Shameless Optimism

It’s not a good habit to wash one’s dirty linen in public. People often hide their flaws and inflate even the minutest of qualities they have. I choose to be honest with my blog. I have never been the athlete types (though I ran the Delhi Half Marathon 4yrs ago). My visits to the jogging park near my place are more like one time guest appearances. Like majority of women, marriage has given me too bliss in the form of extra calories & piles of weight.

2.5yrs back, hubby & I went for a trek to Valley of flowers (am yet to blog about it! How lazy of me), Tungnath Chopta & Deoria Taal. I was like a kid who had to be shown lollipop to get work done. Hubby was at his motivating best, as I struggled & gasped for breath. After that trip, I decided to go for a trek only when I have consistently built lung capacity by running in the park. However, humans, being humans, love to procrastinate.

The dormant volcano in me was erupted by Discovery Channel last week. They showed a documentary on an all women group from the Indian Army who went & scaled Mt Everest. Immediately, my heart pounded with enthusiasm – when they can, why can’t I?

Someone rightly said “Dil to bachha hai ji, thoda kacha hai ji”. I was horribly bad with the Valley of flower trek & here I was, secretly dreaming for scaling the Everest or any such tough trek!

I looked on my side, mom in law & hubby were happily enjoying the documentary, oblivious to the khichdi that simmered in my mind. But the question was, how could I even mention? Like in movies, I even imagined myself disclosing my plan to them & almost instantly becoming laughing stock.

So, I just sighed. “This trek is tough na?” I asked hubby, pretended just curious. “Tough, it’s the toughest! Only few members of the groups are able to move from Camp 4 to the summit, & so many people even lose their lives. Besides it’s an expensive trek” He said. “Hmmmm….”, I said. Me wondered & wondered. “Forget it Shaivi, they will laugh at u.” I convinced myself & tried to focus on the documentary.

The heart, well, had other plans. Almost involuntary, something inside me got busy planning. “So what if it’s expensive, I could delay that ring I have been wanting to buy. Saving my salary plus some borrowing would help. But what about the main issue, remember how he was laughing at me when I was ready to give up after every 100m in the last trek? But, that was 2.5 yrs ago, this time, I will practice hard, go for a 3km run every morning so that I don’t lose breath. You only live once, why not stretch the limits, adrenaline rush, blah blah blah……” The heart was going on and on! The whistle of the cooker finally interrupted my fairy tale plans.

Being realistic, I don’t aim for Everest at this stage, but even if I manage a tough trek by the end of this year, it would give my self-confidence a new high score!

Still don’t have the guts to reveal my secret plan to Mr. Hubby. While chances are he will ask me to work on an action plan to build my stamina, I fear he may laugh at me & remind me of the previous treks. But despite knowing my previous trek records, not once has my heart/mind thought, “I can’t”. Not once have I stopped planning for it.

That’s optimism – shameless, at its best!

Pic Courtesy : Google Search

Darjeeling – Down memory lane Part V (Final)

Darjeeling – Down memory lane - Part V (Final)

Day 5

It was our last day in Darjeeling & we had to catch flight in the evening. So we decided to take it easy. Boney’s had become our daily breakfast joint & the owner’s face always had a huge smile whenever we visited him. Not because we looked cute. The walk from hotel to Boney’s used to be beyond my capacity & he felt pity for me as he saw Hubby motivating me with pastas & pizza to reach the outlet!

We then decided to take a longish walk in the bazaar & I picked up some tea for relatives & friends. Lunch was at Glenary’s,  a famous eatery in Darjeeling. One didn't go there for food, but the location, ambiance  music & WiFi  actually the feel of the place made me feel as if I was in one of those amazing restaurants u have in London & Paris. One could just sit there for hours, an ideal place for a romantic date.

Since it was season of landslides, Hubby got tensed about reaching Bagdogra on time. On the way, as he & the driver discussed we didn't have much time, I secretly wished we got another day so that we could cover Sikkim as well. But the airline was more than supportive & the flight delay ensured we not only reached the airport on time but also had to wait at the stuffed up lounge for an hour.

When the plane took off, I felt like a kid whose summer vacations were coming to an end. I was going back to Delhi, to waking up early & going to office, the usual rut of life. But was already looking forward to come again to explore Sikkim & rafting at Teesta.

Delhi airport too greeted us with showers & I still remember how I gorged on Rajma Chawal like a bhukha sher as my mom in law looked and smiled.

