Time 7:18 am, Wednesday 13 October 2024
I’m sitting in my hotel room on the outskirts of New Delhi.
I landed two nights ago. The thick mist offered the burden of the people who so arduously build their lives in this incredibly diverse yet so homogenous land.
I can hear the horns screaming outside as commuters attempt to make themselves visible, not trusting anyone to notice them weave through traffic with an almost unbelievable conviction that they’re either invincible or that, if they honk loud enough, they might just go through every solid object in front of them.
Yesterday, I had my first taste of the city with the help of a friend – the one who summoned me here:
“I’m about to celebrate my wedding in this faraway land. Please come and join us as an excuse to discover what the world has to offer,” he said months ago, unaware that I would accept his offer.
If I had to choose a city to explain the concept of entropy, Delhi would be it.
The chaos on the street can be jarring. But, with just the right person, you can feel like a ghost as you cross through the ten lanes of cars, bikes, and buses that morph into 6, 7 and, sometimes, 12 lanes.
Out of the chaos, if you squint your eyes just enough, you’ll notice thousands of stories, thousands of dreams. Thousands of people who simply refuse to stop moving. This is where you come to find those that will pierce through. This is where you come to find people who, despite the looks, know they do not need to honk to get through any solid barrier that stands between them and their goals.
I will not comment on the food, as it’s well-acknowledged now that this country’s cuisine is exceptional, and I don’t have any novel insights on this topic.