India on my Mind ...

Time for a new post to the blog.  The poems and sights that keep wandering through my mind should be written - I almost said on paper.  The things that keep me smiling - Lady and Lucy running to me, licking my toes, wiggling with delight that I had come to scratch their ears.  After all those months away.  The chawkidars were all new and eyed me suspiciously, what agenda could this strange white woman emerging from the fancy Toyota have with these street dogs?  I dreamt of them that night, wondering what it would take to bring them with me to Evanston.  How their lives would differ - no cars, buses or autos to chase - a cat to live with who would not be welcoming.

Other things that brought so much pleasure - finding the langurs who were running across the roof toward us just at sunset on Friday.  The pictures show their fur iridescent in the fading sun.  The clouds lining the ridge with the same iridescent white.  The shots I took were one after another - quickly, hoping that at least one would capture that fleeting moment.   And then around the corner finding Momo and his youngest with a Nikon, capturing the light and sights.  Momo the sometime neighbor and now film star - wearing his usual expansive smile, a large leather cowboy hat and several impressive turquoise rings.
It felt quite normal and right to be there.  Laughing and talking as the sun set.  The walk through Mullingar Bazaar was the usual, dodging cars, Jeeps and cows.  Stepping into shops when the cars needed all the road.  Smells from shops, fresh vegetables, samosas frying, bright scarves and tinsel for Dushera hanging in nearly every shop.  The decision to take a taxi from Picture Palace saved us the long walk up Kulri Bazaar and brought us to Gandhi Chowk and the opportunity to buy spinach, eggs, more dahi.  Also another bottle of wine - Sula's white I think the sauvignon blanc - which became a standard for each evening.

Breakfast of spinach subzi, made with onions, garlic, green chili, and tomato   Multi-grain bread from Kumar's in Dehradun completing the delicious breakfast.  The spinach was at its best, tasting somehow Gharwali, spicy with mountain sun.
Other favorite things - seeing Mr. Prakash and talking with Anil about reading "Rataban Betrayal" - Steve's best book yet.  Anil told Steve he hadn't read another book since college.  It really is a great mystery and has so much that is familiar.  Visiting with Faiz Mohammed in the bazaar - seeing his grandson who solemnly announced that he would sew me a "suit" - I asked for a red one.
The other friends - Andy making a special trip up to Woodstock to show his friend Nitesh around and see me.  Chance encounters with Bridget and Mrs. Aurora that were completely unplanned.  A day with Arun and Deepak in Delhi - laughing and learning together.  Friends old and new ... meeting Jaswant, again after 47 years and pleasing Patty with a 60th birthday party.