Chapter 9：The bustles of Ahmedabad

I walked back home.

The narrow lanes of the old city were bustling with the evening crowd. My

house and Ishaan's were only half a kilometre apart. Everything in my world fell

between this distance. I passed by the Nana Park, extra packed with kids playing

cricket as India had won the match. I played here almost every day of my school

life.

We still come here sometimes, but now we prefer the abandoned bank branch

compound near my home.

A tennis ball landed at my feet. A sweaty twelve-year-old boy came running to

me. I picked up the ball for him. Nana Park is where I had first met Ishaan and

Omi, over fifteen years ago. There was no dramatic moment that marked the start

of our friendship. Maybe we sized each other up as the only six-year-olds in the

ground and started playing together.

Like most neighbourhood kids, we went to the Belrampur Municipal School,

hundred metres down Nana Park. Of course, only I studied while Ish and Omi ran

to the park at every opportunity.

Three bicycles tried to overtake each other in the narrow by lane. I had to step

inside Qazi restaurant to let them pass. A scent of fried coriander and garlic filled

the narrow room. The cook prepared dinner, a bigger feast than usual as India

had won the match. Ishaan and I came here sometimes (without telling Omi, of

course) for the cheap food and extraordinary mutton. The owner assured us

'small mutton', implying goat and not beef. I believed him, as he would not have

survived in the neighbourhood if he served beef. I wanted to eat here instead of

Gopi. But we had promised Gopi to Omi, and the food was fantastic there as well.

Food is a passion here, especially as Gujarat is a dry state. People here get drunk

on food.

Yes, Ahmedabad is my city. It is strange, but if you have had happy times in a

city for a long time, you consider it the best city in the world. I feel the same

about Ahmedabad. I know it is not one of those hip cities like Delhi, Bombay or

Bangalore. I know people in these cities think of Ahmedabad as a small town,

though that is not really the case. Ahmedabad is the sixth largest city in India,

with a population of over five million. But I guess if you have to emphasise the

importance of something, then it probably isn't as important in the first place. I

could tell you that Ahmedabad has better multiplexes than Delhi or nicer roads

than Bombay or better restaurants than Bangalore - but you will not believe me.

Or even if you do, you won't give a damn. I know Belrampur is not Bandra, but

why should I defend being called a small-town-person as if it is a bad thing? A

funny thing about small towns is that people say it is the real India. I guess they

do acknowledge that at one level the India of the big cities is fake. Yes, I am from

the old city of Amdavad and proud of it. We don't have as many fashion shows

and we still like our women to wear clothes. I don't see anything wrong with that