This was our best trip ever, loaded with lot of sweet memories.  Mr. Hubby says, there is something magical about Darjeeling. Makes you feel as if the time has halted so that once can savor the simple joys of life. And that’s what life is all about.

Best Trip Ever!

Darjeeling – Down memory lane Part IV

Darjeeling – Down memory lane Part IV

Day 4

Having wasted a precious day on my food poisoning, we had to make the most of the remaining trip in a jam packed itinerary. So we hired the hotel cab (hiring a cab comes out expensive in Darjeeling) & left for Mirik Lake. Since it had just rained, the ferns drizzle & greenery on the way looked splendid. The houses, whether big or small had plants potted & walls painted. A feature I noticed in every house on the way. Had hubby & I not fought on the way, Mirik, with its pine trees & clouds passing through the lake would have been a romantic paradise for us. 

Pic Courtesy: Google Search

But I will always remember this place as the place where we had our first serious fight (girls, they remember all the firsts!). So while hubby was fagging away to show off his anger, I was trying my best to attempt a long solitary walk on the bridge over the lake. I could see people enjoying boating & Pony rides while we 2 stood with fowl expressions on our face. It was best not to try anything more as we had paid for the cab & didn’t want to spoil the trip.

They say sometimes journeys are as beautiful as the destination itself. Such was the case with Darjeeling. Terrace gardens with corn all over, I didn’t know how much to stop & click. We stopped near the Nepal border area as I had not eaten at the good restaurants on the way, thanks to our fight. It had also begun to rain. We took rest in a small shop & I savored the best momos that even the best restaurants in Delhi wouldn’t serve. Soft, fresh & steaming hot, they were just the perfect thing on that rainy day. We gorged on momos & chai & hubby made up for the fight by pampering me with perfumes etc.

The way to Teesta & kalimpong is one of the most beautiful memories of my life.  Let me share a little secret. The reason why I had wanted to go to Darjeeling was that in the song “Pehla Nasha” from the movie “Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar”, I had seen Amir Khan enjoying & falling on tea plants & since childhood it was a secret wish to do the same.  And when I saw the tea plantations, I just shrieked “ooooooooh” like an overjoyed child! I went running towards the tea plants & fell on one of them. Mr. Hubby was surprised & laughing! He must’v been wondering what sort of a girl is this. Though now, he tells me he was concerned for the plants since I had fallen on the bunch! Men…

We had a longish photo session & a few meters ahead, we reached a place from where we could see Triveni Point, the point where river Rangeet meets Teesta. I have no words to describe how panoramic the view was so u can see these pics. The calm river Rangeet coming from Kanchenjunga meets the turbulent Teesta coming from Sikkim & the confluence is a treat to the eyes! A must visit. 

Triveni Point from the top

The driver told us, we were to go down to the Delta created by the confluence. Wow! I couldn’t wait. We crossed the Teesta Bridge & reached the Delta. It was monsoon time so the area wore a deserted look however; we were told that in summers, the place is a rafting aficionado’s haven. I have done rafting at Shivpuri as well, but Teesta was just too turbulent, with multiple rapids. I wish it was season time so that I could enjoy the rapids. We enjoyed some quality time together walking barefoot on the Delta’s wet sand & promised we would return someday & do rafting at Teesta.

Teeestaaaaaa!

It was evening when we reached Kalimpong & the driver had already warned us to keep everything quick coz we had be back to hotel before it got late. The nine hole Golf course there perhaps is the most scenic Golf course in the whole country!  The driver also took us to Kalimpong cactus garden which was a well maintained private property. We spotted some amazing varieties of cactus together at one place.

Golf Course

Golf Course

There is also a famous monastery at Kalimpong, the Tharpa Choling Monastry. The silence felt so relaxing & we wished we had more time. But had to cover it in just 20 minutes and hurried to a temple. It was getting dark & it was heartbreaking that I had come all the way from Delhi to Darjeeling & was missing out on Sikkim due to a wasted day of food poisoning. But the damage had been done. We reached hotel back in time for dinner but it had been a long & tiring day & before we knew, we had dozed off.
Read about the final day of the trip here...

