Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Melting Moments

There are cities that are termed 'melting pots of culture'. There is this city which seems to have taken that phrase too literally with a special emphasis on the 'melting' part. Delhi seems to be concentrating on melting anyone who has haplessly strayed into its precincts. So, if someone talks of a river of people in Delhi, you cannot be sure whether he is talking only figuratively or whether he actually means that what is now a river was once a crowd of people melted down.

That reminded me of a friend of mine who used to say, "Summers in Delhi are very romantic. Full of melting moments." In all my near eighteen years in Delhi I never found Romance, however. It is, may be, because I was too busy melting all by myself to melt in anyone else's company. Now, though, people melt away the moment I hove to on the horizon. (Maybe they did even then - but, as I said, I was too busy melting to notice)

As I sit here contemplating another day of venturing into the cauldron, my only consolation is that my trip to the Himalayas will help re-freeze me into some humanoid shape. As it is, people say that I look like some child had put me together from lumps of snow - a sort of animated Snowman, abominable or otherwise - and this repeated melting and re-freezing is certainly not helping the cause of converting me into every Pretty Young Thing's dream man (Hey! I read fantasy, so you cannot stop me indulging in the wildest of fantasies!)

Once more into the furnace my friends. I have nothing to lose but my moisture, having lost everything else.




30 comments:

  1. 're-freeze into some humanoid shape'.... hehe only you can write this Suresh!!..

    Loved reading it :)

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    1. Thanks Naba! You see, I do look at myself in the mirror :)

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  2. That was a very melty-cious post, Suresh. I was laughing so badly...Hope you cool down soon..:) Have a great trip.

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    1. I certainly hope I cool down too in the mountains. Thanks FIF.

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  3. Chernnai, off late has been quite pleasant contrary to cribs when I met you. have a great trip n trek to the Himalayas

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  4. aur jao dilli garmi mein. Humne toh warn bhi kiya tha, melting man ;-)! Cheeky post, Suresh!

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    1. Mera koi choice nahin tha, Rachna! It is near impossible to trek in the Himalayas in winter :)

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    2. I was just pulling your leg. Of course, that is the only time that you can go and trek in the Himalayas. And Delhi's winters are another problem anyway :). There is no place like Bangalore. Try trekking up Nandi hills :-P.

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    3. I love Delhi winters - my resistance to cold is a byword among my acquanitances :)

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  5. Ohh cmon ! You met such pretty bloggers here and Delhi has been giving you her version of pleasant evenings for the past 2 days :P BTW imbibing enough of the golden liquid keeps you away from dehydration :P

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    1. Pleasant means something like 8-10 degrees lesser for a Bangalorean :) Though I must admit that today looks promising with a heavy cloud cover.

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  6. The Himalayas will soon give you an image make-over Suresh;then you can have your pick!!!!

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    1. Been doing this for the last 7 years Indu and the image make-over seems to be driving more and more people away :)

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  7. Have an ice cream - a whole triple sunday, by yourself. It will help

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    1. A triple-sundae? By the time I finish off the first third and other two-thirds would probably be flowing down my elbow :)

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  8. Really You have Melted a lot in Delhi :D

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    1. The moisture I lent to the Delhi atmosphere has converted to a cloud-cover today :)

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  9. The post is very interesting because of the subtle yet lovely sense of humour with some good words.

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  10. :) :) :) Hope you survive the melting pot of Humans and Humanity and come back whole.

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    1. Delhi is still not done with me :) A couple of days to go still :)

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    1. Just about time - leaving tomorrow for the refreezing operations :)

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  12. I am sure you'll will return to your original form once you've reached the Himalayas. That is what usually happens to Delhi folks in winter.

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  13. I hope you come back resembling more of the 'wildest dream humanoid' that you have conjured up in your mind. Trek eh? Where to?

    Blasphemous Aesthete

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    1. That was way back in June! It was intended to be Roopkund but we got stuck in the Uttaranchal disaster and had to abort the trek.

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