Thursday, December 29, 2011

Goodbye Ahmedabad!

Dead body at the Sunday Market

Leaving my city tonight. Not sure if I am coming back. I already know I will miss you Ahmedabad, more than any other city I have ever known in life.

I will miss the bustling roads and the buzzing lanes. I will miss the cows crossing over even at the busiest junctions and the cars and bikes which always almost bump into each other. I will miss the men and the women who almost die everyday on the roads, but never actually do. I will miss the old city, the pols, the sweet Gujarati food. I will miss the mosques, the temples, the people who make them alive. I will miss walking on the streets aimlessly, talking to friendly strangers, eating food way past mid-night in the old city, and desperately searching for an open cigarette shop at 2 am.

But I will miss the people the most. I will miss the friends I made over the many many years spent in this city.

Bhavin has been my companion for the longest period of time. We made the perfect house mates, always there for each other and always giving complete space to one another. He knows all my secrets, but they never went beyond him. I can tell him just about everything, knowing that he somehow would understand. We traveled a lot, did lots of photography and bike rides. We were never close as classmates in NID, but living with him bought us much closer, and surprisingly we lived in perfect harmony. I have a feeling that he is getting married because I am moving out of the house, and he won't be able to take the loneliness :) Bhavin recently wrote an amazing post about me on his and that can be read here.


Manoj, the one guy with whom you can have a conversation about almost everything. He was my life line when it came to discussing things which everyone else seemed to be disinterested about - the politics of South India, stories about Gods and Goddesses, impact of religion and its evolution, invasion of Iraq, unrest in Syria and so on. We became better friends as we started playing tennis together, but it was only when we discovered our love for traveling that our dosti rocked! We bonded over the numerous shared cigarettes (I had to force him to give a few drags from his, initially reluctant he eventually relented) and the shared blankets over many trips :)) Though extremely reserved about himself (unless of course when he is drunk), Manoj is a perfect friend and an exceptional travel mate!

Vikram and me share the same sun-sign and I get along extremely well with him when the time is right! We had the most fantastic time in Chennai (and on numerous trips made together) when we stayed for a couple of weeks working with a client. He is the funniest of them all and can keep you entertained forever and ever. We have had our own set of screw-ups but I guess that's all part of growing up and learning in life. I guess we will eventually move on over it all. I would always remember the absolutely insane movies that only the two of us went for and still enjoyed.

There are so many more that I am even afraid to even mention the names here, I might miss some and end up offending them. But all the people who I came across in these years, only made the time spent here more eventful.

I am going now, but I have a feeling that the city will call me back. Again.
Amen.

12 comments:

  1. Good luck for wherever it is you are going:-)

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  2. Leaving the city is so difficult...And leaving great friends is even more...Hope you settle down in new city soon...

    Happy New Year:)

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  3. I can so well connect to it...leaving a city and its people is not easy, but I guess that is when you know how much you have loved it.
    Have a great year ahead:)

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  4. :)
    I dnt know if you will be back to ahmedabad again or not.... but somehow I feel we will not be so much far from each other in future too...
    :)

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  5. i understand how you feel...because i have gone through this not once but thrice!

    nevertheless....its you city...if your wishes be...you will come back here again!

    have a great start!! keep blogging and keep in touch!

    *hugs*

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  6. It took me two good years to get over Bangalore, and a bit of that city still lives in me! Though I forgot Faridabad, my college, for good :D

    Have a great beginning...How I wish you come to London :P

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  7. I don't even know you but after reading most of your posts (on your other blog too) even I feel sad looking at your amazing connection with this city... You would have been an interesting person to meet and talk with...

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  8. Sid, I feel sad for you as you are leaving Ahmadabad but the same time feel happy for the fact that this change will bring other cultural learning for you, and most importantly i may able to see you soon :)

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  9. good blog........... giftwithlove.com

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  10. Leaving your city where you experienced happiness, suffering, meetings with friends is very difficult but you'll surely will find a new setting in your new city. The connection with Ahmedabad will always exist inside you and that is valuable! Nice post!

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  11. Aaaaah i know i totally understand its so difficult to leave friends..:)
    I wish u Haappyy future..:)

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  12. such a touching goodbye to your city and all the people you are leaving behind....p.s. i love the photo of Vikram, it's awesome,

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