Cactus at garden in Kalimpong

Monastry in Kalimpong

Darjeeling – Down memory lane - Part III

Day 3

We were woken by the kukdoookoo of the rooster outside our hotel  window. Let me tell u something strange about this Rooster bhaiyya. We all have heard that the kukdookoo happens with the crack of dawn. However, rooster bhaiyya ensured the lazy folks got up on time. You could snooze the alarm, nit him. His periodic kukdookoo could be heard way past afternoon as well!

But something inside me wasn’t right. The palak paneer I had gorged on the night before didnt go well with my tummy. Burp & all the good things I had savored in dinner came out one by one. Mr. hubby was scared of my sudden food poisoning. Medicine, mint, chocolate, whatever I took refused to go inside. A SOS call to parents in Delhi & some timely homeopathic medicines did some damage control.

We had planned to head to Kalimpong and Sikkim that day but now my only option was to rest in my hotel room & listen to Rooster bhaiyya. Mr. Hubby knows how to make the best out of worst. Movie was a good option, I just had to sit & watch. In Delhi, I am used to reaching in time, to get tickets in time. But this was Darjeeling, laid back and chilled out. The theater showing Hindi movie was almost empty! I enjoyed the show like a private screening & changed my seat thrice until hubby signaled me to control.  

By the time the show ended, my sickness had disappeared and the tummy wanted some fuel. And we discovered this cosy eatery called Boney’s snack bar in Capital Market. No fancy interiors or menu, but the brother sister duo who run this place serve sandwiches & pastas as per your choice & with free smiles & hospitality. Hubby became a fan of this eatery & this became our breakfast point for the remainder of the trip.
Read about Day IV of the trip here...

Darjeeling – Down memory lane - Part II

Day 2

The hotel staff had asked us to wake up early, for we had to go to Tiger Hill. We had heard so much of “a must visit” Tiger Hill. Since the spot offered a scenic view of Mount Everest along with Kanchenjunga, Hubby & I were up at 4 so that we could catch the glimpse to our heart’s and camera lens’ content! But they say, excess of everything is bad. Over excitement proved us expensive. Clouds played spoil sport. We waited and waited with endless cups of coffee. The place has a lot of local women serving piping hot coffee they carry in thermos flasks. After we realized it won’t be anything more than a coffee date, we decided to capture whatever we could and moved on…

This is wat we expected (pic courtesy: Google Search)

This is what we saw

Spoil sport

The driver was a good chap & seeing our disappointed faces, he suggested we visit the Ghoom monastery which fell on the way back to our hotel. The toy train was like a fast friend, meeting us every time we were out to explore the lovely Darjeeling.  It was a treat to see Ghum station, a small platform which has retained its old world charm. You can even catch a glimpse of the station in the movie Barfi.

Toy Train!!!

Ghum Station

Buddha Statue at Ghum monastry

Ghum monastery, also known as Yiga Choeling Monastery has a 15 ft high statue of Maitreya Budhha. My exposure to monasteries had till now been confined to the documentaries on Discovery. Actual rendezvous was a treat for my eyes. The colorful paintings, architecture, prayer bells spoke of rich culture. By now, we had began enjoying the drizzle which never stopped. We got a nice blue umbrella from one of the shops near the monastery.

Anybody loving to shop in Palika Bazaar in Delhi would love the several shopping complexes in Darjeeling. Just like Palika, the shopkeepers give u a visual scan & quote the rates. I found the fashion sense a step ahead of Delhi & if you are well versed with the tricks of bargaining, then it’s a shopper’s paradise!

A nice, long and romantic evening stroll was followed by an authentic North Indian dinner & we called it a day.
Read about Day III of the trip here...

Darjeeling – Down memory lane (Part 1)

Darjeeling undoubtedly has been my best trip ever for two reasons. First, it was my first trip with Mr. Hubby so thinking of it reminds me of all the lovy dovy stuff we were enjoying at that time. Secondly, I have to admit, I haven’t been to another place so laidback & relaxing as Darjeeling. Just like the movie “Barfi”, everything happens at its own sweet pace. It’s great to see a place where people still love to relish the small, simple joys of life, a welcome change for us from the metros, where everyone is running a rat race.

Being pakke ghumakkad (travel freaks), hubby and I are always ready to pack our bags & set out without a notice. However, surprisingly, Darjeeling has been our most planned trip, planned 3 months in advance. 

It was the first time anybody from our families was heading out to the North East & I still remember the concern in my father in law’s voice when he used to call us daily & suggest numerous precautions everyday. But I have to admit, from the moment we landed at Bagdogra airport, there was a not even a single moment when I felt unsafe. The warmth of the people is still afresh in my mind and had it not been for our hectic schedules, once a year Darjeeling darshan would definitely have been on my itinerary.

