coffee house as Khalid 
pointed out are not so old. Still the fact remain that by very location this 
coffee house has braved many such shadows in the past. This meeting of 
i-fellows  lasted for about two and half hours and deep inside I was happy. 
Centre of Delhi' cityscape, adequate temporal span of two and half hours and 
ten odd enlightened city minds- anybody working on time and space of the 
city cant ask for more. It was perfect symphony of 'mauqa' and 'dastur'. So 
when Khalid and Shivam suggested that they were taking home their next 
posting- they didn't know they gave a lot more, thanks Khalid thanks Shivam 
thanks you all.
Vivek did ask but I couldn't tell. Sometime I feel captive of 'place 
natinalism'. 'mein aur mera desh' studied way back in ninth standard taught 
us that pointing shortcomings of the place you belong is attacking its sense 
of beauty and strength. Its treason as well as blasphemy. Another obvious 
reason why I could not point out what I consider the omni present feature of 
this city was language. Vivel as per his own estimate is only 10-12% 
Hinditrate at best and I am no more Englitrate then the same percentage. So, 
I could not tell him that one element that is equally present in Delhi' time 
and space is Ashankaa (Anxiety). It is a city of anxiety.
I was anxious too. Amongst co-fellows 'flowing' in english- I was somewhat 
cunningly looking for mockery in their eyes when they looked at me-It wasn't 
there- But I was anxious anyway. In this city anxiety is omnipresent. In 
fact it co-occur with disparity and hence distrust. Mahesh was sharing with 
his trademark enthusiasm how he was trapped in a five course-six wine 
dinner. I am pretending to be knowing how white wine is different from sweet 
wine- Though I am anxious that they know that I don't know. I belong to that 
time and space of the city where wine-beer-whisky all are same-'Daru' i.e. a 
liquid used to muster courage to beat wives. I have a feeling that fellows 
sensed my cognition- did you friends? Yes!!  Mahesh...come again.
Vijender

_________________________________________________________________
Having a hard time finding a job? 
http://creative.mediaturf.net/creatives/timesjobs/hotmail_TOL.htm Log on to 
TimesJobs.com Click Now!