Delhi/NCR was beyond my imagination. If you’d asked me five years ago if I would consider moving to this place, I would have snapped and asked if you were joking! But who knew what was in store? In 2016, I moved to Delhi and started chronicling my life here.
November 2016: Given the comfort zone I had in Hyderabad, it made me so proud to think that I have completed six months of my stay in Delhi/NCR. This place gives you so much to explore, yet it is so familiar. My only qualm was I was yet to pick up the North Indian lingo. I continued to speak Hindi like a Hyderabadi-Bengali.
February 2017: One of the reasons I avoided moving to Delhi/NCR is its extreme winters. I dislike winters. Not only the weather is cold and damp, but it slows you down. By the end of 2016, I started preparing myself for the first ‘real’ winter of my life. Real because I have seen temperatures dipping to 10 degrees in Calcutta, but it was manageable. In Hyderabad, peak winter would have a minimum of 13-14 degrees, where a hoodie or a sweater would serve the purpose. Cut to Delhi winters, where mornings would be at 6-7 degrees, and wee hours of the night would be at 3-4 degrees. For most people, it’s not a big deal. For me, it is… to do this all alone, with a smiling face.
On another note, have you seen such a clear view of India Gate? Mostly no, right? Because this photo was clicked in a chilly winter dawn of Vijay Diwas 2018. We had just randomly decided to visit India Gate at that time!
May 2017: I completed a year in Delhi and I feel I needed to stay here to make my personality a well-rounded one. If the previous cities I have lived in have taught me to take things at face value, trust people, and think emotionally; Delhi has started with a strict ‘no’ to all of the above. It has made me more powerful by teaching me to—think practically, test before trusting anything, and be strong at heart.
August 2017: People who are not natives of Delhi, but have been staying here for some time, love this city. I am not one of them. Having said that, I feel this city has a rawness which no other city in India has. While I know it’s not an easy city to live given the extremities in the climate, in people, and in most of the stuff one has to deal with; I believe everyone should live here for at least a year to experience the truest essence of Delhi. Even if you don’t fall in love with Delhi, it will instill an immense amount of strength and pragmatism in you. It has history, it has mystery, it has its pros and cons, but beyond all that it’s terrifyingly real.
December 2017: The charm of Old Dilli lies in Mughal-era architectural masterpieces like this one—the Jama Masjid of Shahjahanabad (present day, Delhi). I love the hugeness of the complex. I call myself lucky to have got this shot while the winter sun was lazying in the western sky. We had spent that winter afternoon in the busy streets of Chandi Chowk, doing a foodwalk—starting with Natraj’s dahi bhalla and chaat, Jung Bahadur’s kachori sabzi, Old Famous’ jalebi with rabri, then Gianni’s chhole bhature, and finally ended with Al Jawahar’s kebab and biryani. Also, did I forget to mention we did a stroll in the bylanes of Dariba Kalan and Khari Baoli, between this foodathon.
June 2019: Moving to Delhi from my comfort zone in Hyderabad was the most drastic decision I had taken in last few years. I had no idea whether I will be able to survive here even for a month. Last month I completed three years of my stay in Dilli. Someone had truly said life starts where your comfort zone ends. Don’t look for anyone to comfort you. You are your trouble.
December 2019: Nizamuddin Dargah—the place from where Delhi imbibes a lot of its history. What awed me was the amount of faith that was contained in such a small place. People from faraway countries, states, different backgrounds—all of them were bound by one single faith.
May 2020: Four years in Delhi/NCR. I still remember the day I had decided to shift here from Hyderabad. Even when I was going to take that last flight I was thinking whether that would be a good decision? Like most people I had very wrong notions about Delhi/NCR. But having stayed here on my own for this long and making lots of friends, I can say, this place is how you are. This place is okay if you are outspoken, free, independent, jazzy, moody, foodie, party animal, reclusive… whatever. How you do to others, this place treats you the same way. And not to forget the awesome food, house parties, breweries, and BYOBs, and a good number of relentless friends who just don’t buy any excuses you give.
Moments to Stories 
I told you, you would love Dilli more than any other cities!
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Agree, sir! 🙂
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