Monday 4 June 2012

Death by Hauz Khas Village

(Text and Photography by Pupps Roy)
Our Hauz Khas Village is losing its charm and sanity. With more and more
cafes and boutiques are mushrooming in its lap to beautify everyday and
the sudden surge in number of patrons is increasing horribly. Only one
word to it, "Misfit". This fashion hub seriously needs some consideration.
 It’s not the Hauz khas village we knew where we hung out, walked miles
alongside in the same lanes and we literally lived here every day. Hauz
khas village which sees artsy, new age people, foreigners, writers,
alternative minds, tourists, fashionistas, singers and painters roaming
around freely in its lanes is now seeing a different clan entering bit by
bit everyday and spoiling the so called image of this place. To the old,
this new is a bad news. It’s like a world which no longer existed and a
slow death to art. The flavour will not totally vanish but it will be
difficult to sustain the aura of the village in the same level like now.
These days it’s often seen group of people talking loudly. Some stary ones
have come to the village out of nowhere. So many roving eyes and the story
goes on. Now the question is this is a public place and we cannot be
clannish in order to decide who can enter any particular area or not.
Nightclubs are rejecting lot of people these days that don't look
acceptable to their standard rules. But it’s difficult to measure a
person. It’s definitely a tough task. And it’s also difficult to refuse
someone to enter. But don’t they understand that they are not fit for this
place and environment? Why are you coming to Hauz khas village? It’s not
your place dude. You better go to CP or in some fancy malls to hang out.
This is definitely not your territory so don’t try entering here. Please
don’t spoil it. Many regulars and business owners believe there is a need
for filtration of the entering mass. But again it’s out of their hands.
Its not easy to say No. The future of Hauz Khas Village is now being
determined by how it takes on a host to its unlikely new arriving patrons.
Some people again believe it’s a mixed crowd and let them be like that.
More people often mean more business. But not all business units want to
cater everybody. These differences will remain but we are still hoping to
live with the crowd we saw here six months back. Yes just six months. The
place was such a beauty with its sensible, understanding entrants. A
different side of Delhi with a tryst. Let this be a little different.





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