:: naazita ::

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 07:37

Smells

I spent most of my first couple of days back in Bombay just taking in the smell in part-revolt and part-amusement, but mostly a state of vivid, happy intoxication. I came home one night, after 45 minutes of such vivid Bombay-smell intoxication on a local train, and started reading Shantaram (finally).

On Page 2, as if he was reading my mind and putting in words what I was struggling to, Roberts describes the Bombay smell.

"...it's the sweet, sweating smell of hope, which is the opposite of hate; and it's the sour, stifled smell of greed, which is the opposite of love. It's the smell of gods, demons, empires, and civilisations in resurrection and decay. It's the blue skin-smell of the sea, no matter where you are in the Island City, and the blood-metal smell of machines. It smells of the stir and sleep and waste of sixty million animals, more than half of them humans and rats. It smells of heartbreak, and the struggle to live, and of the crucial failures and loves that produce our courage. It smells of ten thousand restaurants, five thousand temples, shrines, churches, and mosques, and of a hundred bazaars devoted exclusively to perfumes, spices, incense and freshly cut flowers. Karla once called in the the worst good smell in the world, and she was right, of course..."

This city endears itself to me, yet again. So does Roberts' writing – it is simply beautiful. Just a few chapters in, but I think I am going to fall in love with Shantaram.

Friday, May 05, 2006 at 19:25

April Shots

Ok, in the big bad city now.

But before I start on Bombay tales, a quick re-run of some good times from April, my month of R & R, in two cities I can call home: Hong Kong and Chennai.

My favourite city in the world: Hong Kong. This trip cememnted my love for this place... I think I get high just on the way it smells. I could walk around HK forever and eat street food all day and die happy...and I still take really crappy skyline shots...

A day on a Junk Boat, my favourite thing to do in Hong Kong (right along with tucking into a Dim Sum meal). The tandoori tan was much needed, after my year in the mountains.

A 10 hour drive around almost *every* bit of Hong Kong – all of it – the island, kowloon, the new territories, even Lantau island – in this sweet little machine. (I'm not the kind that drools at cars, but I have to admit, this is a neat convertible)

Spending time with people I love... my brother, who dropped by from Tokyo... Paris and Paulie... among others...

Spending time with parents. Breakfast at home. World-famous daddy-made omelettes and spreads like this.

Cruising around Mylapore with the all-knowing wishfulthinker, who I almost fell in love with after his brilliant tour of Mylapore. Malli poo & Idlis at a hole-in-the-wall: happiness is cheaper than you think.

If I had to come up with 5 reasons as to why Madras rocks, this would make the list - morning walks at the Theosophical Society, right up to the beach. Hanging out with my parents' cool friends & getting free idli-vadaa breakfast being just some of the fringe benefits.

Instead of just pigging out Woodlands thaalis all the time, I decided to try some different stuff. Like this brilliant satvic/ayurvedic meal at Sanjeevanam

. I could do that. Right about now.

Hanging out with old friends... Rat (lau you!!!), Ashcool, Pros, Jim, Phi, Snoop, Prax, etc...

Ok, that'll do for reminiscing.