Another Kind Of Life

This picture is from our nation's capital. How odd.... is it not? Anything but familiar is this and in essence, a sick and twisted reflection of the broad concrete roads we glide over in Delhi.

The (blessed) irony begins here. I've been living in the capital for the past two weeks and not a whiff of that cool grey tube. My prepaid sales stint demanded attention towards East Delhi. Very few people (Delhi-ites included!) know this part of town. We're well versed with Gurgaon, malls, pubs, eateries, infrastructure wonders in the urban and fancy parts of the city. All this however, is far from the life in the Eastern parts.

A bustling mix of merchants, traders and several small time entrepreneurs take keen indulgence into make-do businesses. Sometimes this region reminds me of Andheri Kurla road. Delhi's hot and humid weather adds to the muck and sweat in the surroundings. Take for example, that uncomfortable association with Delhi represented by the picture at the start of this post.

Loni, a settlement on the border of Delhi, UP and Haryana is a perfect picture of small town life. Kaccha roads, sullen trader activity and a periodic greeting from dust storms dictates the kind of routine that you and I would love to stay away from. Surprising how I've come to appreciate it at such a great length then.

The people are simple. Everyone wants to be rich, everybody aspires to reach the top but the kind of law breaking activities that behest others to follow restricts overall development. Years ago, I hear (from the locals) that there was a plan to boost the town's potential but to no avail. There you go. Our Goverment's incompetencies mapped. Adequately.

On the bright side of things, we have this young chap here with his grandfather.


I say bright in stark comparison to the aforesaid lifestyle. And believe you me, the kid in this pic seems quite content with his job, judging by the smile on his face. Well, at least he has a job.

Never mind how irritable the grandad was at his grandson's apparent inefficient roasting methods.

Someday I should click some momo shots from the market and write about those. I think I will. That's up next.

Feels good to be back on this beat.
Cheers.