Sundays Around Doon - Conspiracy

It sounds like there is a big conspiracy going on to keep the Doonites away from their weekend outings. You see, I can’t find any other explanation for the incessant torrential rains that have been mysteriously hounding us for two months now. This hasn’t happened to ‘us’ in the last 15 years atleast. And I’m certain we haven’t done anything to invoke the ‘fury’; I mean, we are all innocent of the trees that have been cut in the valley for the last 15 years, and the big mansions we have made reducing the ground water table, and the way we have inhabited the river-sides, and river beds. After all, it’s our valley and would we do this to ‘our’ valley? Never!

I am definite that there is a ‘deep conspiracy’ behind all this hatched by ‘vested interests’ and ‘big powers to-be’ who obviously are jealous of our so popular and pleasurable weekend trips. If we inquire deep, we might find that it could be the work of the road-side sellers whose Sunday earnings have been going down with half the Dehradun disappearing on Sundays. On the other hand, weekend earnings of Petrol Pump Owners have been shooting up. This conflict of interests seems very ominous.

But we can’t let these ‘conspiracies’ ruin our weekends, can we? The ‘never-say-die’ spirits of the Doonites have to be recalled at these times, and weekend pleasures have to be maintained at all costs. So what, if we are unable to go on long weekend rides and trips. Let’s not forget that the ultimate pleasure of a rainy day is in sipping hot ‘tulsi’ tea with ‘garam pakoras’ and admiring the Mussoorie from our verandahs. After all, that’s why we made such big decorative verandahs, didn’t we?

Talking of pakoras, on such occasions and rainy seasons, Doonites have always been visiting the famous ‘Sardar ji ke pakore’ at Rajpur for generations. They used to trudge on bicycles, scoot on Lamberattas, and zoom on their Fiats with window curtains. Nowadays, we just key start our bikes and gearless Honda Citys and still go there to enjoy the ‘Sardar ji ke pakore’.

Those who don’t like ‘pakoras’ and those who have substituted their pleasure of ‘pakoras’ with ‘momos’ head over religiously to different “food shrines” – to ‘auntyji ke momo’ near Clock Tower, to ‘momo factory’ in Garhi cantt, and to Clement Town for the authentic taste.

And those who are too lazy to drive ‘that’ long or need more appetizing delights head over to ‘Chetan ki poori’ at Hanuman Chowk, or to the famous ‘Sonu ke katlame- chhole’ at Moti Bazar. But these are all morning pleasures. Let’s not forget those who come evening, rush to ‘Tara machhi wala’ at Clock Tower and ‘Maheshi ke kababs’ at Dilaram and ‘Bhatia ji ka mutton’ at Premnagar. And remember, this is just the snacks we are talking about. And then they think they can ruin our pleasures, eh!

Down with the conspiracies! Up with the ‘momos’, ‘pakoras’ or …whatever! haha!

Him Ahuja is an avid traveler and runs a travel blog named http://allhimalaya.com