Paradise Lost - Delhi Winters

Delhi is no paradise. Delhi is a tough, rough city. Just like a person can be explained in terms of her attitude, traits, values, and beliefs, so can a city. And the adjectives which come to mind for Delhi are not complementary - brash, rude, violent, uncouth. It is like a truant, doped, teenager showing the middle finger whenever someone extends a helping hand or seeks help, who laughs at your shock, who puffs smoke of cigarette in your face whenever you look for any redeeming features. No redemption here. The phrase ‘Dilli dilwalon ki hai’ (Delhi has people with big heart) is nothing more than a wordplay and only slightly more vacuous than the phrase ‘Spirit of Mumbai’.

But, just like in everything, there is a ‘but’. Delhi has some redeeming features (which like most cities in this country, the cities themselves or their governments do not care about). I can list four - (a) wide multi-laned roads, boulevards, and one of the best physical infrastructure in the country; (b) plenty of gardens and green patches including jungles and ridges (one realises their importance after seeing places like Mumbai where a blade of grass is a cause for celebration); (c) food - basically all kinds but the best and most unique are the chats and sweets, in fact the city serves amazing options of the latter (again, sweets are a luxury in Mumbai); and finally (d) winters. I know many people would have personal choices and would like to debate many of these but I find these four to be the best aspects of this city. And lest I sound like a Mumbai-basher, let me admit that Mumbai too has many positives over Delhi (the eternal Delhi vs Mumbai debate) but nothing beats Delhi on these factors.

This piece is to focus on one aspect - Delhi winters, that weather which evokes so many emotions in me that I wish I was a poet, or a better writer. Most of my memories of this city are serenely wrapped in the fog of its winter - winters of catching the school bus in dark and reaching school in light, wearing shorts, freezing but loving it; winters of dark, chilly mornings when life comes alive slowly, like that gently brewing tea on soft flame in the kitchen; winters of eating carrots and pungent radishes in afternoon; winters of dark evenings when poignancy shrouds the heart like blanket and makes one want to remember and cry; winters of day times looking lost and clueless like estranged lovers; winters of early morning wind which can shock and energise; winters when fulfilment is all about staying in blanket the whole day watching TV or reading or writing; winters of riding the bus with open window/gate with sharp wind chilling the whole body still giving a stupid excitement; winters of bus floor littered with peanut shells; winters of shawls, sweaters and jackets, mostly ugly, but at times sharply stylish and beautiful; winters of exhibitions, galleries and All American Diner; winters of open air performances in Old Fort where the chill distracts you but still enhances the performance; winters of picnics in parks and Humayun’s Tomb; winters of deserted streets and Lutyen’s Delhi; winters of endless chais on dhabas while staring at the dark wall that is the jungle of Sanjay Van; winters of half marathons, long jogs and unending walks; winters of hot soups, paranthas, halwas, jalebis, hot flavoured milk; winters of dry fruits; winters of the warmth of motherly love or lover’s embrace. Only a Delhiite can understand most of what I have said.

Delhi winter is a treasure - of memories, incidents, events, longings collected over the age; a scrapbook, a montage, so precious that its loss bleeds the heart. And as of now, the loss looks permanent. And to what? Human folly, lethargy, and procrastination. The last few years have seen Delhi winters witness extreme ambient pollution levels which have made the city a gas chamber. Media coverage has been relentless, especially over the last two years but I know this has been a phenomenon of 4-5 years. So we have foreign nationals refusing to stay in the city, countries issuing travel (non)advisory, social media abuzz with meaningful and meaningless, people becoming half scientists individually diligently measuring air quality index (AQI) and pronouncing the quality as ‘Severe’ and spelling out technical difference between different air masks and air purifiers; and media as well as businesses benefiting from the hysteria by churning stories and products around this situation without any meaningful contribution. All in all India as usual.

The problem is there is no clear, scientific understanding of the situation, at least none that I have found. What has started causing such poor air quality over the last 4-5 years? Is it the case of gradual build-up over the years or has there been some major structural change which has suddenly tipped the scale? In either of the cases, what were the causative factors in order of importance? Is it a problem only of Delhi or also of areas within 100-200 kms range? Is it one major problem or a sum of many small factors? Is farm burning the major issue? Then does it not happen twice a year? Or why was it not a problem say 5 years back? Or are vehicles and construction the biggest contributors? Then why no drastic steps against these? How can cracker burning be a big culprit when it is largely a single day event? Then aren’t these incessant appeals against cracker burning by all and sundry just a case of propagation of thoughtless messages in the garb of sounding enlightened and guardians of greater good instead of actually applying brains? Aren’t odd-even and temporary construction bans classic cases of Indian jugaad or resourcefulness, biding time, waiting for the weather to turn or for the next big story to distract the masses, instead of taking difficult, long-term steps to tackle the problem? Why do we not get more concrete facts, figures and logical explanations from researchers and experts, if at all there is research/genuine thought around the issue? Overall the media, politicians, intelligentsia is more capable of managing the environment around environment than actually tackling the environment problem.

While I know the answers to some of the questions, but I am pointing out the obvious gaps in public thought around the issue, at least going by how it is playing in the media. Long term planning and strong action have never been India’s forte and there seems to be no change here as well. Because nobody wants to take strong, difficult countermeasures which would require sacrifices which are discomforting and painful. The very Delhi population who is crying hoarse (literally) against the pollution will not be willing to not actually reduce their vehicle usage on a sustainable basis, or look to undertake construction activities in a safer manner, or overall be conscious about their carbon footprint. In India it is always somebody else’s fault, and somebody else’s repentance and correction.  

Never mind. My biggest pain is that I have been robbed of my beloved Delhi winters. It is barely possible to step out of home, leave alone enjoying the weather. One can only it to the extent possible to do inside a car. I have decided to inculcate the habit of getting up early, only to realise that I can barely take advantage of this weather which is (or would have been) even more beautiful at that time - I can’t go for long walks or run. I started bicycling in this weather, but had to give up because of a bad chest congestion. Delhi winters are now like a zombie, like a ventilator patient who I am seeing from behind a glass as my own eyes become glass, like a romance which is now un-pure, tarnished, like a reality which has become a dream. Just sit tight, hold your breath, write blogs, and wait for weather to change.   

The world’s a stage

But this play is a joke

You will not exit with a graceful bow

But with an ugly choke