As January started with final semester of college life, the end seemed near. And even more exciting was the fact, of finally being at home. At home, not in a vacation, but unexpectedly long until the next destination of life is made certain. Of being home at Delhi. Of being home, not as a guest for a few days. Delhi was calling me, and i was looking forward to it.

It took 6 months. But finally in June, it was on the train back home, that the feeling sunk in. I am going home finally. And it felt good. But in the days since, the enchantment has become a nightmare. The first step I took outside the station, gave me the Delhi feeling. My nose could smell the stench, due to the unclean rail tracks ( but that is common to most of India ). My ears could hear but choicest abuses, in joy and anger both ( which is common to some parts of India too ). My eyes could see people angry, and frustrated, and raging, and shouting. But most of all, my body could feel. Feel the unbearable 43 C of heat. And i felt i could die right there. No wonder, the fifth sense of speech could utter only one word “Fuck!”.

The weather as we have seen is extreme. From 46 C of unbearable heat to 3 C of bone chilling cold, people die all around year here. From 90% humidity that can make you feel like a tap, to extreme dryness tearing your skin apart. From that 3 months of waiting for rains, and finally those 3 hours of rain, after which monsoon becomes a disaster. Frankly 2 hours of decent rain, and traffic jams 5 hours long. Water logging as if you are on some beach. The latter part being a first hand experience. I was on my bike, and floating on water, and praying i don’t encounter a open drain or pothole. The best i could do was follow the Tyre of the car in front of me and pray.

I guess when it comes to being a capital, a city of dreams, we are still far behind. I guess we can definitely hold one games : THE BLAME GAMES. Apart from that, the city is a mix of the best and the worst. 10% of city feels like New York, but that rest 90% is so pathetic, you could consider it a slum maybe.

When thinking about where i plan to live next, Delhi was perhaps high on my list. But given a fortnight of stay here, i did decide that perhaps i don’t have it in me to face the new reality show : THE LIFE IN DELHI. The weather, and the attitude of people here, is perhaps the deciding factor in heading to Bangalore for now, and taking a call on future from there.

If only, we Delhi folks, could be a little more bearing, patient, calm, and try to work more in common interest, we could be a better place to live. The MCD however, can only start writing memos, and do some real work. The government, could but, crack a better whip for the continuous success they have enjoyed over the years.

GOOD LUCK to all those who LIVE in Delhi