Far away from their barren sandy homeland, a group of wandering Gadiya Lohars (Blacksmiths) are surviving in this fierce desert carrying on with their traditional craft of making iron tools, utensils, and household items. Having given up their traditional wooden carts and the cattle, this hardy nomadic tribe has also abandoned their traditional costume and intricately carved silver jewellery, worn by both women and men. Near the archaeological site of Rangmahal, close to the Kalibangan Indus valley excavations, we spotted three families beating the hot metal in an unforgiving space that was scorching at 45 degrees at 12 noon. The only cover they had from the sun and heat was the shade created by their cots. Their carts are now adapted and fashioned from discarded tempo or truck metal bodies, pulled by cows that also provide milk. Parked in an empty space in this small village along the highway, these carts serve as homes, workplaces and life for the itinerants. Barely able to manage their lives Gadiya children are not admitted to schools because they lack a domicile certificate. <Suratgarh sojourn-Rangmahal-Kalibangan>
Suratgarh, Rajasthan – It was just about 9:00 in the morning. Outside temperature was already a notch above 41 Celsius. One could feel the scorching loo and the intensely shining sun. I could hardly open my eyes or look up at the bland sky. Scarcely anyone was on the road. Other than the halwais and a few kiryana stores the market was shut and quiet. A few shops had their shutters half-open while the townspeople were still deciding whether to step out or not. Along with the searing breeze came the tempting smell of frying pakoras. A few people waited patiently outside the Pawan Namkeen Bhandar which is famous for its Mirchi Pakoras, Mirchi Kachoris, and spiced-up paneer pakoras. One must surrender to such temptations and dare to step out of the car even at the risk of heat-stroke. Also, the fiery breath of the Thar desert can only be countered with blazing ‘mirchi vada’ as they are called here. While the famous Mathania chilli from Western Rajasthan awaits GI recognition, the entire belt of Hanumangarh, Sangaria, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Jodhpur and Surathgarh is famous for its fried Namkeen savories and hot chilli products.
Mirchi pakoras being friend in oil, Suratgarh, Rajasthan
Her name is Raksha Kaur. She stands firm, guarding her precious corner at the tri-junction of Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan along NH 54 in Dabwali. In a corner of her house, Raksha runs a tiny store selling ‘Maniyari’ items; maniyari roughly translates to cosmetics and jewellery for women. Face cream, powder, lipstick, plastic pearl strings, rings with colourful stones, ear tops and cheap plastic toys sit on a sagging cot. Across her house two large banyan trees, older than Raksha, stand guard over her brick house and provide much-needed shade in this near-desert land. As a light drizzle and a cool breeze make for a pleasant drive, we witness a quieter battle unfolding at this bustling cross-roads.
Here, Raksha’s son, Pappu Khatri, runs a rudimentary tea stall on a prime plot of land. It is a piece of history; Raksha’s husband bought these 500 yards back in 1955 for the then-princely sum of ninety rupees. Decades later, when the highway cut through their property, more than half of their house was acquired, leaving them with a meagre compensation of just 5,000 rupees. Now, the real-estate mafia eyes the remaining land – prime corner property on the highway. The mother and son are currently battling a court case built on fictitious claims designed to dislodge them. Armed only with meagre resources but boundless resilience, this feisty duo refuses to back down.
Leaving Dabwali behind, the countryside opens up into amazing vistas as the excellent highway stretches toward Hanumangarh and Suratgarh. We are heading to meet my ailing aunt, but our journey will also take us deep into the past at Kalibangan. This 4,000-year-old site was once a provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization, perched on the left bank of the now-dried-up Ghaggar River. Today, this seasonal, monsoon-fed river has changed its course, flowing 50 km further west along a firm bund that stretches from Himachal Pradesh before finally terminating in the sands of the Thar Desert.
Once summer gives way to the monsoon and a cooler breeze flows over this rugged land I will come back and spend a day or two with these people to learn more about their lives and write a story about them. Till then, take care, Raksha ji and Pappu Khatri. The tea was precisely to my taste, delicious – for which Pappu Khatri refused to take money.
This is a new Paperweight. It will weigh heavily on my heart until I live. That’s precisely what it is supposed to do and vibe every time I look at it or hold it in my hand. This is my Memento Mori. This reminds me how helpless a senior or elderly person feels when their denture no longer fits as their jaw and body shrink. A child’s toothless smile may be something people talk about but it feels terrible when a lady looks at herself in private, in the mirror. This must remind me that without teeth or a denture, one salivates less-and-less, which in turn means one cannot enjoy or even properly taste food. This must drive home the point that without this fitted in the mouth there is no chewing, even of semi-solids. This is Ma’s denture. Ma left without this, she hadn’t used it for the last four months of her life… Since I couldn’t discard it this adds to my memory of hers. This, her lower denture, now a piece of art created collectively by the four of us, is set in epoxy. This has Ma’s name etched on it under the left molar.
पुरानी दिल्ली — हमारे तारीखी शहर का वह हिस्सा, जिसे मैंने बचपन से “दिल्ली की रूह” के नाम से जाना है।
वो दिल्ली मेरे दिल के एक कोने में सिर्फ़ धड़कती ही नहीं, बल्कि हर बीतते दिन के साथ अपना एक नया चेहरा भी उजागर करती है। इसकी गलियों में हमारा आज भी बसता है और हमारा कल भी। इसकी हवाओं में बेशुमार किस्से तैरते हैं, और इसके हर मोड़ पर एक नई कहानी आपका इंतज़ार करती मिलती है।
बरसों की पढ़ाई, तलाश, यादों और मोहब्बत का नतीजा यह नई किताब है, जिसके ज़रिए मैं पुरानी दिल्ली — या यूँ कहिए शाहजहानाबाद — की खुशबू, उसके लोगों, उसके बाज़ारों, उसकी तहज़ीब और उसकी अनगिनत कहानियाँ आप सबके साथ साझा करना चाहता हूँ। उम्मीद है कि यह सफ़र आपको भी उतना ही अपना लगेगा, जितना मुझे रहा है।
जल्द ही… वाम प्रकाशन से आ रहा है, पढ़ कर हौसला बढ़ाइए - आने तक तस्वीर देखिए और कापी बुक करने के लिए लिंक नीचे दिया है
Ankahi. Unsaid. 
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