It was raining hard outside. The history teacher was about to start with homework questions when the principle announced from the partly kaput speaker.
Suddenly, there was a cheerful bustle among the pupils and the classroom was empty in five minutes. I took my raincoat out and tried protecting myself and rather hefty schoolbag. It was all in vain as soon as I put my foot outside the school canopy.
It was pouring hard. Mom wasn?t supposed to come pick me up until about two hours later. I tried to wave at some autos but again all futile. Suddenly, I got some help from an unexpected source. ?You need help, Munir?? asked my history teacher. Fifteen minutes later I found myself at the doorstep of my mom?s maika.
?Change your clothes, you?ll catch cold?, in came a holler. Surprised, I stormed into the kitchen, ?How did you know I was home?? ?Your sister saw you from the front window.? Dismayed at failing to surprise her, I walked out in protest. Next minute, I was with a neighbor buddy, making paper boats and flowing them in a small river formed in front of the tenement due to unrelenting heavy rain.
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I was listening to my Walkman and the last song I listened was from the movie Aaj, sung by Jagjitda?
Yeh Daulat Bhi Le Lo, Yeh Shohart Bhi Lelo,
Magar Mujhko Lauta Do Bachpan Ka Sawan,
Woh Kagaz Ki Kashti, Woh Barish Ka Pani
Such effective lyrics took me down the memory lane. Those 20 years I spent in the biggest City of Gujarat is the most memorable segment of my life. Why is the City so effectively knitted with my soul? The place where I was bourn and raised, the place where I did my schooling and went through semi-rigorous engineering studies and the place where I saw many ups and downs, can never be parted with. So what is so special that makes me pen these words of nostalgia?
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Woh IIM ki Cold Coffee?
From L. D. College of Engineering where I did B.E. Civil, IIM was a 10-minute ride. A visit to IIM, at least three times a week was a must. At the end of a long day, we all buddies would go to IIM and sit there for a couple of hours sipping delicious cold coffee, poking fun at the professors and fellow classmates and finding excuses to go for a mass bunk. IIM?s coffee has something in it, so much so that I am yet to come across better cold coffee. Even Starbucks stands nowhere close to it?
Woh Love err Law Garden Ki Chai?
Those days of submission and project reports, we used to go to either Inder Residency of Holiday Inn, since only these two had 24-hour cafeteria. At the dawn on our way back home, we would definitely take a stop at Law Garden food bazaar tea stall to take a shot of morning tea. Law Garden is located near the second best commerce college in town and its only a few minutes away from the best school and only a few more minutes away from central education area of Gujarat University and hence popularly know as Love Garden. There is nothing like Law Garden?s tea. A perfect way to end a boring night of submissions?
Woh Municipal Market ke Weekends?
Saturday and Sunday nights without a miss were devoted to Municipal Market (MM) located in heart of the Chimanlal Girdhardas Road, popularly known as C. G. Road. The posh area is City?s central shopping area. Shopping centers after shopping centers would definitely help lighten your pocket and wear out your plastic money. But us guys had no interest in shopping. We would conveniently park our vehicles in the middle of MM only to have the best Softy (Dairy Den) in the City.
Woh Drive-in ke Fridays?
A thumb rule since my childhood was to storm to Drive-in every Friday to check out the latest release of the week. As the name suggests, Drive-in is a unique theatre where people can park their cars on ramps and watch the movie while partying around with family or friends. Earlier it was with parents and after I hit 18, it was a regular with friends. And a dirty little secret, in a dry state of Gujarat, Drive-in was the safest place to break the law?
Woh Relief aur Advance ke Free Movies?
My sister and I took full undue benefit of my dad?s hard work during 70s when he built/renovated nearly 8 of City?s leading theatres. Additionally my grand uncle was part owner of City?s two of best theatres ? Relief and Advance and they both used to have the most popular movies during the first few weeks of release. All I had to do was to call the theatre ? ?Can I please have two seats this evening in 6:30 to 9:30 show?? Even during days of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, I never did stand in line to get tickets! Nowadays after entry of hoards of Multiplexes, Relief and Advance appear outdated but only a few years ago, these two were only theatres where one could expect a continuous flow of conditioned air!
Woh Uttarayan Ke Din aur Navaratri Ki Raten?
The colorful festivals are the best part of staying in this City. Uttarayan, theoretically, a 1-day festival on 14th January every year has been transformed into a 2-day formal and additional 10 days of informal event. Starting from January 1, it is a blast.
Shopping in Kite Market in Raipur to staying up early on the night before the actual festival for preparations to getting together with buddies and family on the 14th only to enter into a healthy kite flying competition only to cut others high-flying kites only to reach the peak of enjoyment by shouting ?Kaypo Chhe, Lapet?. And nine nights of Navaratri are an absolute blast. During these nine days, life in Ahmedabad starts at 10:00PM and ends at 5:00 in the morning. One has to witness it personally to understand the opulence of this grand festival.
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These are some savoring moments I am left with today as I sit in my home in US, just by myself penning this. I still remember the day I left the City on August 4, 2000 with mixed feelings. I was excited because I was about to step into a wild world to grab the best of the opportunities waiting for me and on the other hand poignant for leaving virtually everything I had, family, friends and this wonderful City of Ahmedabad.
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I apologize if I disappointed you for not providing with a travel guide for the City as this category suggests in strict sense. There are nine other reviews, which outline in detail major tourist facets of the City. The review, if you call it one, is mainly for those who would want to stay in the City for a prolonged period of time. And honestly, if you stay in the City for at least a year, I am willing to bet, you?d fall in love with it.