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"A mesmerizing account of the well-known story of Matsyagandha ... and her transformation from fisherman’s daughter to Satyavati, Santanu’s royal consort and the Mother/Progenitor of the Kuru clan." - Hindustan Times

"Themes of fate, morality and power overlay a subtle and essential feminism to make this lyrical book a must-read. If this is Madhavan’s first book in the Girls from the Mahabharata series, there is much to look forward to in the months to come." - Open Magazine

"A gleeful dollop of Blytonian magic ... Reddy Madhavan is also able to tackle some fairly sensitive subjects such as identity, the love of and karmic ties with parents, adoption, the first sexual encounter, loneliness, and my favourite, feminist rage." - Scroll



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5 December 2010

Weekend accounting

Incredible weekend, darlinks, finally I’m beginning to feel Delhi-ish again. The salient points being:

 

ONE new skirt from Zara, a beautiful little wool plaid number. Half of it was a birthday present (because we have one coming up). We also went and watched the third Narnia movie which was pretty damn awesome. Narnia as a movie series being much more “true to canon” than the Harry Potter books, but the Christianity theme somehow comes out more in the movies.

 

ONE hungover eM trying to chase away the after effects of two bottles of wine consumed on Thursday by eating a very large meal at Gola Sizzlers, one of the few places left in town where you can smoke indoors. Which is nice, especially in this cold cold weather, when every part of my body longs to be back in strappy summer dresses and sandals.

 

ONE Nigah Queer Fest after party at Saqi, the bar at Hotel Alka. Have you been? Oh my god, it’s SOOOOOOOO shady, but they’ve renovated recently, which is sad because before it was all lit in red with mirrors everywhere and looked exactly like a bordello. Drinks are cheap, and they have really nice masala peanuts.

 

TWO after parties at two peoples’ houses, one at 12.30 and the other at 2 am. This is what I love most about Delhi, the insane after parties. I love, love, love house parties, they’re always so much more fun than going to a club or something. Now if only they had a 24 hour liquor store in this city, life couldn’t get any better.

 

ONE hijra leaning out of her customer’s car telling us to tell him to pay her. We watched as he shame facedly went to the ATM and she got out of the car and sashayed about a bit. The boys we were with were MESMERISED and with good reason, coz she was really hot. (I should really start taking my camera out on the weekends)

 

ONE very awful drunk guy who I absolutely loathed who mocked my hair and proceeded to be very loud and annoying. I hate drunk men, they seem to get even more full of themselves then. 

 

ONE night spent with good friends from college, sitting around drinking Old Monk, hot water, lemon and honey. Old Monk is my friend again, this season. It warms me right up.

 

ONE trip made to Vapour in Gurgaon, which I absolutely LOVED, because they played shady Bollywood music, but which the people I was with looked alarmed at being at.

 

ONE visit to TC! (TC!) only to be turned away at the door because we were too late to get in. BOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

ONE round of Kamikaze shots at Ai, which is really, really, really nice on Saturdays, with kick ass retro music (and not the usual stuff either) and Japanese anime projected on the walls and lots of people dancing, and BRILLIANT. Also, we bought four shots (for the four of us) and the bartender gave us two on the house!

 

ONE late night trip to Pandara Road at three in the morning to stuff our faces with Punjab’s finest: butter chicken, kaali daal and naans. Oh, the food in Delhi is TO DIE FOR. I didn’t realise how much I missed it until I started eating here again and then I’m just like,  SO GOOD. That’s one thing Bombay doesn’t have at any rate (and before you start writing in with all your favourite Bombay restaurants, let me say: I have been EVERYWHERE. I have eaten EVERYTHING. And compared to Delhi, food in Bombay is crap. Which is weird for a city that has such a vibrant going out culture.)

 

And finally today. I was going to go see some kids films this afternoon, but I’m feeling much too lazy. Instead I will bestir myself somewhere in the evening, go meet some friends at Lodhi gardens and then watch whirling dervishes at a Sufi festival.

 

I love being back.

13 comments:

  1. Always nice to be home after a really long time. I'm moving back to Chennai after over 3 years now, and I have mixed feelings. I hope you enjoy your stay.

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  2. Always nice to be home after a really long time. I'm moving back to Chennai after over 3 years now, and I have mixed feelings. I hope you enjoy your stay.

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  3. wow someone is having fun in delhi...nice :)

    Delhi is no doubt always fun :) and winter has its own feel :)

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  4. must must MUST delurk. WHERE ARE THE SUFIS??? ive been dying to go and i never find anyone who knows aobut these things. aprtly cos im a bit of a loser when it comes to fidning out aobut cultural stuff. but. please. oh please.
    also, yay delhi in winter and the food the food oh the foooood =)

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  5. I am delhi girl stuck in NY (yes i said STUCK. Delhi trumps NY anyday). your posts about Delhi make me so happy!!!! i feel like i am vicariously living the Delhi life :D

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  6. What a smasher of a weekend! :)

    I had a very good one too..! So can't help thinking the same.

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  7. awesome!!! delhi ppl have all the fun!!!

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  8. Couldnt resist commenting after reading this post... i am a total Delhi-ite and you are right... delhi's winter and food is just the bestest. I've been living in Sydney for the last 2 years and i miss Delhi every.single.day.
    Delhi so Rocks :)

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  9. Ooh yes. delhi in winter, with old monk and bkhakar khani and shahi tukda and super cream. Really worth it. Oh and Darya Ganj too.

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  10. You are making me nostalgic about Delhi

    Golas was the best place to have sizzlers, I am sure it continues to be on top. I never smoked there but beer went well with sizzlers

    Panadara Road serves the best butter chicken in town. And winters in Delhi are never comlpete without Old Monk

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