Day1

The idea of travelling to Darjeeling in the month of July was received with much resistance by family and friends. However, passion needs no bounds. So, on the rainy morning of July 1, 2009, we left home for airport, hoping the rain God would have mercy & not cancel the flight. Just like our cute little destination, the aircraft too was small and cute with only a handful of passengers (mostly honeymooners & families) bound for Bagdogra. Though rain God had mercy, the fear of bad weather kept us anxious throughout the 2 hour flight. I still remember an elderly uncle who had a heated argument with the cabin crew as he was being asked not to move or use the washroom as the weather was bad.  Just too bad for the poor guy, I thought. The frequent chanting of bad weather by the flight stewardess made me somewhat scared as this was my 1^st flight ever. My wicked mind remembered all the plane crash stories I have ever read in newspapers & I was fretting. Mr. Hubby tried his level best to calm me down, trying to divert my mind.

Finally our flight landed at the Bagdogra airport. What a transition – from the gargantuan runway of Delhi airport to the small runway of Bagdogra airport, where one plane landed at a time & quickly made way for the ones about to land. Some things never change no matter wherever you go & cabbies were over enthusiastic to spot tourists. But he didn’t know with us he was inviting agents of decibel torture! As if we had an overdose of laughing gas, hubby & I laughed nonstop during the drive from Bagdogra to Darjeeling. The cabbie kept looking back, perhaps scared if we were insane, as he still had to be paid!

Our hotel was at a certain height from the main road. However, the cabbie, bugged by our bursts of laughter decided he’s had it enough. He dropped us abruptly on the main road & said the resort was just 10 steps up. Before I could look back at him to tell him it seemed more than 50 steps, he was gone! Price paid for our paagalpanti! Hehe …like mules, hubby & I dragged ourselves up the hill till the bellboy spotted us & came to our rescue!

After attacking the room service menu & taking some rest, we set out for a long romantic evening walk. The place had an old world charm like I had seen in Kasauli. The antique architecture and relaxed environment stole my heart. Coffee & muffin at the famous Gelenery’s further ehanced my spirits. Exhausted by the travel & the climb up to the resort (yes, we had to do it every time we went out for a walk), we dozed off much before dinnertime…

Read about Day II of the trip here...

Pic courtesy:Google Search

Pic courtesy:Google Search

A home is a home is a home

Whenever I read reports in newspapers about disturbance in a country, I wonder why cant the people there shift their base rather than living in fear of death and uncertainty. The world is a much open place now and anyone can go and settle in the place of his choice & live a better life. And my opinion applies to people living in extreme sub zero climates, places with forever political problems, high militancy areas etc etc. However, I am told nobody likes to leave his house…coz home is where the heart is.

Even the pigeons on my hostel window reflect the same attitude. To be honest, I hate being away from home, away from the happening city, in a place everything, right from food to climate to infrastructure is in a state of despair. Yet, everyday I see a bunch of pigeons living happily on my room window. Its no easy situation for them either. The place is not an ideal destination for enough water, or food for them. Still, no matter how much I try to shoo them away, they always come back to the window. They have a free mode of transport, would need no passport/visas to shift to greener pastures & are not even bound by a residential program (like me!)…so what is it that motivates them?

And then I look at migratory birds in Lodi Garden in winter mornings. Like tourists, they come every year, to survive extreme weather conditions. Yet the comfort is unable to make them stay here forever. Come the right season in their home country & they happily take the long flight back home.

They say the solution to life’s puzzles lies in looking inside, so I introspect. No matter how much I love Delhi, there are people who strongly share the opposite opinion – people from other cultures finding tough to adjust here, tourists harassed  by the locals, people finding the city unsafe…they have their own reasons that nobody can counter. Yet, what is it that binds me to the place? Like a migratory bird, I look forward to taking that first flight home whenever I can…because home is where u feel comfortable and secure… home is where the heart is!

Exams are over tomorrow & I head home! 

Pic Courtesy:Google Search

A date with mungphalis & gazzaks in Delhi

Winters are here! And although Delhi isn’t shivering the way it usually does (Global warming..eh?) Delhiites are out to enjoy winters at their enthusiastic best, be it flocking to malls dolled up for Christmas or meeting up for Sunday brunches in Lodi Gardens.

