The more I live in Delhi, the more I learn. Years ago when I came here, I was an ignoramus who preferred that crabby island-full-of-buildings with sea attached to this wide-road Greenland. Now, after four years, I’m a wise cat. Where else but in Delhi would I learn the art of showing off? The Capital has such well-trained show offs that you can’t help but admire. They’ve the ability to slip in ‘certain somethings’ in casual conversationa — like summer in phoren, children in Modern, house in GK with open kitchen, saris by Suneet (Varma, silly!), etc. And you have to hand it to them. Making people think you were born draped in designer yards, that your 1.3 crore house is really too small and even your little pups have always been dripping diamonds is no easy task!
Of course, for every classy show off act, there are 100 loud Aunty No.Ones, who are so artless that they sound like they were reading from a shopping list! I of course, am learning the class act.
Then there’s driving. I admit I’m no good behind the wheels but when I finally start, I’d know all about How To Get Ahead Of Other Cretins On The Road. It’s been my daily education on the wide, well paved, car-infested streets of the Capital. Honk, shove in, more honk, more shove, dent, yell, more dent, get off car, say you know who I am, get in car, repeat act, vrooooom….
Delhi has also opened my eyes to weddings. Had I not come to this city and attended 5000 weddings by now, I’d have thought that the Gujjus did it best (am not even mentioning us Bongs. With that clown like topor we are the pits. Am serious) in Turf Club. I’d have never realised that a Wedding Extravaganza means driving two hours to reach a farmhouse with 7000 invitees, jostling for food, dancing to Punj Pop in a corner and admiring a Lancer tied with a red bowon a revolving dias. And a bride and groom somewhere
So you see I’m really glad that I came here. If this is not education, what is?

PS: With due apologies to Hekate, Cafe Turtle, Bookshop, Fact & Fiction, Priya Market and my own home.