Tuesday, February 21, 2006

I am back - again!

And right ashamed I am too, seeing how I have whimpered into silence. I've been meaning to give this post a wee bit of time but a wicked, wicked reviewer (yes my dear, this means you!) and my own prodigious sloth have contrived to delay this post. But no more, yes?

Before all else about Hyderabad, I should like it to be noted that on neither of my train rides were there encounters of the bizarre kind with my tribe. Nope, non, de nada! No Gujarati people - men, women, or children - giving me any grief about being a disgrace to the name Gujarati.

However, both experiences leave me with the lurking suspicion that the source of my trauma may just have shifted from my community to the Telugu. But I am going to hold the jury out on that one - just until my next trip.

Hyderabad was... as I remembered it in the winter. Dry and swinging desperately from hazy, searing days to crisp, frozen nights. The main roads stretching out into curves, trees and the distinct realization that Hyderabad was, for the first time in five years, a distant home. I don't know if it was something taken away, or something I've had to leave behind or mayhap... a bit of both.

But this trip was about more - so much more.

It was about...
... copious quantities of beef biryani, bangles, and girlie conversations.
... stupefying encounters in the University Admin block and the Department of English.
... indulgent smiles at the Charminar and the unmitigated beauty of the University campus.
... as the elder sibling liked to tell me, "becoming an adult" and my unbearable lightness of being.
... and lastly but most importantly, an astonishing four rolls of film!

As always, many stories to tell and even more post-promises to keep. See you at my next, yes? :-)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats it??? Am disappointed... P

Casablanca said...

Okay, I will patiently wait for more meaty (no pun intended) stories. But dont disappear for too long :)

Blue Athena said...

You sure had a good time, now didn't you? :)

SaidBack said...

wtf???

G Shrivastava said...

Yes kindly plese to be going home earlier and posting more detailed post ji..what was this? This was like throwing us the bones from the meat after devouring all the flesh by yourself!

And also, me still waiting for that post you mentioned you shall post abt Lowry...or hast thou forgotten with all this insane work you do?

Anonymous said...

:) impressive level of expectations. now I am intrigued!

Anonymous said...

When are you going to roll out 'em rolls?

./w

the cowlick said...

Beef biryanis.. yummm! I've heard Hyderabad has the best biryanis. Ever

Anonymous said...

whetting our appetites as usual, eh?

Extempore said...

@P: Well, I aim to please, my dear! :-)

@Casa: Coming right up, sweetie!

@Blue Athena: Yes, my dear, indeed, I did. :-)

@Pepper: Old Chinese saying - wait patiently, fruit is sweet.

@Geets: The Lowry post coming up as soon as the Hyderabad ones are done. Am also working on some fiction right now - its called my SOP. :-) That takes up too much time love but am working on it - really!

@Jedi: I am hoping you won't go away disappointed. :-)

@./W: Right after this one, m'dear.

@The Cowlick: Oh but you must go to Hyderabad for the biryani - deewane ho jaoge! :-)

@Isis: Not for too long, love!

@Finnegan: Yes, yes back my dear - and yes pls... am thinking we'd have a good time of the trip together, no? :-)

Anonymous said...

@geetanjali: are we talking about lois lowry, The Giver?

G Shrivastava said...

@ Isis - Yes we are...she gave me the book to read!

Anonymous said...

@geets: hmm. and did you like it? i didn't like the ending. it was too open-ended, and reminded me heavily of the fairy tale, the little match girl... i mean, what happens? does he DIE?
maybe we should wait for her to post before we start a full-fledged discussion.