Nostalgia, Coffee and Love..

Winter Chill is all it takes to make me jump out in action. The raised eyebrows of the not so warmly sun catch my eye just every morning, only to make me slip deep each time into the tent of my blanket. Warm soft as silk. This long blanket has been a companion for few years now. Years which have pushed me into the maddening pace of life, pricked me to settle a foot in the most appropriate way and further thrown, pulled and yet again thrown me aside in a corner unnoticed, alone. It has been a pushcart journey on a rickety road..a long road indeed!

Filtered Coffee Mug at ICH

I've been punctual all these years I talk about. Late to sleep and late to rise has been an interesting unstoppable practise which lingers on even now. This isn't just my lazy attitude but a strong rational reason attached. During the day the commotion, the activities of all but me, the colours and not so colours of life have a way to move on without a break. The peace within is lost. Lost until night falls and supper ends. As the tungsten bulbs switch off, my lights turn on. The peace within discovers me at this moment. Not always though.

Barakhamba Road

All these years there has been change all over. Though my evening coffee on a Friday still makes its way almost always. The group meets over a filtered coffee and piles of planning, work and strategy build-up. The Palak Pakoras still have the same taste with Red Tomato sauce at the Indian Coffee House (ICH) in Cannought Place.The roof-top here remains dark during the evening rush hour. The furniture is old, and the walls have lost their charm.

Busy Cannounght Place at Night

That doesn't really deter people from coming here in large groups; young and the old; salesmen or insurance agents; activists or writers all heard along on simple broken wooden chairs. The atmosphere is philosophic and the people are lost into hours of discussions on topics from Politics to new insurance policy in the neighbouring LIC. The arguments followed by counter arguments carry on till late evenings. Nights have changed in the city though. Discs and Pubs are the new elite crowd destinations. 'Times Change' they say. Times have changed sure enough.

The filtered coffee and the love for Palak Pakoras hasn't changed though.

At the Oxford Bookstore in Statesmen House at Barakhamba Road, I walk into thousands of books on parted shelves as I discover a new trendy way of a book bar as one may put it. Bookstore tied up along a 'CHA BAR' for snacks. I gulp down the Sandwich and the chilly coffee as I wonder about my upcoming Friday Coffee at the Indian Coffee House (ICH), a few lanes ahead. The nostalgia over a cup of coffee continues still.. wonder how long this will continue..!