Temperatures

With the temperatures soaring, Delhi is literally burning and the citizens are running from pillar to post for pani, bijli aur makan. While the poor die of heat stroke trying to save their small slops from the MCD hammer, the rich enjoy their 5 star air-conditioned comforts. It sure does pay to be a politician and in the right party at the right place. Delhi Congress President Ram Babu Sharma’s illegal encroachment Halwai shop in the residential complex of Krishna Nagar is busy selling samosas and ladoos while the BJPs offices are being sealed because of encroachment again. The MCD took advantage of the fact that BJP functionaries were missing actually protesting at a little distance away against the on going sealing. The demolition guys moved in at a right time and sealed the offices and shops. Poor BJP politicians! Remarked one, Arre Bhai Sarkar Bhi Gayee Aur Daftar Bhi Gaya.

If you happen to be at a party of Delhi’s Punjabi mundas, kudis, then bhangra and chicken tikkas cannot be far behind. All our Prajis and Behanjis in their true Punjabi sense may be loud, but are sure fun. I attended one such do where the coolest guys were comedian Jaspal Bhatti, cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi and actor Rajesh Khanna. It was wonders sight of bhabijis and behanjis dancing to the rhythms of Bhangra and trying to get pictures with the stars. Behenjis were at their shimmering best with sindoors, big bindis and Karol Bagh copycat designer dresses, sarees and suits. Ah! But the pot Bellies and the backsides were coming in way of striking Bollywood poses. What mind-boggling sight! But the admirable thing is the confidence of these women, whistling and swinging on the dance floor with amazing gusto. The latest fad in town is visiting an art gallery. These are the latest joints where one can see and be seen. Art is just by the way. Every gali mohalla of Delhi today can boast of an art gallery. However, the opening day of the art exhibition is a veritable nightmare for the residents of that colony. You really haven’t reached the top if either Manish Malhotra, Karishma Kapoor or Shobha Dae do not cut the ribbon. New stores have to have Bollywood babes flying in and giving the high V. And how original! Just spell Kimaya backward there is Ayamik, a new name for a store. PR companies of course make sure that there are more photographers to make up for buyers at diamond and designer bags openings. Last year’s Paris fashions are on display locally with heavenly bodies sporting manicures and pedicures from Paris, hair cuts from London and Botox shots from Switzerland. The icing on the cake is the designer clothes material on their miniature pet poodles matching the clothes of the mistress in fashion and style. So here folks we have arrived! At least in a way we think so. Amongst the glitterati and the paparazzi, however, the artist stands in a corner of the room where his paintings are on display, looking around desperately and hoping that some shutterbug may just click him too.

The new waterholes in town are the swanky pubs, whether Climax or Capitol. The management of these pubs have now started dividing the areas according to status. One area is for the plebeians where a bottle of beer is priced the least. The wannabe VIP section with higher prices, has now been overtaken by a special section which has no Indian spirits. All nouveau riche and upwardly mobile guys with bulging pockets are found here. Snorting, drinking, dancing and making merry you can see it all! From discos to pubs to five stars cocaine is in. And now! Guddas restaurant Veda is in the hot list tables of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. So two occasions to celebrate, Guddas Bday bash being the other one. The capital social animals really had a ball that evening. The male socialite, the new party fixtures who have taken over from the fairer sex, flaunting their flowered shirts and accented drawl, are present at every nightclub or product launch. Today’s male socialite is attracted by the flash bulbs and whether it is Delhi or Bombay, at the designers dos or restaurants, they like being in news all the time. Mobile pinchers are really mobile and non-discriminating. They strike both at funerals and weddings with equal facility. At Pramod Mahajan’s funeral, where a stream of humanity was paying tributes to the departed leader, a number of mobiles were stolen. Similarly at Lalu’s daughters wedding at Ashoka Hotel, the mobile thieves made merry. After a sumptuous meal, a rich haul of mobiles was after all a real bonanza.