Talking of winter fun takes me to my childhood days. My mother would bring lot of groundnuts, peanut chikki, phulley (popcorns), rewri & different types of gazak & we would enjoy them on winter afternoons in the comfort of our sun facing balcony. The weather would be comfortably sunny so as to wrap me in its warmth, without making me feel sweaty. Even my dog would have his share of groundnuts. We used to sit around ma as she patiently peeled the groundnuts & stuff it in our mouths. My dog felt like a king as he enjoyed special pampering. Ma would create a line on the floor with peanuts and he would follow the line, eating each peanut.

The joy of evening adrak waali chai doubled as we relished roasted shakargandi (sweet potato). The sweet potato chaat, topped with tangy lemon juice & chaat masala would make me close my eyes and take chatkaarey as the tanginess hit my palate!

Although you will find gazak at every departmental store, popcorns, roasted groundnuts & sweet potato with every second hawker in Delhi, hubby & I decided to visit two places which every experienced Dilliwalla would flock to.

Our first spot was old barafkhana. As we hit the T point and take a left towards barafkhana, the road on the left greeted us with wholesale shops selling groundnuts, gazak, rewri & lot of winter goodies. There on the roadside were sellers with roasted sweet potatoes, kachaloo, potatoes & starfruits. The sweet potatoes were beautifully arranged & the green outlining with starfruit immediately caught my eyes. The guy even had hot charcoal in a small earthen vessel on which he roasted some fresh sweet potato. My mouth watered at the sight of my favorite shakargandi & I quickly bought a kilo, dreaming of the spicy, tangy chaat.

Next, we headed to Kishanganj. From Old Rohtak Road, take the lane called goushala marg. (Here's the google maps link - https://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Kishanganj+Railway+Station,+Kishan+Ganj,+Sarai+Rohilla,+New+Delhi,+Delhi+110007&hl=en&ll=28.664251,77.20081&spn=0.004707,0.010568&geocode=FbhhtQEdrv2ZBA&hnear=Kishanganj+Railway+Station,+Sarai+Rohilla,+New+Delhi,+Delhi&t=m&z=17&iwloc=A).

The road is congested with horses on the sides and getting a place to park your vehicle is a hard nut to crack. Just outside the Kishanganj railway station, just near the bridge, there is a narrow lane full of tempting delights. My eyes twinkled with excitement as I spotted all my winter delights at a single place. There were different varieties of groundnuts, gazaks, roasted chanas, namkeens…the list is endless. Behind every shop was its workshop and I could see workers preparing different types of gazzaks. The aroma of gazzak dough took me in its awe & I couldn’t resist trying few. I could see aunties with their experienced palates, like connoisseurs, trying one gazzak after another and going for the one that passed their tests while the uncles waited.

We stopped by a shop named “Matka brand mungfali bhandar”. Interesting name…why matka? I thought. The owner smiled as I asked him the same. Perhaps he was amused that in the hustle bustle of this narrow street, someone bothered about the name, as most customers hurriedly tasted, ordered & carried their stuff away. He pointed out to a huge earthen pot on the side of the shop and said “madam, ye hai matka, jismein chaney aur mungphali roast kartey hain.”(This is the earthen pot in which we roast the chanas & groundnuts. The huge pot sat beautifully on an earthen base and besides the oven, were lying loads of chanas & groundnuts. I could also see a machine used to prepare gazak mixture. The shop had amazing hing (asafoetida) flavored chana. There was an impressive variety of gazaks, you name it & they have it. The shop even sold Muraina gazaks (Muraina is a place in UP famous for its gazaks and every second packet of gazak will mention the word “Muraina” even if it is locally made). 

I greedily tried on various gazaks before picking up my all time favorite mungpahi patti, nazuk gazak, rewri, til patti, hing flavored chanas, mungphalis & popcorns. I tempted to pack some more goodies but seeing the condition of my hubby's hands overloaded with my shopping, I decided to have some mercy on him.

Streetfood fest@ Sitaram Bazaar

I just love October…the soft chill in the air, festivity, colors, sparkle, joy, excitement, shopping and my favorite…food! Delhites need an excuse to satiate their taste buds with the yummiest treats the city has to offer. Since I am not much into fasting, navratras for me are nine days of sheer gastronomical paradise. I get to savor the best of vrat (hindi word for fasting) and non vrat food. From the bhog at Durga Puja pandals to the specially designed navratra thalis at restaurants, it’s my yearly ritual to have them all. 

