Walking Around Here, The Suburb and the city

 

Walking Around here, the suburb and the city.

Dinesh K Kapila

Based at Shimla, I walk daily, around the same time, give or take thirty minutes either way. It’s a bustling suburb, New Shimla, where I reside and walk. In the evening. The first few weeks were stressful, being asked about quarantine or the possibility of Covid. Before I go on, the authorities here certainly run a rather strict regime, health workers came by regularly to check on me and even the odd policeman. The best one was a young lady, by the sound of her voice, who would ask if my symptoms had started manifesting.  I had to firmly tell her to ask about my health and not presuppose I was destined for being a victim of Covid !

Coming back to the walks, the main concern was winning the trust of the stray dogs, many being fussed over by local residents.  The dogs had to accept me or rather tolerate my presence. After some time this was settled except one black coloured medium set dog, who is it seems genetically programmed to dislike me. Now I can safely walk about though I make sure there is some human presence always on the track I take. By the way, what is this about dogs in colder places, I found plenty at Srinagar too.

And people interest me, I don’t know the people walking around in my locality but do observe them. There is a group of retired Himachal Government officers, first a couple appear , then around six others. Then they try walking together as a group and then split up again. They have an endless supply of anecdotes and gossip, some about whom they gossip may have passed on too. They also  know whose orders for pipes or whatever were motivated and how the inquiry dragged on for years.  As I pass by I can gather they love this pastime and discussing former seniors and their weaknesses, specially favours for some due to falling over, gives them a good laugh.   Then there is an old couple. Their house has a garage on the ground floor, then a first floor with a small open space and then they are on the second floor. Their balcony is narrow. Only giving space to walk in single file. One day one oldie leads, the nest day the other, they chat and shuffle slowly to one end, stand for a minute, talk over something, then reverse and again start shuffling slowly to the other end. All this while they are chatting animatedly. I just have to look up everyday to check they are there.

Then there are two ladies, not from Chandigarh, but they do miss the city after having stayed there. They are seen always chatting away animatedly, sometimes the kids join them. Then yesterday I saw them walking separately, rather glumly I thought. Today also they were seen walking separately and just as my mind conjured up the reasons, a quibble over a gossip, a fashion statement, they had gossiped enough that I suddenly saw they were walking together again, animatedly and smiling away. Now that confused me.

There are two temples, on a hillock on a hill, I have prayed from afar as they were closed but yesterday could pray by entering as they were open for Ganesh Chaturthi. One temple has benches and sacred trees,   you can quietly sit by and watch the few people who venture out, slowly, quietly, the old ones sitting silently and contemplating whatever is in their mind. And all are faithfully wearing masks and many even wear it all through their walk though  I  feel it does slip below the nose. I start with the mask but then use it as supposed to when fellow human beings come near me.  

 I have taken photographs from the varied  vantage points and both at night and during the evening tending to dusk. The lights at night tend to mesmerise, they are just lights but when the glow from around 1000 feet down to around another 1000 feet above and across the small valleys, it is quite a scene. It captures your mind though the fascination tends to fade after some nights. What does not is the silence. If I am late, the already silent locality can be deathly still. One late night, I stepped out at 815 pm for my walk. I had rained earlier, the leaves on the trees still dripped water. It fell on your head silently as you walked. The residents had all retreated indoors. It was so quiet that I thought the phrase, the silence of a graveyard meant just that. It was eerie at certain lonely points and just the sound of voices from an apartment was strangely very comforting. How can I forget the clouds, thick and rolling up, enveloping you gently and making all around you so distant. You walk alone then, among the clouds. It’s a different world.  

By the way sound travels in the mountains, people talking on their mobiles in the apartments ought to remember this but seldom do so. You can catch snippets as you walk past, including of a mother telling her son on how to cook halwa. Not that I want to overhear, just a lower pitch would do.

The Mall in proper Shimla is another thing. If I go there. I walk from the Oberoi Clarks to the Embassy Restaurant and then to the Ridge. Then past the DC’s Office a bit and then back. Sit a bit here and there and atleast six feet away from any human being. By the way In case your mask slips, the policemen gently tell you to mask up properly. The tourists are missing but you do catch an occasional glimpse of elegance and you can mutter Mamma Mia. But it’s rare or rather not too often. You do catch a couple at New Shimla too but it is much better at The Ridge.  Maybe the colder weather and the lessening of the Pandemic will bring out the elegance more often and on a more permanent basis ! it does brighten up the day.

Let me add, When at the lift at Shimla and once you have reached The Mall, then do buy a slice of the Almond Apple Cake from The Embassy. Superb quality. The owner Anil is passionate about food and the cakes and is a raconteur on Shimla, the chestnut trees at the Chief Minister’s House and the Historic British Era Buildings there. Anil also cajoled me to try a slice of a peach cake which was equally yummy. If you come up from the lift on The Mall just walk left a few yards. And yes, Anil is a superb chef too. And is great on the Traditional English Breakfast. In fact I had memories of The Embassy from when my kids were young and this was the place for exotic ice cream. I certainly missed ordering the Flavoured Coffee last when there. For next time then.

 

Just to add, a real pleasure are the varied fruit wines here though the quality can vary. And a must try is the  Apple Wine from the variety there. At one store there was also a Mellow Mango Fruit Wine but I somehow skipped it. . I still wonder if it was wise to skip buying it. I by chance once ran into the owner of the store on The Mall at Shimla. We had a short intense talk as we discussed this subject. He said it’s the slightly more ripe or even over ripe apples which go into making fruit wines. It’s essentially processing. And then HP has now Grape Wines. The Santori and Beas Valley Range. A good range and a good body with subtle tastes. The State here has waived excise duty on all such wines as per the owner. And demand is high, specially tourists and even the State’s own. However as per him, the tax structure for alcohol, whether grape based or fruit based, has a cascading effect. Thus the cost would say double at Chandigarh. And this renders it uncompetitive as the market has multiple players in major cities. Moreover marketing would be costly too while building up demand and the brand. I am still thinking on this.

 

Now back to  elegance. What is it. Refined grace or dignified propriety, it just stands out. I only hope it comes back to The Mall. I await it. In more numbers.  It’s certainly there at Srinagar where I served earlier and more so, but I suppose with all the Covid and what not it would be restrained and hidden there too. Here’s to walking and looking around. Wherever you are.

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