Saturday

Two and a half years ago if you were to ask me for a list of places I could see myself living in, Dehradun would not figure in it. I am ashamed to confess it, but I was not even very sure where it was, or how one gets there.

Two years ago, I packed my blanket, three mixing bowls, one kilo of coffee beans and the Complete Works of Shakespeare (Tudor edition) in an aluminium trunk and moved here.

The Uttarakhand I found is not necessarily any different from the official Uttarakhand. Or even the popularly accepted, accurate Uttarakhand. But it is not identical to these two either.

My Uttarakhand is a world with two centres, Dehradun (where Mian and I have our home and where I work) and Sitla (where Mian of works part of the year).

It has a geography of its own, where Rajpur is accorded more importance than Mussoorie,and home more than either. It is scattered with places where I work, play, and dream.

And above all, it is filled with people. I came here in Sep '08 with the southerner's distrust of the north. I was shown kindness with much grace, gallantly flirted with,  and welcomed. I was educated, and then some more. Occasionally, I was forced to draw on my reserves of strength, but then the multiverse would send an elf to help me.

There are still times when I yearn for the coast and possibly, Mian and I will find ourselves sitting on a beach some day. But for now, Uttarakhand is home.

2 comments:

VK Singh said...

Uttrakhand has amazing places. Dehradun's beauty is remained only in its outskirts. Rajpur still has attraction.
After becoming capital Concrete has taken away much of its beauty.
Blind construction!

Anisha said...

Hello! I just stumbled across your blog when I was looking for trekking trails in Dehradun and I love it! I'm here to stay. :)

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