Different words have different meanings to everyone. Considering India is such a vast country, we all have our own opinions on various things, especially on things we don't know much about.
As a proud Gujarati, I can write about the state, the people, the quirks, with authority and can poke fun because I know that there is more to us than the whole, 'hole-hall' joke.
I've decided to write a glossary of the Gujarati words. :) in an attempt to clear the myths
Since this will be updated as and when I think of things to write about, I will not follow a sequence.. it's not that I'll write only the A's first and then the B's. I'll write them the way things occur to me. :P Because of a supremely wavering mind, it's not easy to keep my attention limited to just one alphabet! :D
Let's start off, then :D
Ahmedabad - The city I have spent my entire life in. The city I love, despite the heat, the pollution, the traffic and the lack of traffic sense. The city of contrasts, where on one side of the walls live people who count fastest than the rest of the country, spending sleepless nights completing assignments at the premier management institute, and right outside the walls, under plastic roofs, are the labourers, who earn their wage every day, and are not sure where their next meal will come from, if at all it does, sleeping peacefully. The city, which is a wonderful blend of the culture and tradition and urbanisation has stood the test of time, right from the Indus Valley Civilization days to Mughal era, to the British Raj to Independence movements.
Ahmedabad has also faced and survived the earthquake, the floods, the riots, the terrorist attacks, and each time, just like rest of the country, Amdavadis have been resilient.
Ahmedabad is the city of alcohol prohibition, and where perhaps the maximum amount of illegal daaru is caught. A friend once told me that Ahmedabad is like Delhi minus the crime and alcohol. His argument was that like Delhites, Amdavadis are also the rich, spoilt brats, minus the drunken driving.
It may not have the 'nightlife' you get in other metros, but then, ever been to Manekchowk post midnight? The place offers you the best pav bhaji, paani puri and kulfi. Is it a rule that night life should always include alcohol?
Ahmedabad is a city very close to my heart and it shall always be.
That's it for now.. :) More to follow!
2 comments:
Incidentally, I happen to be a Gujarati and most of my relatives live in Ahmedabad. But unfortunately, haven't been to Gujarat (nor Ahmedabad) in last five years.
Hope, that will change in near future. And I, in fact, quite like the laid back life of cities like Ahmedabad. Having lived in a government colony in Mumbai, I have hardly experienced the night life of Mumbai, so might not miss it much.
Didn't find the comparison with Delhi, apt though (have lived there for 10 months). Ahmedabad is a bit more laid back, and perhaps, people can be trusted better.
Nostalgia for me, aapno amdavad :) it was a time when dad took us out to atira and we drank sugarcane juice, when lawgardens were where the weeknds were spent, and teen darwaza was where shopping happened
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