I (heart) Delhi in winter

Delhi winter gets a bad rap. Too cold. Too foggy. Too many delayed flights. But if you are a Dilliwala, Delhi winter has its own charm. Kolkata is welcome to throw intellect and art at me, Bangalore its expensive silicon pizzazz, Hyderabad its scrumptious biryani, Mumbai its glamour, but the plain and simple truth is that Delhi has the winter’s edge over all the metropolises.

Sadly, Mumbai’s filmmakers will never queue up to give us a real paean to something as rustic as “Dilli ki sardi". So here’s my five reasons why I heart Delhi in the winter:

The choicest wardrobe collectibles

No other metro wardrobe in India can boast of wool, Uggs, leg warmers, thermals, and other assorted winter paraphernalia resting amicably alongside shorts, ganji, and itsy-bitsy pieces of thread. An admittedly endearing sight is that of fashionable Mumbaikars wearing Uggs with pretty summer dresses. The temps work in reverse order here — south of torso remains invariably cooler than north. Winter envy works overtime as every other metro mate defends his/her limited seasonal life. Meanwhile, the Dilliwala/wali resigns himself to feeling as cool as a cucumber and blowing imaginary smoke rings.

Winter wonderland of love

The romantics are unleashed. Tracing silhouettes in the dark/fog and snogging becomes commonplace. You can say “You’re finally home” and snuggle into people without the momentary ickiness you may feel during hot, painful summer. The sardi and thande thappad (cold slaps) offer umpteen opportunities to make a move. Lodhi gardens, Humayun’s tomb, the neighbourhood park, even the busy marketplaces can put Lucknow’s infamous lovers’ lanes to shame. The streetlights get a foggy halo, blurred headlights aren’t as harsh, and while your time behind the wheels increases manifold, Delhi gets a little more snuggly. Of course by the time its New Year’s Eve, thick fog makes movement almost impossible; but then again, who said we were perfect?

Garama garam chai

Huddled around mini, makeshift bonfires, it’s not uncommon to find your own warm spot and sit back with strangers at the local chaiwale ki dukaan. Forget about coffee beans and ditch the hotels, cafés, restaurants, for hot roadside adrak waali chai. A drive around the campus area or even the local neighbourhood shops and you throw caution to the wind as you rest your well-cushioned winter derriere in the not-so-fancy dhaba for a cup of desi pyaala, while hanging up your ‘we-love-to-show-off’ Delhi boots.

Band, baaja, and baraati

Every year, the local dailies are filled with a staggering number of people getting married on specific dates during winter. I am a victim of permanent winter-date abuse year after year, because 30 November has a reserved seat on the shubh-shaadi calendar and there’s at least one friend taking advantage of it each year. The band, baajewaale and the baraatis inevitably enjoy winter nuptials in winter more than the ones that take place during any other season. The baraatis can layer themselves sufficiently and vow to lose weight when summer comes, enjoy a stiff drink that soothes the nerves, and run around without breaking into a sweat. The fluctuating economy doesn’t bother winter weddings because look how much you  save on air conditioners and generators, and the bride is in good spirits because her makeup doesn’t melt. Hooray!

Peanuts and more

Late lunches replace dinners, and you fancy the afternoons as much as you fancy the evenings. Popping peanuts while waiting for the fancy green, blue and red lines at the bus stop becomes the norm. Bumming that orange off your colleague’s lunchbox so you can relive the joys of peeling it piece by piece, or for that matter sharing peals of laughter while shooting pips at each other are just a few of the childish indulgences a Delhi winter allows us. Festivals, embassy fetes, Dilli Haat, Pragati Maidan — everything that screams open spaces and warm friendly sun on your back have a way of creeping into your list of things to do. Winter mornings and electric blankets may beg you to lie in bed a little longer, but every true blue Dilliwala/wali hopes to forget the scorching summers and savour life in a metro, Dilli style.