Delhi – for all the reasons and seasons

Day 4. 'D' it is today.

I have been a Delhiite all my life. I claim to know the city well, yet there remains something to explore everyday. 

This talk of Delhi being the ‘rape capital’ of India disturbs me every time I read about it in the paper. I am not disagreeing to the statistics or the general sentiment people have about the city. Yes, there are issues that need to be addressed pronto like women safety, civic sense, education, health etc. but come on! Which city in the whole world can claim to be completely safe and happy for its inhabitants? There are cities across the globe with worst such numbers. Yes, we are recording horrendous number of crimes against women. And everyone, including media, just keeps bashing up ' 'Delhi' and blaming it for everything. But let me tell you what I believe in. It is not Delhi. It is never a city. It is the people. It is us or one of us who shames his family and the city. 

Delhi is like any other city if you just take it as that. If you are new to the place, you take the same usual cautionary steps that you would if you are new to say a Chennai or a Jabalpur. If you are visiting Delhi, you come with the same checklist of traveling safe like you would in any part of the world. Delhi is as safe or as unsafe or as normal or crazy as the rest of the world. Seriously!

I am writing this to tell you what all there is to love in Delhi. And I am in a correct position to write this because I know the city well, I travel everyday to work using public transport and at odd hours. Not proud of it but have a job hazard. So, whatever plus the city has in my eyes means a lot to me.

• Delhi truly is a food lover’s haven. From lip-smacking chaat, chhole bhature and Nihari on the streets to Dal Bukhara and Sushi served in five star hotels, food just gets better
• Warm and helpful people (And with this I can see a few heads shaking in disbelief!)
• Delhi Metro!
• Connaught Place 
• Our version of Chinese cuisine, Chinjabi so to say!
• Inexpensive fashion and style @ Sarojini Nagar market and Janpath
• Festivals and festivities! Delhi is at its best from Durga Puja to Diwali. I personally feel one must experience the city then. It is incredibly beautiful, lighted, shopping, hogging on delicious food in Pujo pandals and Diwali melas and happy people all around. And you must overlook the traffic jams caused by cars laden with Diwali gifts because it is all so nice and happy and the pollution level of the city on Diwali night, which I guess is coming down with some awareness setting in
• Seasons! Oh yes you read me right. As much as I may crib about the horribly hot day in May or a grey, foggy January morning, I am very used to this change of seasons. Its kind of comforting. That my favorite seasons are just a turn over. My favorite being Monsoon and Autumn. I love the rains though there is nothing in it like Bombay boasts of but that’s what we have got. Might as well love it! And Autumn is the best time to be in Delhi with the pleasant weather and Diwali around the corner

Trust me, Delhi is a wonderful city and I feel if I were to be a city, I would be Delhi. Its warm, vibrant, happy and whacky at the same time.

And a song from the movie Delhi-6 describes Delhi as ‘ye shehar nahin mehfil hai’. Really!