99% Delhi: Ganesh Chauhan: Aligarh

He takes the Violet line Metro at 1.30pm everyday from Sarita Vihar for his work place except on Saturday. Thats his off day. He lounges the whole day in his home and roams around in and out of Sarita Vihar with his best friend "Bonda" and his best friend's girl friend. This jolly UPiite is now a hardcore Delhiite. Having spent his childhood in the small town of Aligarh he doesnt regret his movement to Delhi. "Small place, small minds, people interfering too much and their mindset is totally different than that of here. Even my father didnt want to remain in the small boundaries of Aligarh", says Ganesh. He adds to it "Everyone wanted to come to Delhi those days but now things are changing. We sold off everything and moved in to Delhi. I love Delhi. This is my home now. If anyone is ready to pay me 10000 rs for a month's salary in Aligarh I wouldnt even move there."


He is lifting huge weights and teaching a chap next to him the whole wieght lifting process. Ganesh Chauhan is a fitness trainer in a luxury gym based out in East of Kailash. He never thought in his weirdest dream that he would end up being a fitness trainer in a trendy Gym hailing from a place like Aligarh. "I love my work, family, my long sleep hours and my routined life in Delhi".  He works till 10pm everyday and then he takes the Metro back to his house from "Kailsh Colony" Metro station. "Delhi is so vast I wasnt able to explore whole of it in last 6 years". His looks above and his eyes smiled as he goes few years back. "Delhi seemed wonderful with Sanjana, the girl I fell in love with. I cannot forget those days when Bonda and I used to come from Sarita Vihar to Nehru place to pick her up from school and used to go back together and run errand here and there in Sarita Vihar just to be with her. Now she is not there in my life so I hang out with Bonda and his girlfriend". Ganesh stands up from the Bench Press chair. "She was from Bihar so my father did not agree. My father left his mind at Aligarh".

I met Hanumanji

I met Hanumanji at GK1 M block market in one of the Navratra days at a pre Ram Leela show. He was getting ready in the parking lot behind his small little Wagon R. He didnt have time for givinng an interview but He blessed me and this blog. Jai HanumanJi.

99% Delhi: Atish Patel: London Town

He goes through the entire menu in exactly five seconds and he knows what to order. "One cold cappuccino please?” This London born Gujrati man has been living in Delhi for little more than a year in the plush colony of GK1. Why Delhi? Why not other city? And why not London? He doesn’t take any time to answer. He thinks that Delhi is at par like an international city. "I am a city boy you know. I grew up in London all my life. I can't stay in rural Gujrat where my relatives are living now. My roots are in India. My job brought me here in Delhi and I was so excited." says in thick London accent. He is carrying a 550D cannon Camera where he captured a lot of Delhi.

Clad in H&M,Gap and inConverse  shoeshe believes in Street Culture. He loves graffiti, painting, street food and talking to locals. "I miss Vada Pao in Mumbai but you have other great street food in Delhi. I love North Indian Food, Delhi Kababs and other Moghul Foods but I really dislike south Indian food". This Londoner is now a Delhiite. He travels in Rickshaw, goes to old Delhi, hangs out in the gullies of Hauz Khas Village and also enjoys Kawalis in Nizammudin as well as the Jazz Festival in Nehru Park. "Down the line 10 years Delhi will be like New York, London or Paris but they can’t be like Delhi because there is nothing like Old Delhi there." In addition he says that he wants to go to Ghaziabad. He wants to see the real expansion of Delhi.

Having lived in GK1 for more than a year he hates to associate himself with the riches. He neither likes to dress up everyday which is very unlike of a Londoner. He can do it once a year maximum. He hates showing off. "I connect better with the Rickshawalas, locals sitting next to me in the cafe, People in the park, drivers, maids and lower class people. Middle class or upper class people bore me a lot, especially those class conscious people and there are many like that in Delhi like any other city.” But he does not prefer to stay in Delhi for long. He is here as long as his job keeps him here. "I have no post retirement plans in Delhi. It’s like a short passing period of my life. But no long term plans". Prior to Delhi he lived in Moscow for a short time. He loves good looking Russian girls like those typical upper class Delhi boys. Besides he loves the sense of humour of those Moscow girls which he thinks is missing amongst Delhi girls. Maybe he has not met the right kind of Dilliwali.

Dior Delhi

(Text by Pupps Roy and photo taken from Google Images)

I love Dior. I cant afford it in my shopping list. Rather I dont have much Dior except one purfume called "Higher" which was a gift and a satin Dior Bathrobe which was again a gift from an extremely rich friend. And yes I bought a Dior makeup brush from Singapore Duty free. Its not that I dont have money to buy it. But again that would be such an extremely reckless and thoughtsome idea for me to buy something which is really pricy. Therefore when I see a Dior knockoff I look at it more than hundred times and I buy it after examining the authenticity of that Dior. The closer the better. And you dont have to go to Bangkok or any China town to buy a good knock off. You get it all in Delhi. I love Delhi and I love Dior. Somewhere Delhi and Dior has a connection. They both are classic. Finally finding Dior in the walled city was not that difficult. Off Chandni Chawk, next to a broken, tattered old house more than 200 years was my stop. Sooty walls, Noisy fan and a poor muslim seamstress stiching leather bags day in and day out with Dior perfection. Dire Dior state. He wears a half smile and it speaks so much. I feel like writing "Hidden Chronicles Seamstress' Chamber" after observing the whole thing. The owner takes out a leather bag which can be carried in office as well as outdoor normally. Sort of a sling bag. Looks classy with a "D" dangling out. Everything was perfect. It even has an authenticity code stamped on the back of the label. WoW, these guys rock! I love you. It comes nearly for $25.  Its a deal and ofcourse its a steal. So I go for it. I m a Dior Diva now. I am well dressed, have good sense of fashion and well spoken so no one will doubt about the authenticity of the bag. Who cares? Afterall it looks so fucking smart. Delhi is not full of Dior experts. I wont be arrested by fashion Police. I also bought a knockoff Dior neckless from a fashion jewelery store in some Noida Mall. It looks very close to authentic. But its not a daily wear. The shopkeeper was honest. He said the color would go off quickly in daily use. It is a platinum piece. Atleast it looks like. I feel proud and my confidence level is sky high now. I also bought a Dior keychain. I use it for my office drawer. None of my office mates have Dior Key chain. It does not look cool at all but it looks so classy and elegant and very very close to real. Except the time when I pass by the crowded place like Cannaught Place on a crazy Sunday or walk by the narrow gullies of Hauz Khas Village and some Heroine addict stares at my purse and accessories thinking they are all real.....I walk past by them quickly before it all sets me up to get mugged.