Inflation in Amar Colony

5 years ago when I moved into a new locality in Delhi, Amar Colony behind my residence was the nearest market one could go to for sensible shopping. But then situated in the middle of a "refugee" colony with houses built like little steel trunks stacked on top of each other, there was not much to the market. You went there only when the posher shops in GK1 markets did not provide the services or goods that you might just require - shortening a new set of trousers, colouring a dupatta, buying note books, art papers, razai or fresh samosas or locally made farsan. You get the slant.
Over the years, there has been a cleaning out process, the toy shop has become so big that Vikki, the owner, young that he is can still dream of giving Hamleys a run for their money in his lifetime, the local milk and paneer shop going by the now famous name of Gopala actually stocks Mishti Doi as well as multigrain bread, there are a few export huts where you can buy original addidas and nike at "affordable" prices, the local confectionary, Junejas, is stocked with all sorts of colourful bottles including a few of English mustard, and packets of exotic chocolates. The Nokia shop looks swank, the Coton showroom looks is full of posh ladies - the crowd of course comes down from as far as Defence Colony and GK2. The small tailor shop, the razai shop and the momowalas are still around as are the cycle rickshaws, but certaily there are more Honda cities and Corollas than Maruti Zens parked all over the place.
This is the market I frequent now and on my last visit, the toy shop known rather sweetly as KiddiLand had a queue at the entrance, inside it looks more like a godown where free toys are being distributed than a well stocked shops frequented by doting parents from Defence Colony. At the milk shop Gopala, it took around 10 minutes to get the attention of the salesperson, at the humble stationery shop at least 10 teenagers were crowding and mobbing the elderley owner. And I did forget to mention, the newly opened Cafe Coffee Day was full too. At Junejas, one had to take recourse to the elbow trick to find one's way. Even the humble but good GP who is gradually building up his practice, now charges Rs 200 at least per visit and has patients lined up.
Those who say we are hit with 12 per cent inflation must visit Amar Colony and breathe a sigh of relief. The news of inflation has not yet reached these parts.

Bermuda Triangle and BRT

To the generation born with mobile phones and iPods Bermuda Triangle may sound like the latest brand of men's underwear from California. But to the wiser generation it would still inspire curiosity if not awe. But then it is a myth from a different era which also believed in the insane writings and findings of Eric Von Daniken. Bermuda Triangle was a trinagular rea in the atalantic off the cost of southern US where airplanes and ships regualrly disappeared since the second world war. In the 60s there was much myth and speculation surrounding this spot of Ocean and the stories around BT [Bermuda Triangle] were still still popular in 1982 when I was in class 9. it was on a fateful day with much excitement and apprehension that we asked Father Steno who taught us Geogrphy about the reality behind BT. Father Steno, a Maltese by birth and member of society of jesus by choice and a evacuee from Malta during the second world war by compulsion, was exceptionally short and exceptionally bright and exceptionally a man of few words. It was said of him that if you presented a Boeing to him, gave him a manual and a couple of hours, he would safely start flying it. In any event, in his normal conduct with us he showed very few jesuit like qualities.
It was to this man that we asked what we thought was the most important and intelligent question in Geography at that time:
Father what is the reality behind the Bermuda Triangle? Father Steno, who was then teaching us the intricacies of of south west monsoon, looked up in momentrary surprise and then seemed interested in answering the questions. Took off his glasses, ran a hand on his goatee and gave us that rarest smile between a smirk and a grunt.... and then gave the following answer in his heavily accented English: "Hah, Bermuda Traingle? Take any imaginery triangle of equal size in any part of any ocean and if you look hard you will find equal number of stories surrounging missing airplanes, ships and may be a few mermaids" That was the end of our romantic attachment with BT and Eric von Daniken!
When I read in newspapers about the daily jams, accidents and pain that the newly constructed BRT is causing to Delhi residents, I am reminded to father Steno's words.... "Take any imaginery 5.8 kilometres stretch on any Delhi road and you will find an equal number of jams, accidents and pain....

PS: The photo is the most imaginative representation of Bermuda Triangle myth I found on the internet....