One event I really look forward to every year is the baadaa at Sitaram Bazaar, Old Delhi. Sitaram bazaar is Old Delhi’s chaat capital and when they come up with something special, it’s a must have. I first went there 4 years ago and since then there has been no looking back.

Baadaa is a midnight food festival (mela) organized during navratras and goes on till Dussehra. Nine days of festivities, late night melas and lot of joy. Sitaram Bazar, during the day is swarming with people. However, for the baadaa, shops close early and makeshift food counters are setup. 

The moment I stepped out of the Chawri Bazzar, the glitter, lights and the aroma of delhi’s delicacies surrounded me. Wow! I couldn’t wait to get started!

Chawri Bazar Metro Station

In front of Sitaram Bazar

The lights!

Making our way through the crowded lane and the umpteen rickshaws, we first reached New Ashoka sweets. An otherwise famous shop of Sitaram Bazaar, they serve special delicaies for navratras. All shops serve 100% vegetarian food and most will also dole out dishes you can have while fasting. In fact, I was surprised to see every second counter serving vegetarian seekh kebabs.  The shop was crowded as if it was serving food for free. The 20 min wait for my order was a torture as I could see (and worse, smell the amazing aroma) the delicacies people enjoyed and my mouth watered and watered. But the wait was worth it. Kebabs made of cottage cheese, served in spicy gravy, served with onion lacchha (salad) and rumaali rotis, made to perfection. I was amazed how, despite the mad rush, the order taker made no mistakes in delivery while the rumali roti guy dished out roti after roti within minutes. 

People waiting for their order

Veg Kathi kebabs

The rumali roti expert

Rumali Roti

Veg Kathi Kebab with Rumali roti & onion lachha

Next in line was aloo paneer tikki…flattened balls of potato and cottage cheese, spiced up and shallow fried till crispy. Tikkis have to be cooked on the right flame for the right time else the result gets messed up. Maybe thats why, people didnt seem that patient to wait and the stall was relatively less crowded. But patience pays.The guy served the tikkis with generous helpings of tamarind and mint chutney and … My mouth still waters as I write. Crispy, hot, spiced up, with dash of chutneys, I loved the tikkis.

Aloo tikki and chaat

I had heard so much about Kanji vadas from my mother in law, so the moment I spotted the cart selling them; I was after my hubby to try them out. Kanji vadas are pakodas (fritters) served soaked in spicy water (kanji) and is a must try whenever u come to Delhi. The pakodas could have been softer and fresh but the spicy water made up up for them.

Kanji vada

Once a week, I have a date with Chhole Kulchey, but the ones I had here were very different than the others. In a hurry, the guy, just sprinkled lots of masala on the chholey and sprinkled lemon juice without bothering to mix it up. But, voila, what a treat it was! Every bite a super spicy affair! My eyes were watery (tears of gastronomical joy!) and I was loving it.

Chhole Kulche

I also tried the moong dal chilla, pancakes made of moong dal, stuffed with coriander, cottage cheese and served with chutney. Didn’t find much difference between them and the usual stuff I get to eat at every second wedding.

Moong dal chilla

People waiting for their chilla

Right next to the chilla counter stood Om prakash Kulfi waala. The ice creams at Sitaram Bazzar are prepared in unique manually operated ice cream makers in front of your eyes, from real fruits, no added flavors. You won’t get this stuff anywhere else. A must try. I tried the mango and pomegranate ice cream and they just melted in my mouth! One of the best ice creams I ever had.

Kulfi cart

Manual ice cream machine

Mango ice cream

Pomegranate ice cream

I was about to leave when I spotted this cart with nankhatai. At Rs 20 for 100g, I got the freshest, warmest and softest nankhatais that only Old delhi can offer. I quickly gobbled few and got some packed for my tid bit treats at home.

Nankhatais

It was time to leave. The crowd was growing every minute and I was told this would be so till 1-2 at night. The liveliness was infectious and I didn’t want to leave. I filled the aroma one last time and hurried to grab the metro…

Some more pics from the fest...

Balloon seller

Masks popular with kids during Dussehra

Masks, bow and arrows 

Servers in traditional attire

Rickshaw carrying water jugs back from shops

   

Chuski shop

The joy of eating

Outside New Delhi Railway Station