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Before settling down in Hyderabad the only mall I knew was Gole Bazaar at KGP. I must have made a thousand trips to the blessed place in my 40 years there. It was the size of just a football ground and had enough variety to charm me in the boring place. A couple of years back I blogged as many as 22 serial posts titled: Gole Bazaar-1960s.
If the cynosure of the old city of Hyderabad is Charminar, that of the new city Cyberabad is the Inorbit Mall.
The first time my son took me there I was beguiled by its very size. It has six or seven floors each the size of a football field and a vast and sprawling car park like a veritable maze. And all of it centrally air-conditioned with elevators and escalators. I have a problem with escalators...I tend to keep staring at its moving stairs before venturing...and slip...
The other problem I have is that I am claustrophobic and suffocate in closed spaces. So after one visit to the thing I told my son I had had enough of inorbitmalling.
Last Sunday at 3 in the afternoon my son came in and asked me if I would like to join them on a spree to the Inorbit Mall of which Ishani is very fond. It has a Fun City in which she loves to do some bumper-car-bashing and roller-coastering. It also has a Kid's Park in which she slides and merry-go-rounds and enjoys. The Park has a lovely view of the breezy Durgam Cheruvu Lake and a lawn with iron benches for senior citizens.
Since my son, D-i-L, her Didi, and Ishani were all going and were planning to eat out at night there...and my son taunted me that I could as well gather my wool there...I agreed...
Our first stop was the Shoppers Stop. And since I can walk but can't stand for more than a couple of minutes, my son chose a nook for me to sit down...beside a wooden male model. And sat down I did for the next half hour without moving or blinking...like my wooden partner...to the amusement of roving kids.
By then it was early evening and my son took pity on me and fed me a cup of costly coffee and sat me on the edge of a lawn bench to gather my wool.
And they all went back in for more and more shopping.
By and by the younger couple and their daughter arrived each carrying a huge packet of crisps...
My D-i-L asked me solicitously:
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Before settling down in Hyderabad the only mall I knew was Gole Bazaar at KGP. I must have made a thousand trips to the blessed place in my 40 years there. It was the size of just a football ground and had enough variety to charm me in the boring place. A couple of years back I blogged as many as 22 serial posts titled: Gole Bazaar-1960s.
If the cynosure of the old city of Hyderabad is Charminar, that of the new city Cyberabad is the Inorbit Mall.
The first time my son took me there I was beguiled by its very size. It has six or seven floors each the size of a football field and a vast and sprawling car park like a veritable maze. And all of it centrally air-conditioned with elevators and escalators. I have a problem with escalators...I tend to keep staring at its moving stairs before venturing...and slip...
The other problem I have is that I am claustrophobic and suffocate in closed spaces. So after one visit to the thing I told my son I had had enough of inorbitmalling.
Last Sunday at 3 in the afternoon my son came in and asked me if I would like to join them on a spree to the Inorbit Mall of which Ishani is very fond. It has a Fun City in which she loves to do some bumper-car-bashing and roller-coastering. It also has a Kid's Park in which she slides and merry-go-rounds and enjoys. The Park has a lovely view of the breezy Durgam Cheruvu Lake and a lawn with iron benches for senior citizens.
Since my son, D-i-L, her Didi, and Ishani were all going and were planning to eat out at night there...and my son taunted me that I could as well gather my wool there...I agreed...
Our first stop was the Shoppers Stop. And since I can walk but can't stand for more than a couple of minutes, my son chose a nook for me to sit down...beside a wooden male model. And sat down I did for the next half hour without moving or blinking...like my wooden partner...to the amusement of roving kids.
By then it was early evening and my son took pity on me and fed me a cup of costly coffee and sat me on the edge of a lawn bench to gather my wool.
And they all went back in for more and more shopping.
I was very happy there watching infants on the lush lawn crawling on all fours and trying to get up and fall...again and again...
And then came towards my bench a fiftyish bhadramahila escorted by a lady and her hubby in their thirties and their daughter of about 8...all talking in Bengali.
That was music enough to my ears.
That was music enough to my ears.
The old lady was obviously tensed up and was muttering:
"kothai gayeche eh...kothai GAYECHE eh?"
The young lady ignored her but the young man pulled out his cell phone and started calling several times in vain. By then the old lady was practically in tears.
The young lady told her to keep quiet...they will go in and look out...
And they went in, with me stuck with the old lady beside me muttering:
"kotho baar bollam...kotho baar bollam...kono din shunei na"
After ten good minutes of such monologue, she suddenly perked up and started calling out:
"eyi je!...shuno!...ami ikhane aachi!...choley aesho!"
I then turned my head and sighted a balding greying bulky old man at the other end of the lawn carrying a packet of McDonald's fingers and ambling nonchalantly unaware of the world. After a couple of shouts from his wife, he came to us and sat down at the other end of the bench.
With a pronounced grouse.
With a pronounced grouse.
"kothai geyacho?..amra sab chintito!"
"meye bollo khide peyechey...shei jonney kichoo khaabar anthey geyechi"
"jaabar aage bola uchit na?"
"tomakey bollam tho!"
"ami shuney nai"
"shey ta amaar dosh?"
"phone korley uttaachena keno?"
"ami phone tone aaney nei"
"hoon...chomatkar kotha...phone aaney ney!"
This went on for a few more minutes and the old goon opened the packet and offered one aloo finger demurely to his wife...peace finger...
"ami khabo na!"
"theek aachey...ami kintoo khabo"
Hell, they say, hath no more fury...
By and by the younger couple and their daughter arrived each carrying a huge packet of crisps...
The old man went on his grump eating...
And the young lady rebuked the old man and his wife in chaste slang-bong...asking them to shut up...it is a public place...
That solved my riddle...the young man was the son-in-law...not the son...
And they all departed...leaving me to my woolgathering.
And then P called me from KGP and we had a long long chat...
By and by my folks arrived and Ishani grabbed the cell phone from my hand and started talking to whoever was at the other end..hullohing and inviting him to come to Hyderabad.
My D-i-L asked me solicitously:
"Sorry we are late...mamayya...did you get bored?"
"Never...never...no way! Thanx!"
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