New Nostalgia

Its a lazy sunday afternoon, and my favourite time of the year. Its that time when I fall in love with my city all over again. I think its something to do with walks that I can take in the afternoon (tell me another city that you can do this- in India- and I'll go there for a visit, surely.)

The months of August, September and October make me feel nostalgic about things. I encounter this nostalgia through flowers, usually. Pune is full of flowers around this time. Cork, cosmos and various other wildish strains that you like but can never name. This season reminds me of every earlier season that I have been similarly happy with, for no apparent reason.

This year was a bit different as far as this nostalgic trip is concerned. I was on one of my many trips to Mumbai to meet clients, and got caught in a traffic jam. The enterprising driver took us through a different route. He cut off the express highway and went on to the old Bombay-Poona one. It was as if I was meeting a childhood friend. Very familiar (the monkeys, the steep curves, the stunning views) but different(no hotels, no irritating vendors). I kinda fell for the whole thing.

It was new nostalgia- the only way I can describe the feeling in my stomach. Its a mixed thing- you look for old things but find new.

In a while, I rejoined the express highway and things were mundane again. Full of modern comfort, but no steep views...