Recently, a friend and I took up this idea of exploring Delhi by cycle seriously. And it opened this window in front of me which took me to a different level altogether, which i thought never existed. I am amazed at how much we keep our eyes shut to things that are right in front of us, ears closed to the sounds that are music in some parallel universe, because what we are seeing is not the neglected park on the other side of the road, or the filmi pigeons as I call them at some crossing or that there is actually a way exclusively for the bicyclers along the main road or that the kid across the street is not only begging but also singing in a super melodious voice. What we see is the red light, the beggar asking for alms, the SUVs with their ACs in full blast, what we hear is the cacophony of horns, the invective spewed in the street fights.
Delhi by cycle was probably the best thing I did in Delhi. On the first day we went to Lodhi Garden. It is situated on Lodhi Road. Now I have been in Delhi for 9 years, on and off for 5 years and permanently since last 4 years. Lodhi Garden is hardly 6-7 kms from my place. I had crossed it like a million times, each time thinking that I am gonna go inside soon but each time some excuse came up. Anyway, since our bicycles didn't have locks so we could not venture deep into the garden but what I saw was enough for me as it was just like I had expected it to be. There were so many small-small things that I had missed. Parrots! I had not seen parrots in a long time. Morning fresh air was alien to me! The bridge overlooking the lake, seemed no less than some royal passage to some other portal. It felt like my personal garden wherein I could take a long royal walk as it had an air of tranquility and freshness. Finish your work out, admire the various tombs built by various rulers at different points of time, finish that poem you had been working on for a long time, read Neruda or just sit idly in that lawn that is host to so many beautiful flowers. You can do anything.
Next weekend me and my friend went to Hauz Khas. I had been to Hauz Khas once and was intrigued by the lake but never really went down and sat by it. We were smart enough to take the locks this time. After taking half a round of the lake we stumbled upon this amazing flower festival that was taking place there. Such pretty flowers of new kinds, in such beautiful arrangements were a rarity to see in Delhi. I asked my friend to pinch me hard, so that I was sure that I was in Delhi only. There were beautiful arrangements made by kids and the crowd was full of people from all walks of life. As we went ahead there was this mela that was taking place, I am using the word mela and not fair cause it was a mela in the strictest sense. The jhoolas that were there were vintage mela kinds. I even ventured to sit on one of those. Riding a swing is not really my thing. I admit, it scares me. Then there were these stalls of Delhi street food to bambaiya nariyal paani...It was all there. We went ahead and there was a training camp on for kids not more than 7-8 years of age. They were learning skating. Joggers, yoga guys,kids playing, aunties walking fast to pump out all the fat in one day, uncles having the laughing sessions, birds chirping, zero horn. It was such an interesting sight. And I realized this is the Delhi I like and this is the Delhi I was missing!
Then we went to Humayun Tomb the next weekend and the place was so serene, compared to the last time I was there. Mornings do that to things, make them fresh, like it itself is. I could imagine Maharajas giving orders to their subjects, raanis giving orders to their daasis, taking walk in those vast lawns, as if all that was happening right in front of my eyes. Also the idea that someone is buried right beside where you are standing, in one of those graves is exciting.
Next time I went to Nizamuddin Dargah on a Thursday evening. Probably one of the coolest things I have done so far in Delhi. On a Thursday evening, after the regular namaz, the whole place gets drenched in Amir Khusrau's qawaalis. There is something in the voice of the sufi singers there, which connects you directly to the divine.
I am not a morning person at all. The average wake o' clock for me is 9 am as I work from home, a perfect job for as lazy ass as mine. This morning ritual is new to me and I am lovin every bit of it. I actually looked forward to the weekends,wondering which new place will I be exploring this time and honestly when I used to wake up on weekends, I used to have low expectations if there would be something new to see this morning and at the same time excitement that what fun will it be this time and surprisingly each day showed to me what I had not seen in these 9 years. Beauty is right there, we just need an eye and an intention for it.
