Delhi and Delhiites are finally Winter Ready!
This time when the ban on the crackers sale during Diwali produced less smoke and pollution, we felt Winters were yet to arrive. But the wait was not too long. Storm of dust and choking fumes arrived soon.
So finally, we in Delhi are ‘Winter Ready’
Woollens are not out yet, nor have we started cribbing about cold waves sweeping the region, but we have our masks and air-purifiers out and ready and that suffices for our winter needs.
Yes, we are finally ‘Winter Ready’ as the long wait is over as winters embracing us with all its might and force, which in turn leaves us gasping for air to breathe.
Delhi Winters are synonymous with Smog, which is actually a tight winter hug accompanied with smoke, which is applicable exclusively to us, the Delhiites only .
Every time it appears on the horizon, we not only choke with varied emotions, but even the sour throats leave many of us watery eyed. For sure, winter has arrived.
This yearly phenomena blinds and binds Delhi.
Where we come together to march and protest against the ruling party in hazy and smoggy crossroads. Passing on the blame, the Ruling and Opposition get busy in Smog-slinging and stubble-struggles.
While the Janta (common man) depends on the hashtags, the decision makers behave like absolute junta, with their use of odd and even tweets .
Matching an attack with an equally venomous counterattack, the common man often wonders, where the hell do these politicians drive so much stamina from? We the residents of Delhi trapped in all this smog have inhaled enough toxic air that our lungs are rendered useless.
We do wheeze and sneeze in unity, and so we are ‘Winter Ready’.
We are now under the spell of all soughts of allergies, nebulizers and Puffs that binds and bonds us.
The North and South Delhi divide has vanished in poor visibility. Lutyens Delhi and Old Delhi are shrouded under a common blanket.
With the dipping air quality, we are acutely aware that Winter in the National Capital has set in and so are the cold vibes from our leaders. An innovative idea of Sprinklers to douse the smog has been thrown up, but will it at all be effective with such fire spitting sessions going on in the neighbouring States.
But when we, the Delhi Wallas persistently cough in unison, we know that the Winter has set in. We are ‘Winter Ready’ when there is no Sun to see during day time and swanky cars to two-wheelers, are all stuck on clogged roads with their headlights on.
For the next few months we huff and puff, our most loyal representatives spit venom at their opponents, we know we are ‘Winter Ready’. Happy Coughing till the spring breaks out.
Anjali, with a masters in English is a teacher on a sabbatical, loves travelling and spending time in the lap of nature, observing its bounties and being thankful to the hills.
