hyderabad

An interesting city -- it was less developed than I anticipated seeing how it's dubbed the infrastructurally-sound-Bangalore. It seemed as if all parts of the city were under construction, with rocks and rubble everywhere and no end in sight. Traffic was atrocious, road quality was poor. (But the airport is great!) I think in some ways Chennai is a bit anomalous in terms of its infrastructure compared to the other "metro" Indian cities (except Delhi). It was nice to again be in a place where the general populace speaks Hindi/Urdu. The language convenience came in handy when I left my phone on the bus this morning and subsequently had to track it down.

The most fascinating part of Hyderabad was undeniably the old city. I do not think I have ever been in a place with so many Muslims packed with such high density into a relatively small area; couple that with the bustle of everyday old city India, the cultural expose that is uniquely Hyderabad but clearly discernible in every individual's action, the noises, smells, sights, monuments - it was breathtaking. The weather was great too! Very conducive for photography - will post pictures soon.

I must say that I had biryani twice today (the second at a supposedly well-known place called Bawarchi) and while it was excellent both times, it was still very comparable to biryani I get in Chennai. Maybe vegetarian biryani does not have the elusive flavor found only in Hyderabad...

Only 2 glasses of fresh sweet lime juice today.

Off to Bombay now, then Ahmedabad in a few days.

sweet limes

I am now an addict of this fruit, called sweet lime in English (mousami or mousambi in Hindi). I had never heard of it before visiting southern India, but now that I have tried it, I will try my best to import seeds to plant when I return. It tastes like a cross between an orange and a not-so-tart (but very sweet) lemon. They have fresh juice stands everywhere in the city, which makes consuming the juice of 20 Florida-orange-sized mousamis way too easy.

bribed

Just paid my first bribe for this trip. One of the main thoroughfares of Chennai, Anna Salai (or Mount Road), has one segment where there are actual lane markings dividing the road into three sections. The very left lane is for buses, the next lane for cars, and the rightmost lane for auto-rickshaws and 2 wheelers (keep in mind we drive on the left). I was riding home -- scooter brimming with bags from a days worth of shopping -- when a policeman pointed motioned at me to pull over. In proficient English (of the Indian variety) he told me that I was driving in the bus lane. He asked for my license, which of course I said I did not have on me at the moment. Then he said that the fine for not carrying your license is 550 Rupees. It was nice that he cut to the chase for me, without making me ask him how much it would take for him to let me go. I always feel guilty when I have to initiate the bribe discussions. Negotiations ensued (ie. I reached into my pocket and said this is what I have) - I drove away after giving him 200 Rupees. Had I actually had a license, I would have asked for him to write me a ticket with a receipt. But I could not because I do not have a license, which means technically he can take my scooter away. My fault for not having a license, but the bureaucratic struggle to get one made is ridiculous. But, I did learn not to drive in the bus lane on that one stretch of Anna Salai. Isn't that the aim of the ticket/citation system anyway? Like many things in India, dysfunctionally functional.

Diwali, Bhai Dooj 2009

Some pictures from Diwali and Bhai Dooj in Jaipur.

Diwali 2009