Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Past 2 weeks II (Gurgaon, Dehradun trip)


Gurgaon
What do you write about a place which was your home for more than a year. A place which you have seen in and out. A place where even after 8-9 months, you still remember the pot holes, the speed breakers, the trees (or the lack of it). My trip to Gurgaon was the same.

Gurgaon still feels like home. Even after living away from it for almost the same duration that i lived in it. Every face around me felt so close and so familiar, it was as if i never did leave. Days in gurgaon were marked with meeting people, jumping from one place to another, spending time with old friends and colleagues. In the process Met a lot of friends. Wanted to meet a lot more.

Spent an afternoon in chandni chowk, and was amazed by the sheer life in those narrow streets, the aroma of fresh street food being prepared, the eagerness in the eyes of every person there, and still a very laid back, rested atmosphere. It still amazes me, how when i lived in NCR i actually never went to this heaven of a place. Next time for sure, I am taking out a complete day atleast for this place. The life in chandni chowk calls for a week. I hope I can do that someday. Till then, lets see.
Missed going to my favourite 2 places in all delhi. DilliHaat and India gate. But as they say, there's always a next time. This time I was making a stopover in Gurgaon. Next time I ll go to delhi as a tourist, something that I have always wanted to do, but never could. And enjoy the sheer brilliance of the so called "dilwaalon ka sheher".

Dehradun
All in all it was less of dehradun and more about the engagement of the friend that i went for. A fun filled ceremony that started the day i reached there and was still on till i left.

For the first time I listened to some beautiful Garhwali songs and was amused by the lyrics, the music and how people just sway to this music. You should see the garhwalis dance if you want to see fun. These ageless people start moving there limbs and hips at the first sound of music. In the process I learned few steps too, and let me tell you these are easy but at the same time very warm and inviting. I could see a parallel between the Garhwali and the chhota nagpuri dance thats the form from where I belong. I guess these were evolved to make everyone in the family just join and dance at the rhythm, so that no one is left out. No wonder we as a country are so fond of music and dance. It has been with us for centuries, and I hope this remains for several more centuries to come.

I wish I could never leave these amazing places. But alas!!! every journey comes to an end, only to give way to the next. I can only wish the train of journeys never end, and I keep moving from one place to another. From one home to another. From one friend to another, never really leaving anyone, anything or any place behind. They are all the reasons for what I am and who I am. After all, a man is just a summary of his experiences. :)

6 comments:

srapri said...

:D

hmm...enjoyed reading this. the paradoxes are interesting aren't they?? the hidden familiarities in the unfamiliar and the other way round.

humans are a summary of their experiences you say, whatever happened to good old thought?!

Neeraj said...

what old thought are you talking about?

srapri said...

just the act of thinking, not a specific thought. i am saying that humans are a summary of their experiences and how they process those experiences or what they do with those experiences.

chocolato said...

Nice read. I am so in love with Chadni Chowk. If I had to show the vibrance of India to someone, I would take them to the place :). Getting lost there is a precious memory.Hope my life-path takes me there again one day.

Mixi said...

your gurgaon trip was about as touch-n-go as it cud get at least for me... but i do like the brown pic of Old Delhi you've got here.. really captures the essence of the place, for even though the day n age is 2009, Old Delhi is still living in the days of nawabs and kababs...

Aditi Malhotra said...

Enjoyed your blog, very much interesting with the title "the soul of a happy man". Thanks and keep sharing such valuable updates through your side.

Best Hotel in Gurgaon

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