Delhi 24

(Text and Photography by Pupps Roy)

Not very far I swear. Its 5 minutes from Nehru place, 20 minutes from Noida, an hour from Gurgaon and 30 minutes from the downtown CP. And it's surrounded by all party places, clubs, bars, temples, spa, clinics, gardens, nurseries and what not. Its your place if you choose to have a life here. You can walk down to GK1 and run to South ex. Even the best hospitals, nursing homes are just stone throw away. So don't worry, you are safe.

Either you own a house or live in PG or rent, it doesn't really matter. The in-thing is you're staying in Amar colony and it says all. This is the only place in Delhi where you will not be questioned by landlords if you choose to stay with your partner or in groups or all alone and at the same time you wont be paying rent through your nose like other upmarket areas in New Delhi. Its hip and hyped up so it has a strange great pull.

Everything is at your doorstep. Juicy Tibetan Momo stalls, cyber cafes, mobile phone stores, coffee shops, liquor shop, full fledged market, sabji walas and what not. You name it and you find it.

"Its like an eye candy each time I come to Amar colony for my tuitions" says Karan 24 year old student who comes to Amar colony for his IAS coaching classes and he comes somewhere from the north pole, Rohini. He thinks girls are highly fashionable and well dressed. He makes sure he surfs around the market at least one hour before or after his classes. Daily passersby Pratyush Chatterjee, married for 3 years entirely agrees.

"I come to work in East of kailash but I park my car in Amar colony" gladly says Anindita, who works in a travel agency in East of kailsh. Upon asking she replied that it's much convenient parking in Amar colony. She always comes to have her lunch and evening coffee in Amar colony. "Its so lively. It actually elevates the energy level to see all shiny happy people around" she reckons. It doesn't matter if you are with someone or just alone. Just chill.

Who hasn't heard about the famous Nagpalka Chole-bature? You can only find this in Amar colony. And the overlapping salwar suit shops across the market lane are famous not only in aamchi Delhi but all over the world. "It's more like a global urban middle class area" says Ted, he has been living in Amar colony since 11 years. You can find people from states all over India living here maintaining right harmony and in addition loads from Middle East, Russia and even from West. Not surprising, considering that they also face the same set of challenges and hardships. "It's not patronized by any particular community so its safest to live here" Says Mr Chug..

"Summers are cool here and I take a stroll with my friends in shorts till very late in the night without being stared or leered at" says Norbu 21 years old girl working in a BPO in Gurgaon. "I think people are used to all these and it's a coolest place to live in".

The blue eyed boy on his revving bike cribs "Amar colony becomes a nightmare after 11.30pm. All the entries are barricaded and chained and theres no exit. You have to take a very long way out to a single exit point. Its like Hotel California(Song), You can check in here anytime but you can never leave", he giggles.

The fake Prada wearing Madam flaps her wings and smirks "You stay in Amar Colony, I mean, Lajpat nagar? Really?" (as if it's a very tacky and down market place to live in). Who cares about any comments? I love this place man! I love Delhi. I love Amar Colony.

House Hunting: Damn Delhi!

Staying in Guest houses and friends' places was not really helping, I hated staying with relatives. I even tried those tacky hotels in those mangy lanes of the black hole of Pahargunj for 7k per month but I needed a home, after all home is where the heart is. But I guess I have to stay "hale and hearty" for a while. It’s such a horrifying task to find a nice home when you are single, non- Hindi speaking and on top of that you carry loads of "Farang" attributes. I could foresee only problems, leering eyes, snide remarks subjected to rejection.

Amar colony

The hub of refugees so I thought it’d be easy to fit in. South Delhi was always my favorite. Close to my work place, my friends stayed nearby plus all the happening places in Delhi is in very close vicinity.

I met this landlord after referring to a TOI ad.

Rooms with no windows running through a vestibule similarly seen in the trains. He made me stop there and started investigating my eating habits and drinking habits and about my friends and so on. He looked so cool with this reebok shorts and banana republic t-shirt but his uncool attitude towards me really pulled me up from there. I am not living here.

Amar Colony 2

It started with a door bell that sings "Rigga Rigga" from that Slumdog flick. After general investigation he watched me carefully while sipping his sound tea. Its been more than 2 weeks from my last waxing session so generally my arms had few poky hair coming out. He sheepishly asked me "Why do you shave your hands and what does your tattoo mean there", It was way too embarrassing. But i gulped it with a dash and managed to reply somehow to convince him that my tat looks awful and ugly with hair covering it so it’s better shaving it off to keep it look good. I would have agreed to stay there if he didn’t shake my hand way more than normal. Alongside his teen age daughter peeped in and giggled to her mom softly in hindi "he looks so different..so different!!".

GK2

"You cant park car here, your friends can't park theirs. There is no provision you see my son."

That was merely an issue.

"I hope you are not Muslim because you didn’t tell me your surname"

There it struck me. We Indians shout about so much about racism but it’s rampant amongst Indians than any other country. That too in the capital.

"Why can't I be Auntie?" I candidly replied.

"No Son I have a problem there".

I knew she didn’t have any problem anywhere other than her mind. I decided not to stay there with such shallow minded people around. Though I am not Muslim but I have many good muslim friends. It will be an insult to them if I lived there.

Kailsh Colony

Finally it happened. Money talks. I think it talks, flies and does anything. I finally got a fantastic landlord who hardly interacts with me, he even turns on the water pump for me and takes care of my stuff when I am not around. He even serves me good food occasionally. He doesn’t mind if I come back late in the night or bring someone home over in odd hours. He doesn't mind if I am in my swimming trunk or wear a bra on my shirt. His only objection is towards loud music which I don’t play at all. And it all happened because I m paying him good money every month and I don’t regret it. My freedom is more important than anything. And I was able to buy it. And here I lived…. happily ever after.