Memories are made of this!
Stuck in a traffic jam, a relatively new but now regular feature of the city, with idiots impotently blaring their horns…One’s thoughts went back to some random nostalgic memories of old Nagpur, and of things that seem to have been lost forever!
Like, when cycling home to Byramji Town from SFS school in the afternoons, We used to hardly pass 4-5 cars! We used to attempt the feat of pedalling from the school gate to our homes without touching our cycle handles! It was silly then, and would be suicidal now!
Like, the home entertaining scene was alive and kicking then as it is now, but it was simple and unpretentious. Home-cooked food, a bottle of Royal Challenge on the bar and hospitality that was warm and personal. Importantly, they started at a sensible hour and ended in time for everyone to get a good night’s rest and go to work the next day!
Like, Today morning I saw young girls at the Nagpur airport dressed as if they were going to a Disco party! Crop tops, short skirts, designer wear etc .. in our time the girls would come to dance parties dressed as if they were taking a long-distance flight…Keds, basic jeans and T-shirts!
Like, I remember the huge Parsi gang that used to meet at Coffee House every single afternoon. My Dad was a regular and as a kid, I would watch them smoke, sip coffee, laugh and argue! The ‘Annas’ never rushed them or insisted they order .. and their loud and very colourful language never seemed to upset or offend anyone.
Like the lovely old world Dinshaw Ive cream shop opposite Liberty Cinema, Mr Rana personally stood behind the counter and the delicious Faluda that was served in those tall glasses!
Like, the huge Parsi community that Nagpur then had and the frequent get-togethers at the Parsi Dharamshala. My friend’s mother Banu M. was the live wire and chief organiser. She would arrange Whist drives, Holi over night picnics, Khariya Parties and Dhansak potluck’s! What fun we had as kids at those events and how they created a sense of community bonding.
Like, Our own home was only our second home, and our first home was CP Club! We would go straight from college and then hang out there till late evening.. playing badminton, table tennis and later, snooker! We all had strict limits on how many cold drinks and snacks we could sign for, and if we went over that budget our signing rights would be revoked!
Like I remember the Samosa Walla at the Labour Court canteen, a stone’s throw from Hislop College. The Labour court then was in an old colonial house and the canteen walla was in what was the garage! He used to make the potatoes with a perfect blend of spices and lots of fresh ‘Dhaniya’ and fry them to crisp perfection, we would eat so many of them every morning!
Like, driving through Mohan Nagar the other day, I realised how much we miss the Catholic community, and how much richness they added to the city’s fabric! They had music bands and their dances at RC club were legendary, and unlike us, they knew how to dance! Now most have migrated to Australia… thank God ‘Jubilee Bakery’ is still around!
Yes!, Those were the days my friend! But this is not to say one is not happy today … Nagpur has so many wonderful things now that were missing then… Like Starbucks, selling crappy coffee at Rs 300/- a cup! And we are excited about the 26-floor building coming up next to our house that lights up at night like a brothel! And don’t even get me started on how amazing a spot they have made Telankhedi Lake!
#bits of beauty everywhere (#BOBE)
@bits_of-beauty_everywhere
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