Colours of Victory! Cricket World Cup 2011: India!

I am falling short of words and never before in my life have I wanted to talk more. A sweet, long awaited victory for Team India at the Cricket World Cup 2011 finals in Mumbai and Delhi erupted into a celebration that the city has never ever witnessed before. The whole city was on the roads celebrating the return of the Cup after 28 long years. Everywhere one turned one saw people proudly carrying the Indian Tri-Colour (Flag), dancing to bollywood numbers, cheering for the Men in Blue, greeting strangers with priceless smiles. We were not Delhiites last night. We were all Indians: Proud, Happy, Content :-)

Here is my photo-collection from last night's celebration on all the roads leading to India Gate!

All smiles

Covered in the colours of the nation

Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Humara

Dancing with the Flag

Age no bar: A 3-year old kid doing stunts on top of a car

I see your true colours

The joyous crowd!

Razai (Quilt)

With the winters reaching the levels of biting cold, like most Delhiites, my mother and I also went to purchase new quilts. There are several places in Delhi where quilts, called razai in Hindi, are made to order. First the customer buys fibre wool, the quilt cloth and then finally the cover for the quilt.

This man weighed 2 Kg of fibre wool for us and then stuffed the wool into the quilt cloth chosen by us.

Happy Winters!

Not Too Cold For Them!

While most of Delhi and Delhiites are freezing, soldiers at India Gate are busy practicing for the upcoming Republic Day celebrations. Covered in 5 layers of woolens, I braved the cold to get this shot. A warm brrrrrrr to everyone visiting the blog :-)

Sprucing up Delhi for XIX Commonwealth Games

A Delhiite knows something big is round the corner, when we see India Gate being cleaned. This huge mesh of iron rods has been created to clean the nook and crevices of the monument that rests in the centre of Delhi to ready is before the XIX Commonwealth Games. I had visited the India Gate lawns yesterday with my family to enjoy the Monsoon showers . I was not the only one, it seemed the whole city had decided to go to India Gate, walk in the rain and have ice-cream. It was an evening spent well. :-)

Catty Affair

Did I tell you that Delhiites are a considerate lot? In case I forgot, I have photographic proof this time around. Here are two of my very good friends (also my colleagues) feeding a stray kitten on the office terrace. Two kittens made the terrace of our office their home recently. Everyone in office has taken to them and talk of the animals as one of the esteemed members of the staff. We are worried about their food, milk and shelter often. Here, Anjana (in black sweater) and Aditi (in the maroon pull-over) are feeding Black-n-White (we are innovative name givers :-)) some biscuit crumbs.

Ghanta Ghar

Ghanta Ghar is Hindi for clock tower. I saw this one, during the weekend exploration of the Delhi's north. This Ghanta Ghar is located on the way to Kamla Nagar. The numerous wires indicate the ingenious way of Delhiites to steal electricity.

When in doubt look upwards!

"When in doubt look upwards!", My teacher in kindergarten used to say. Her words, I had then thought meant to look at her as she was seemed very tall to me then. Later, we realised she meant to look towards the heaven (traditionally it is supposed to be at a height, I am told). But I took the saying to another level, as I was trying to pick up a photo for today. This is the Delhi sky (in sepia tones) as of yesterday evening at 6. We had some rains yesterday. Thankfully they brought the temperatures down but today the resulting humidity is not getting us Delhiites in a better mood. Hope the rain comes again. Soon

India Gate

INDIA GATE: A symbol that defines Delhi for most.

"Garche hai mulq-e-daccan meN in dinoN qadr-e-suxan.
Kaun Jaye Zauq par dilli ki galiyaaN chhod kar."

Roughly translated from Urdu, this means that although the seat of power has shifted to the south along with all the comforts of the world, who would want to leave the streets of Delhi. This is a couplet (called 'sher' in Urdu) penned by Zauq, a contemporary of the incredible Ghalib. These lines are something that define what Delhi means to a true Delhiite. For a Delhiite there is no other place like Delhi. Nothing, money, power, authority, will attract us away from Delhi. Even though relations might take us all over the world, a Delhiite will always want to return to the place he belongs.