So the first day of the last week of spring has been gorgeous.
Sunny, warm, flowers in bloom, a distinctly relaxed feel wherever we went – all of this tinged with the knowledge that this time next week, when it’s Holi, the heat will officially begin.
Main event of today, other than getting an injection in each knee, and (of course) being with Jane and Michael, was the visit of the London-based wife of one of Himmat’s 2nd cousins (still with me ?) and her beautiful 9 month old baby, Anjali. Verena, who is German, is married to Siddharth, who is Himmat’s second cousin, so goodness knows what that makes my relationship with the baby, but what a little doll she is. Brought up with dogs - 2 Delhi pavement specials transported to London by her parents - she naturally made a beeline for Yoda, who happily curled up next to her.
Tomorrow, at dawn, Jane and Michael head off for 3 days, to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary. Jhansi, Orchha, Gwalior and lots of other lovely places. They had wanted to be in Gwalior tomorrow, but there isn’t a hotel to be had for love nor money, because of the cricket.
So, what news grabbed my eyeballs today ? I love that expression – it is so queasily descriptive…
One story is agricultural. The other concerns the CWG.
Love the idea of solar-powered rickshaws – absolutely fabulous idea (except during the monsoons). Can’t wait to ride in one.
And as for the alcoholic brinjals ? That may well be the way round my Lenten resolution of giving up wine…let’s hear it for alcoholic veggie food.
But one of my favourite stories today, more for the language than the inherent content, comes from Bihar :
And finally – my soap-box. We went to Shanti Niketan this evening, and ( as the Indian papers would say) lo and behold, that same wretched uncovered manhole about which I blogged in October is…yes, you guessed correctly – still uncovered.
What does one do about civic apathy in this city, other than shrug one’s shoulders ?
I cannot, in all fairness, palm you off with a shot of an uncovered drain, so I will give you another photo of both Abhimanyu and Carine in full flow yesterday :
My word of the day is courtesy of my brother-in-law, Michael, who looked up from the Times of India this morning, and said somewhat incredulosuly “Shutterbug ? ” – I have become so Indian-ised that I didn’t even think it was an odd word.
I just hope that the photo that your faithful shutterbug took for you has grabbed your eyeballs.
