I would be meeting her after a gap of almost 3 months. She was coming to Delhi for the first time. I was a bit tired from the previous night office party. But it didn't matter, she was in Delhi only for a couple of days. We managed to arrange for a rendezvous on Thursday after our office hours. I thought Dilli Haat would be a place she would love, all the handicrafts and jewellery shopping should excite her. She herself had heard about it so much. I was apprehensive if she would find something that she'd want to buy. Bombay roadside shopping is at least as good as Delhi shopping, if not better.
She notices the silver jewellery stall and her eyes lit up. Earrings. She likes a pair but it is overpriced, she feels. I tell her to bargain, but its different to bargain in Bombay and in Delhi. I ask her why and she says just so, she has never been to Delhi. There were a number of handicraft stalls, hand woven fabrics, earthenware...I am happy I took her to the place. She selects two pairs of earrings and bought them without any bargaining. The shopkeeper wont bargain when there are other customers around, she says. Finally, she asks me to wait and walks up to a girl buying at the next stall and asks her how much can one haggle. The girl shares her wisdom, she bought a garment for 150 bucks after the shopkeeper quoted 300 for it. My lady is happy, confident now. Bedsheets, short kurta, leather bag, wallet, saree, cushion covers.
It was dark now. Finally topped it off with momos and fruit beer at the food court. And the old man played a beautiful tune on his 'Ektara'...Pallo Chhatke or something. She said she didn't like the song, but the instrumental tune sounded heavenly. Soon it was time for our rendezvous to end and find an auto to Lodi Estates where her room was. We both noticed the wet earth, smell of grass and moist wood in the air. I dropped her and went on...on my way home. It would be a long drive.
A heavy heart, a break from the loneliness...and a rakhi. :)
6 comments:
Those Ektaraz can make anything sound heavenly...
you bet...he even played 'kajra re' and it sounded like a folk song...:)
Dude, you shud listen to 'Aur is dil mein...', on the Ektara. The pain is almost tangible...
Heard it on a local once. Couldn't get over the fact that the guy just so deserved a bigger stage.
i know, but the funny thing is that the 'pain' or whatever you call it, is almost enjoyable...like nostalgia...
hmm...bout the bigger stage, i think if it would be up there, it would lose some of its charm...like ill tell you...Ive lived most of my life in baroda where gujarati garbas are big and they are sung is a very traditional way, but after it was made popular in that movie by sanjay leela bhansali, it became a rage and led to pathetic remixes and a totally unncecessary glamorous tinge was added...if you have heard the way it is done in bombay, the kind popularised by that boycut hair singer whats her name....ud know what i mean...
Dude, I so know what you mean. The fact that they have to commercialize every damn thing just so sucks.
N dandiyas in Mumbai are just an excuse for, you know what...
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