To hell with the Malls .......... Dilli Haat rocks !!
Well well, this entry is historic for me, in the sense that this is the first entry that I started writing on my Blackberry but then due to connectivity issues had to complete it on the comp.
When I read Business @ the speed of thought, I had never thought that what Bill Gates wrote about handheld devices on which we could read our emails, would ever be a reality... Let alone the devices, I didnt even have any idea about E-mail at that time.
Anyway, looks like I have deviated from the topic enough. Lets get back to what I set out to write. Well on 30th Dec I went to Dilli Haat... now for the uninitiated this is the little (read as 7.6 acres) marketplace just opposite INA Market.... I had been hearing of the place since ages .. ever since Tritaya used to tell me of her shopping escapades here... back in 2001... and trust me, I used to feel like a fool that I hadnt been to Dilli Haat even though I have been staying in Delhi since 2005... Well better late than never...
Mom and I decided to visit the place...on 30th... its Changeover day... Damn... so most of the shops would be just setting up. Anyway, something better than nothing. At least the food stalls are there.
So we get the ticket and go... dude.. its like a Mini India inside... a confluence of all our states and Union Territories (notice how I conveniently forget to mention the number of states and union territories...lol) Right from Kashmir to Digha to Rajasthan to Kanyakumari, there is stuff from everywhere...
Malls talk about circulation... Well I think this place has the best circulation I have ever seen. You are just bound to see all the shops and even the food stalls have been placed in such a way, that they give you a nice relaxing break after which you can get back to shopping like crazy...
Okay... you brand crazy guys... there is nothing for you here... but for those who love the charm of the old world... the work of our rural artisans... our handicrafts... that part of our culture which has still not been corrupted by the west...this place is paradise... Right from the Madhubani paintings, to the bambo work from Arunachal Pradesh... to the shell work from Digha and of course, the Intricate craftsmanship on the pashmina shawls from The Valley itself....
Hmmm... yes yes of course, the winter fashion was very much visible in the long over coats of the girls were wearing and even the leggings coupled with cute skirts...
And then I saw her... at the junk jewellery stall right next to the Hyderabad Pearls stall and opposite the food stalls... She was wearing a pale yellow pullover and light blue stone wash jeans.... She was a goddess. For the first time in my life.. time stood still... everything had just come to a standstill and it was just me looking at her... Straight black hair.... long black eye lashes.... pink lips.... skin smooth like a pearl (unspoilt by the forces of nature).... And I was just capitvated .... Kya yehi pyaar hai... Haan yehi pyaar hai... Truly love at first sight...
Thankfully, mom was also buying some stuf from the same shop, so I had more time to just admire her. Slowly she brushes a couple of strands behind her ear.... Wowwwwwwwwwww.... For once I am speechless... I have nothing to say.. and I just stand there... looking at her. She was with her friend... I just hoped that the friend didnt see me staring at her.... else I was in for trouble.. anyway the cops in Delhi smack you really hard...
Suddenly mom pulled me away from this stall and we headed to another place... Back from my dream to reality... We then headed for some Hyderabadi Biryani... but I just couldnt get her out of my head... and even today... I still have her image perfectly etched in my memory...
Food done.. we roam around all the other shops and then I head to the Handicrafts Emporium to shop for some curios and other stuff... back from that, feel like going to have some coffee... so what better place than Filter kappi at the Tamil Nadu stall... I was sitting there sipping my cup of coffee and suddenly she appeared from no where... This time, she was walking towards the exit... In retrospect, I could have done so many things... Could've just run to her and said that my mom wanted to speak to her.... could've just gone up to her and said that she looked very familiar... and asked if she was from delhi, jamshedpur, pune.... anything dude... being with mom, I could have taken her support and no one would have told me anything..... But i did nothing of the sort... just watched her walk of into the horizon....
But yes... I have the belief in my heart... that if its true and pure love... I will meet her again.. and that day I will be able to speak to her. It will happen in the same way ... we will just bump into each other .... conincidence as usual..... (well some of my readers my get a feeling of deja vu)....
So guys... I used to think the malls were rocking... but after Dilli Haat, I have become a die hard fan of the place and truly no mall even comes close to it. If all other stuff available in malls was sold the way it is in Dilli Haat, I would anyday go to Dilli Haat...
Wishing many more years of success the the artisans and the handicrafts of India.
Till then.
