From Ndtv · · 2m
Delhi's Lost City: Memoir and Film Echo
Sonia Gandhi's memoir and 'Chashme Buddoor' both capture Delhi's 1981 vibe, but one city vanished.
In brief
Sonia Gandhi's memoir and 'Chashme Buddoor' both capture Delhi's 1981 vibe, but one city vanished. Sonia Gandhi's 1981 memoir 'Belonging' and Sai Paranjpye's film 'Chashme Buddoor' both depict Delhi's quiet streets and motorbike rides, but the city transformed by 1982. Originally reported by Ndtv.
Cafe Conversation
Siddharth asks the waiter at Talkatora Garden cafe what's good here, getting 'mahaul achha hai', 'the atmosphere is good'.
“mahaul achha hai”
Sai Paranjpye's Word
Sai Paranjpye, who wrote 'Chashme Buddoor' in 1980, says 'mahaul' is a 'very precise Urdu word that cannot be readily translated'.
“very precise Urdu word that cannot be readily translated”
Delhi's Lost Mahaul
The cafe is long gone, and much of the Delhi 'mahaul' the film captured has disappeared.
Sonia Gandhi's Memoir
Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' opens with Delhi on January 13, 1968, when an Italian woman arrived in the capital.
City of Jackals
Sonia Gandhi recalls Delhi as a 'poorly lit hangar sort of building' airport with jackals howling at night.
Bicycles and Betel
Sonia Gandhi describes Delhi streets filled with bicycles and blood-red stains from betel juice on corner walls.
Lallan Miyan's Stall
In 'Chashme Buddoor', Lallan Miyan's stall is 'bang on a main road in Nizamuddin' on Mathura Road, now in the city's center.
Two Wheels
Sonia Gandhi rode a Suzuki moped to learn Hindi, with her friend on the handlebars, describing hair-raising rides.
Motorbike Ride
In 'Chashme Buddoor', three friends ride a motorbike through Delhi's quiet streets, past India Gate and ruins.
1982 Asian Games
The 1982 Asian Games brought flyovers to Delhi, a year after 'Chashme Buddoor' was released.
Monsoon Memories
Sonia Gandhi describes Delhi's monsoons as flooding gardens with skies no longer visible and the sun gone.
Two Delhis
Sonia Gandhi's government bungalows were depressing, while 'Chashme Buddoor' shows a South Delhi colony with a garden.
The Air That Was
In 1981, Delhi had 60 lakh people and clear skies; now it's 2.3 crore with hazardous air by December.
Where Two Delhis Diverge
Sonia Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi moved from government housing to a normal life after heated arguments.
The headline
Sonia Gandhi's 1981 memoir 'Belonging' and Sai Paranjpye's film 'Chashme Buddoor' both depict Delhi's quiet streets and motorbike rides, but the city transformed by 1982.
