My Delhi

I came face to face with Delhi today,

And it gave me an extreme sense of joy after a very long time,

Yes, I came face to face with my very own Delhi today…

Peoples’ appearances have changed,

But the hustle and bustle of those lively streets is still the same,

The walls of my house are now painted in fresh bright color, 

But the echoing of voices has not yet changed,

The mud in the backyard has probably turned dry over the years,

But its fragrance is still scattered in the air as if it just got wet from the rains, 

I can still hear those faint chuckles from my childhood somewhere in the background…

Those Delhi streets are still crowded and busy,

The cars keep colliding with each other in a tizzy,

People don’t know how to drive properly even today,

But they pretend to be smart as a whip,

And keep flaunting their ‘Delhi attitude’ and wit,

“You don’t have any idea, who my dad is!” they tell you in a flip..

You can still smell the sweet aroma of chaat and tikki at the Haldiram’s,

Those golgappas have the same irresistible taste,

And the paranthas at Chandni Chownk’s paranthe waali gali are still something to die for,

Oh dear! Delhi’s food still holds the best flavors in the world…

I still go astray in the crowded Delhi metro,

And when I see St Stephens and Tees Hazari from its window,

Those old and precious memories suddenly become afresh in my mind, 

And then when I disembark at the Kashmiri gate metro station,

I continue walking on those well-known paths where I have walked earlier,

And keep enjoying the fast-paced city which moves even faster than the time…

I always feel a sense of belonging on the streets of Connaught place,

As one could feel the glimpses of all those precious times spent with old friends..

Every corner of United coffee house keeps whispering in my ears,

‘Why did you take so many years to return?

I was waiting for so long in the hope that we bond once again..

Why do I get such immense pleasure by shopping on the streets of Janpath, 

There is nothing different about those danglers, anklets and bangles, 

But why do I look all the more beautiful,

Every time I wear them…

There is something very special about Delhi,

She makes everyone her own,

I once used to live in her,

Now she lives in me…

I came face to face with my very own Delhi yet again!!