A Girl in a New City
Whew is the first word that comes into my mind when I think about what to write about the new city I have recently shifted to. Of course it’s difficult for a human to experience and adapt to changes and the worse is to manage and get used to the new environment. It’s like being shifted to a different process/work flow in your workplace where you are very much acquainted with your old work process but you have to cope up and manage with the new project/workflow you are being assigned. But then again I realized, life itself is an evolving process and you have to shift and get used to the new challenges, opportunities which comes your way that not only test your abilities and perseverance but also your attitude and thought process which affects how you take life.
As for me, like anybody else I also find it hard and unusual to be new in another metropolitan city after having lived and breathed the air of Mumbai for 5 long years. I was like a small girl who needs guidance in each and everything and why not? Places and peoples are difficult to understand and digest until and unless you get to know them or you travel the same road or place frequently. For me, it’s a challenge which allows me to test my ability to manage in a changed environment as well as different culture and way of living from what I have been used to. Well, it’s a good experience as long as you have the tendency to run independently, be free yet aware and also be calm and composite with the minds of an observer.
Delhi, famous for being the Nation’s Capital, the countries own nation of politics and bureaucratic atmosphere which of course is nothing new to any Indian but still worth mentioning. The first impression that I have about the city is that it is damn cold (yes! I was there during winter) and I know how people use to say” Delhi’s Weather and Delhi People are Unpredictable” mainly because of the ever changing mini second or should I say momentary changes in the appearing and disappearing of the sun. Oh! Maybe the Sun is playing hide and seek with the city…no? I hope the ruling party doesn’t have anything to do with this! :) But I love the cool climate I landed myself into because I know my reaction would have been something else If I reach the city during the Summer. And then there is the people- After the recent gang rape and many other incidents and issues faced by women especially, it is a little bit unsafe and challenging for a girl like me to shift to the nation’s capital and manage myself independently.
Till now, I am most acquainted with Munirka (why not!), South Extension part 1 and the famous and one and only most favorites of the Delhiites; Sorojini Market! I am sure anybody from Manipur or even North East who visited the City will never leave the city without visiting S.N. market and Munirka(true or false, you decide). And how do I describe Munirka….If I had been to Bangkok I am sure I would have compared Munirka as similar to the streets of Bangkok (those seen in movies). You can hardly recognize whether its daytime or nightfall and I don’t know why the Munirkans(?) complains of severe hotness of the climate during the summer when the Sun or the sun rays never reach the place. The gallis of Munirka are like a maze which have many turns and twist and difficult to find your way ahead or back. I admit I lost my way twice in the gallis of Munirka! And even Sorojini Market…:D
Still, it’s hardly a Month, I know and hope I will get more used to the gallis, the long stretch of roads, the ring roads, the Bhawans, the Vihars and the sectors and of course the blue lines, red lines and yellow lines of the Metro!. I also hope I know how to deal with the Traffic policeman and how to convince him that the ticket that he is trying to fine me for is invalid as we never cross the Red signal before the green signal!
A Girl in a New City - II
This time it’s a bigger whew!! Mainly because this time, I get to explore more about the city. Its a month now and I have had a quarrel with the auto wallahs (If it had been Mumbai, I would have written Rickshaw Wallahs!). And yes, quarreling with the rickshaw wallah is one of my forte’s… ;) The human mind is a very complex gift. It always compels you to compare things that you have experience in the past and the new things which you come across. So, here also I will be bound to compare Mumbai with Delhi.
First, I have to stop using the word ‘Apun” while speaking to the sabji wallah or the auto wallahs, again because the normal word used here is “apna”. But it can be a situational use because the other day I shouted at the auto wallah in a pure Mumbaiyya tapori language using “apun ko”, “kya re” and other slang’s widely common in Mumbai and of which I am used to. And also the most common word that I have observed the Delhiites is using the word “haan ji”, probably due to the UP effect or the bhaiyya’s influence. No more asking for kandha’s and batatas to the sabjiwalah because they won’t understand instantly, rather starts using the word pyaas, aalu etc.
The salesman in the streets of Bandra and the streets/Market of Sorojini Nagar are completely different. Had to argue with a sales guy, he started speaking rudely with a bad attitude while going through the stuffs in his store. They seriously lack customer relationship management, not that I expect it from them but at least to garner customers. I thought I would have understood the roads and the sectors but I got more confused…
Perhaps I forgot to mention in my previous post that I clearly know and am most familiar with the auto routes of South Extension and Munirka (“Anupam ke saamne”- the most common word used to tell the Auto wallahs when they asked where in Munirka). Few days back, I tried taking the bus routes, very complicated…knew the bus number but haven’t seen the places I came across on the way, maybe it is after all a different route- or am I wrong? You may be shock to know this, but I still lost my way in Munirka in spite of accepting and proclaiming that it is like a second home to me by now- probably because of my recklessness or just because of my poor memory!
God, how I wished the Mumbai streets have Momo vendors within every 100 meters distance. Because it happens here in Delhi, the easy availability of this Tibetan ala North Eastern ala Chinese fast food is also making me sick again but to think of it and comparing to my days in Mumbai when I craved for Momos, it was really worth it except for the extra contents of Chinese salt(Monosodium Glutamate)…:D
After a month, I am more prepared and geared up to experience more about the city and hopefully share it further with you all.