Shop, Eat, Love @ Sarojini Nagar

(Text and Photography by Pupps Roy)
Delhi's "fashion street" runs parallel in few lanes and it’s by lanes in
the heart of its South Eastern side. Delhi's millionaires and Rickshawalas
are shopping together for their dream clothes. Welcome to Sarojini Nagar
Market, SN or Saro. Those who are highly fashionable and really don’t care
about the price tag and the longevity of your clothes. This is your place.
So fill up your swag and look your best.






  
This is totally a fatal attraction for the shoppers. Designer rejects,
accessories, knock offs, stockings, Hats, Boots, frocks, skirts, tops and
what not! Dress to kill and you find all that here with a great bargain.
But you have to be superb at it. If not, watch others buying and
bargaining. You will learn it in 5 minutes. You can buy a Mango top for
100 and Tommy jeans for 200rs. They look close to original or maybe they
are. Be lucky and look good while spending the least. Magic of shopping
here will turn you into a shopaholic. And why not? India's famous have
shopped here. Sushmita Sen shopped for her Miss India outfit at Delhi's
Sarojini Nagar. Sylvie is often seen here with her whole entourage on a
shopping spree. The amount of clothes and its varieties are really mind
boggling.




Sarojini Nagar has many things to offer other than clothes. Fresh fruits,
seasonal fruits, house hold stuff etc. If you don’t need clothes you can
buy other stuff as well. Or you can buy everything here. Sip a glass of
chilled bunta drink or gorge on some yummy spicy tibetian momos while
shopping. So let yourself loose and shop, eat, live here. By the end of it
after your careful searching and picking you will have hauled a decent
number of stuff to flaunt.




Look at that corner. The old man is selling shorts for 50 each. Some of
them have "Billabong" and "Allen Solly" tags. Turn around and see all T-
shirts are for 100 piled on the wobbly table. Just pick the right one,
check for missing stitches, stains and its all yours. The English lad
shopping here compares this market to that of their "Camden Market" in
London. Not only British, you will find people from different countries
including Africa and Iceland. And everyone has a bit of their share here
because it sells all styles and in all sizes which is a rarity in Delhi.
From huge Africans to skinny Europeans, everyone has a happy ending here.
Fashion never dies here. Everyone comes here and you should too.

Zara Tank Tops..ooooh

WoW Gas shirts are for 100.

Sale Sale Sale everywhere

Lets take a break and eat something.

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.

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.

Ouuch Mah..squito!

One tight slap on thigh, one on cheek, another one on the right hand after 10 seconds. Killed two and one just flew away. But it’s going to make a comeback just like the other bunch with its huge entourage in sometime. Summer at its peak. Delhi is hot as hell and on top of that there is mosquito menace followed by its associated disease and symptoms. This year a lot more mosquitoes are swarming Delhi with their killer stings. The life span of a mosquito is 22 - 26 hrs. During time period a female may lay up to 150 eggs. So imagine the numbers they are multiplying. Government has no clue where they came from and day by day they are setting a strong foothold in the city. You are guaranteed to get bit starting from the Airport to the other side of Yamuna river. This mosquito infested city is now alert. Health Minister A K Walia, after a 2 hour long meeting, said the intermittent showers combined with rising temperature have created conditions conducive for breeding of mosquitoes which needs to be checked urgently. But are they actually checking it? Delhi Government asked RWAs, private and public offices, hospitals, schools, police stations and market associations to take effective steps to stop breeding of mosquitoes which transmit dengue. Forget about Dengue or Malaria or Chikangunia. Delhiites are getting a strange disease. This mosquito bites give pain in bone joints which stays for more than six months. So start covering up. To prevent itching apply Odomos. Pleasant evening breeze outside can be enjoyable but make sure you are protected. But Delhiites are smart. While partying in open space besides serving good food and drinks there’s always a tube of odomos lying somewhere for the scanty clothed ladies. Kaccchua Chaap coils are in every nook in the houses in this season. And there is at least one commercial of mosquito repellant out of ten in TV. The awareness and protection is there. So play it safe. Stay covered Delhi girls. Do you really need to attract even more eyes than you already would with your fair skin, big eyes and long rebonded hair?