hauz park

if life is about counting ones blessings, then i would like to dedicate this post to district park- it is a park near home, which is actually a part of the green belt in delhi and is a huge chunk of whatever remains of delhi forest cover. actually this park is a part of the cluster of parks in which this particularly big(by delhi standards) forest cover has been divided.
coming to district/hauz park, it has its own archiological relevance as well, because it has a huge tank or what is called as the 'hauz' bang in the middle of the main area, this is the same hauz from which the entire area viz. hauz khas has derieved its name. i believe this hauz is the centre part of the main holiday- retreat structure which was bulit in the medieval india probably by the tughlaqs.
speaking of the current times, this hauz had eralier been given a royal ignore by the authorities and infact the hip hauz khas village(basically a very posh designer hub) that had come up right at this main structures back-in many ways flouted all rules which are there in regard of buildings under the ASI(archeological survey of india). i distinctly remeber, till just a few yeras back- a popular and hip resteraunt-bistro, would often spill over its specail evening parties with the fancy lighting and very loud music right into the premises of this historic buliding...throwing all rules and regulation out of the window....money can buy you a lot in india even the old protected monuments can become your perfect set for a fancy party.
thankfully, someone in charge of affairs took notice and rules were strictly applied since then. today this park and the ancient hauz have been (may i say)- re-invented. the hauz has been filled with treated water and this attracts a number of migratory birds in the season. the medieval structures tower over this hauz and the clean blue sky provides a perfect pose. in this monsoon season, the evening sky often has a riot of colours and all the ancient trees and the stone structure make it a perfect place to sit quiet and watch

it rained this evening!

i remember this song
rain..
feel it on the finger tips,
hear it on the window panes..
can't remember the artist

india gate

last evening, mother nature gifted some respite to dilli walas as, it was a relatively nice weather to venture out, so i went to india gate.
for as long back as i can remember, india gate has always stood as a towering architectural reminder of two things- one,as a majestic symbol of british imperial rule over india and secondly and perhaps more importantly,as a grim reminder to the futility of war.

and yet at the same time,i have always felt baffled, regarding the symbolic metamorphosis of this colonial piece of architecture,from colonized india, to sovereign independent india... (we have witnessed quite an activity there- a-la rang de basanti style minus the dramatization of course)

earlier( like when i was in school) india gate was associated with the main structure, the amar jawaan jyoti, the handsome guards, and ofcourse the mandatory reading of the names of the jawaans as far up as possible.
but yesterday, it seemed...nay,it felt very different.i dont know what is about this place that seems to have caught the fancy of delhites. i mean, the place was so crowded that it almost seemed to loose out its charm to me.now it is more about the lawns, the pheri waalas, eatables and the other knick knacks on sale.
may it is because, delhi has so very few places which offer options for some nice, affordable family evening outs.