When I read Business @ the speed of thought, I had never thought that what Bill Gates wrote about handheld devices on which we could read our emails, would ever be a reality... Let alone the devices, I didnt even have any idea about E-mail at that time.
Anyway, looks like I have deviated from the topic enough. Lets get back to what I set out to write. Well on 30th Dec I went to Dilli Haat... now for the uninitiated this is the little (read as 7.6 acres) marketplace just opposite INA Market.... I had been hearing of the place since ages .. ever since Tritaya used to tell me of her shopping escapades here... back in 2001... and trust me, I used to feel like a fool that I hadnt been to Dilli Haat even though I have been staying in Delhi since 2005... Well better late than never...
Mom and I decided to visit the place...on 30th... its Changeover day... Damn... so most of the shops would be just setting up. Anyway, something better than nothing. At least the food stalls are there.
So we get the ticket and go... dude.. its like a Mini India inside... a confluence of all our states and Union Territories (notice how I conveniently forget to mention the number of states and union territories...lol) Right from Kashmir to Digha to Rajasthan to Kanyakumari, there is stuff from everywhere...
Malls talk about circulation... Well I think this place has the best circulation I have ever seen. You are just bound to see all the shops and even the food stalls have been placed in such a way, that they give you a nice relaxing break after which you can get back to shopping like crazy...
Okay... you brand crazy guys... there is nothing for you here... but for those who love the charm of the old world... the work of our rural artisans... our handicrafts... that part of our culture which has still not been corrupted by the west...this place is paradise... Right from the Madhubani paintings, to the bambo work from Arunachal Pradesh... to the shell work from Digha and of course, the Intricate craftsmanship on the pashmina shawls from The Valley itself....
Hmmm... yes yes of course, the winter fashion was very much visible in the long over coats of the girls were wearing and even the leggings coupled with cute skirts...
And then I saw her... at the junk jewellery stall right next to the Hyderabad Pearls stall and opposite the food stalls... She was wearing a pale yellow pullover and light blue stone wash jeans.... She was a goddess. For the first time in my life.. time stood still... everything had just come to a standstill and it was just me looking at her... Straight black hair.... long black eye lashes.... pink lips.... skin smooth like a pearl (unspoilt by the forces of nature).... And I was just capitvated .... Kya yehi pyaar hai... Haan yehi pyaar hai... Truly love at first sight...
Thankfully, mom was also buying some stuf from the same shop, so I had more time to just admire her. Slowly she brushes a couple of strands behind her ear.... Wowwwwwwwwwww.... For once I am speechless... I have nothing to say.. and I just stand there... looking at her. She was with her friend... I just hoped that the friend didnt see me staring at her.... else I was in for trouble.. anyway the cops in Delhi smack you really hard...
Suddenly mom pulled me away from this stall and we headed to another place... Back from my dream to reality... We then headed for some Hyderabadi Biryani... but I just couldnt get her out of my head... and even today... I still have her image perfectly etched in my memory...
Food done.. we roam around all the other shops and then I head to the Handicrafts Emporium to shop for some curios and other stuff... back from that, feel like going to have some coffee... so what better place than Filter kappi at the Tamil Nadu stall... I was sitting there sipping my cup of coffee and suddenly she appeared from no where... This time, she was walking towards the exit... In retrospect, I could have done so many things... Could've just run to her and said that my mom wanted to speak to her.... could've just gone up to her and said that she looked very familiar... and asked if she was from delhi, jamshedpur, pune.... anything dude... being with mom, I could have taken her support and no one would have told me anything..... But i did nothing of the sort... just watched her walk of into the horizon....
But yes... I have the belief in my heart... that if its true and pure love... I will meet her again.. and that day I will be able to speak to her. It will happen in the same way ... we will just bump into each other .... conincidence as usual..... (well some of my readers my get a feeling of deja vu)....
So guys... I used to think the malls were rocking... but after Dilli Haat, I have become a die hard fan of the place and truly no mall even comes close to it. If all other stuff available in malls was sold the way it is in Dilli Haat, I would anyday go to Dilli Haat...
Wishing many more years of success the the artisans and the handicrafts of India.
Till then.
Comments
N here's hoping that u meet the girl again n don't let her get lost in the horizon. Good luck! :)
Good going bro. but please dont let her go next time when you find her next time. I wish your life will be full of 'Intelligent' people and also a lot of SSSSingers.
Bhai sahab, u hv written an awesome post..