Golden jubilee of memories

I distinctly recall, it was 1973, when my grandfather had retired and he had to vacate company accommodation provided to him at a very prime locality in Karol Bagh. Of all the places, he chose to move to Krishna Nagar, a business-cum-residential hub in the trans Yamuna area. From the swanky markets of Karol Bagh to crowded narrow lanes of Krishna Nagar, it was a let down for me, who as a child would frequently go to my grandparents place whenever schools were closed.

However, while the main market of Lal Quarter was congested and roads were narrow, once you were off Lal Quarter, galis (as the residential streets were called) were relatively quiet, with beautiful independent houses lined up on both sides. Besides, it was cheaper than upmarket Karol Bagh and I along with my other cousins would binge on great street food!

And the kite flying festival in Delhi that peaks on 15th August, was a virtual celebration galore in Krishna Nagar with every terrace having kite flying experts and the sky filled with colourful kites! We would climb up the terrace after morning cuppa and all our meals be served there itself. We would come down only after darkness made it impossible to fly kite any longer.

And Lal Quarter would be decked up like a bride, days before a major festival – Rakshabandhan, Diwali, Holi, Navratri etc.

Of course, there were some very strong negatives associated with the Krishna Nagar. It’s open drainage and toilets with septic tanks were big show stoppers. Flies would not leave you in spite of all the effort spent on cleanliness. And power cuts were more frequent ( compared to south Delhi colonies), making peak summer days and nights very distressing! Yet there was something charming about Krishna Nagar- sort of an old world charm – shops selling traditional goods and food stuff, friendly neighbours, culturally alive etc. All these in a way made up for infrastructure bottlenecks.

As the family grew and older generation departed, Krishna Nagar house didn’t suffice the requirements and it was sold. I haven’t had the opportunity of going back there for more than last 20 years. I am told that while several infrastructural improvements have since happened, the place has become even more congested and commercialised and Lal Quarter is now virtually cut off for vehicular traffic.

It just stuck me yesterday that this is the golden jubilee year of all the memories associated with Krishna Nagar, all of which started in 1973. During one of my future visits, I would like to visit Krishna Nagar to relive some of my childhood memories.