New Roads - Inroads into a tiny city

Sector 17- Heart of Chandigarh

I have always believed Chandigarh to be a tiny city.  15 minutes and you could traverse it from ends to ends.  Landlocked from all sides, it had no scope to grow any further.  Its roads were tree lined and designed for leisurely bicycling.  Le Courbusier could not imagine a city that could require a road wider than 10 feet in future. His rectangular city with independent sectors and parks and shopping areas were charming, are charming still, but inadequate for future times.

Scenic Village Kansal where many big banglows have come up

To begin with, Chandigarh Panchkula and Mohali were stringed together, had a similar character and were called a Tricity.  Now it seems to me as if the Tricity has spread, like butter in the sun to include Kharar, Zirakpur, Naya Gaon and Rampur.  Tiny villages that were the 'outside' slums like Khajeri,  Colony No 1, Ram Darbar, Naya Gaon, Kansal, Hallo Majra, Mullanpur, Dadu Majra have blossomed into prime properties with a mix of old style shanties and grand kothies.  Village Kishangarh is drowned by magnificent edifices built thanks to the SEZ endowed IT Park.

DT Mall in IT Park

So the city grows, shanties shrink and there is suddenly a crying need for roads to get to places.  The side roads and small lanes that hardly ever saw a bicycle whizz by are now beset by all kinds of vehicles, all trying to get to point B from point A, in a tearing hurry and wanting to mow down anyone who comes in their way.

Necessity takes me down roads I never knew existed.  I think this every time I take a road  between Baltana and Mouli Jagran,  cross the railway fatak, turn right and take the narrow curving road that passes the railway station and take a left to reach the transport chowk.  From here it is a straight road to  Browser, my much frequented spot, in quest of new books to read.

Chandigarh sits like a Koh-i-noor amongst a more modern setting of sometimes crass, sometimes showy borders of noveau localities.  

My Little Christmas Tree

I am not a Christian, but can't help being infected by the spirit of Christmas.  Someday, I will visit the midnight mass at the church too, just to see what it's like.  I love candles and lights and Santas and the whole thing.  I wish we had grand Christmases here like they do in the west.  But in Chandigarh, its not much apart from the stores selling little imitation trees, Santa caps, dresses and Christmas decorations.  Confectionery stores are full of Christmas cakes and chocolates.  I have spotted a Santa or two in Sector 17, but they are usually store ushers trying to get you to visit the shops that sponsor them.

My daughter sent me the picture of the Christmas tree put up in Portland downtown, and it's grand.

The White House puts up a grand Christmas tree every year.  I wanted a recent picture, but couldn't resist downloading this lovely picture of Jackie and Prez Kennedy.  This is Christmas 1961.

This is Michelle Obama's tree for the year 2010.  How simply grand!  Maybe I will get lucky one day and visit this place.  My wishlist grows as long as my years.

I have a little collapsible store-bought Christmas tree and some decorations.  This year I replenished the lightings and put up my little tree.

It brightens up my drawing room.  These will stay till up till the New Year after which they will live on the shelf above my cupboard wrapped in newspaper till the Christmas Next.

Visiting Sector 17

Visiting sector 17 always gives me a an instant spirit lift. There is something about it, the familiar shops, the plaza, people all decked up and walking about.  Some licking cones, some chomping on popcorn, some clustered around various shops.  I made a round, browsed a couple of windows, peeked at a few wares, and made a beeline for my favorite Indian Coffee House.

It was crowded as usual.  I was lucky to find a newly vacated table.  The busy waiter put two glasses of water in front of me and got busy trying to cope with a rush of orders.  I looked around, there was a table full of lawyers right in my front.   Two guys with a gal on the right, Mom and daughter on my left.  I drew some curious glances, being a lonely lady.  I ignored them.  I was trying to decide between a masala dosa and a vada sambhar.  When the waiter came up I ordered Vada Sambhar and some coffee.  The taste of the food was exactly as it used to be.  The size of the vada has shrunk somewhat. The 'coconut' chutney was as faux as ever, and quite yucky.  The coffee was divine.  The group of lawyers threw a last curious look at me and departed while I ate.  The seat was quickly filled by a trio of husband-wife-grown son.

A lady came and asked if she could share my table.

'Please', I said, finished my coffee, picked up my bags, and left.

I noticed that a lot of people were wearing black.  Is it because the temperatures have plummed to 22C thanks to the maverick rainshower?   I looked down at myself and realised I was wearing black too for this very reason.