India Trip!

Guys, Its been quite some time since I sent out a nice refreshing email about things at my end, so here I am again!This time, the destination is a well known one, but not quite. I was back in India after one and a half years, and enjoyed myself thoroughly for a variety of reasons:-)

To begin with the most important one, I wanted to share with you (in case you dont already know, through me, or a friend of mine, or some other gossip channel!), that I had my roka (pre engagement for those who dont understand), with Pridhee Kapoor, a junior of mine from IIT Delhi, and the love of my life.

The answer to the obvious question - "So when are you getting married" is that I dont know, but it should be around the end of next year!:-) She is yet to finish off her PhD in Germany, and will be studying there for another year. Which is why I cant give you the exact date. The details will follow...:-)

To come back to the India trip - well, I landed at the Bombay airport, and had to spend 6 hours or so at the airport for my connection to Delhi. I was really not looking forward to this wait, but I was quite amazed by the facilities at the Bombay airport. Many airports offer lots of luxuries to business class passengers, but this was the first airport that I have seen, that offers comfortable, clean beds to economy class passengers, for free! I had quite a nice time there, and happily made my way to Delhi:-)

Delhi is exactly the same as it was when I left, in most ways. What struck me different this time was the absolute lack of haggling or negotiations with the customs officials. I passed through the green channel, and no one even so much as looked towards me! I was ready to dance right there (given that I was carrying a nice golf set with me, which would have had customs officials pounce upon me a couple of years back!).

The traffic had me on the edge for the next couple of hours. I dont know how to describe what I saw, but traffic in Delhi seems to be going in all directions at the same time! You would think that since you are on the correct side of the road, the traffic would flow in the correct direction. Well, well well. Traffic was going in all directions - you could easily hit a scooter coming right at you on your side of the road, as you could hit the biker taking a swinging right without caring to look over his shoulder. I was utterly convinced that we are going to be get involved in an accident atleast a hundred times before the 30 mins ride ended! But funnily, there is order in chaos, and nothing happened. Life goes on! I was amazed to say the least. The thing to wonder about is, that if I was so startled by this, when I have lived here for two decades, how would the poor non-Indians feel when they landed!:-) I feel sorry for them in some ways!!

I reached Chandigarh for Diwali, and what a loud, sparkling Diwali it was! I had so much fun with all the anars and chakris that I couldnt get myself to stop! Fireworks are so much more fun when you light them, and not just stand somewhere and watch a display (as you do everywhere outside India!). Burfis and laddoo and loads of halwa! I ate as if there was no tomorrow! I love festivals in India!

After Diwali I went beserk shopping! And I soon realized that India is not the cheapest place in the world to shop after all. I could get a things for a similar price in USA as well. But it was so much more fun shopping here! You had the pleasure of haggling:-)!!! I think I finally understood what retail therapy means:-)

Pridhee and her parents came over to Chandigarh, and we had a fun time together, shopping, and eating. It was as if life revolved around these activities!:-) (I have gained weight by the way, needless to say!) The roka happened at our place on 10th Nov (which will be my anniversary till I get married, I suppose! - mark the date!) - and there was a nice little party after that. Lots of dhol wallas made their way to our house as the party started, and despite all my requests, stayed put outside the house. Eventually, some of us got drunk enough to start dancing to their beats, and all of a sudden, everyone was dancing! I certainly made the most of eat, and danced away till they stopped!:-) I love to dance in clubs etc. but the fun of dancing to the tune of the dhol is something very different!

And as I danced, I signed away my bachelorhood:-)



I made my way back to Delhi after the roka, and chilled out there for a day before finally heading out for USA. After my inital scare with the traffic, I came back with a vengence, and drove like a true Dilliwala for a day! The most amazing thing was when I was honked at for stopping at a red light!:-) I loved it!

I am back in the USA now, back to the lovely job that I have. I am back to thinking about my Cingular minutes, and the price of gas (which has actually come down). But this trip told me one thing for sure - there is no place like home. And I am dead sure that I want to go back to India! I hope life will allow me to do that!

For those interested in photos, check out photos.yahoo.com/daredevil_inc under the Roka folder. View the photos from END to Beginning - I managed to upload them the wrong way!Namaskaar, aur sabhi yatri gan ko savdhan kiya jaata hai, ki agli flight delayed hai:-)

Motaji