Delhi Winters

Its getting a tad chilly in the mornings, see an occasional sweater or two, the sweat on the brow is replaced by the shudder in the morn.....Its winter in Delhi - an amazing time I hear. We were here in early 2005 at the peak of winter - oh what a wonderful few days - especially the time I had to wait for four hours outside the american consulate - the setting was perfect. Light, low fog, a gentle chill in the air - enough to keep you awake but not enough to force the clatter of teeth, the sun slowly (much like lazy delhities) slumbering out amidst the mist, the birds still chirping away their bedtime stories in the trees, the smell of chai from the street-side vendors, sweepers lazily casting their brooms on the road - oh what magic those hours were.......

I hope to experience a bit more of that first hand this year. The portents are not very nice though - the fog and mist is now gone and replaced by a pretty much permanent smog - though I must say, it was very suprising that today, it already seems a bright, clear beautiful day - the unseemly fog has lifted (if only for temporary respite). Yesterday afternoon was a little poignant - sad and beautiful - amidst the thick smog I noticed the sun in mid afternoon was reduced to a red ball, the corners easily discernable - it seemed like the might and bright had been reduced to something the human eye can stare at, laugh at.....on the other hand it also seemed like it was the Sun having a laugh at us humans - seemingly observing - so you think you have tamed me? look around see the devices you have used (pollution, pillage) and realize who the joke is on......

I'm afraid for Delhi, for India for all of South Asia - we are so involved in our day to day life - no one has the time, the money or the patience to think about the environment. Its a sad footnote for the government - which is powerless to do anything that would be deemed anti-development...! its a sad cycle - one that has left our lives poorer, our surroundings bleaker and our country - our beautiful land less pristine.