Batla House

Batla House is a place in South Delhi, India. It is situated on the bank of dying river, Yamuna.
Only Muslims live here. Like other Muslim dominated area, its also over crowded. Most of the population of this place comes from UP and Bihar.
Foolish Hindus call it Chhota Pakistan.

They come here and work in other parts of New Delhi. Ninety percent of the people come here as students. Like flood they come, get admission in Jamia Millia Islamia University, Jamia Hamdard University, and some other leading colleges of Delhi University, study hard there, get good jobs in India and outside and leave the place. The population of this area keeps on increasing because the number of residents who migrate to other place around the world is far lesser than the number of people who come here, adding to the population in search of jobs and as students.
They come not just to earn their livelihood but to settle permanently here.

In morning, streets look deserted like that of Afghanistan and as day rises up with the Sun the scene keeps on changing. And when the Sun falls behind the tall buildings, the place becomes really beautiful.

It becomes so beautiful that even an ant has to think million times to creep down the streets.

Every evening is looks like its a Diwali evening. Ladies, wearing burka do shopping as if the next day is Eid. They break into shops. They buy clothe pieces of suits, kurta. Pajama, stoles, dupatta, burka and other wearable dresses except western dresses.

Shopping doesn't stop here. They rush into household things shops and do buying lots of stuffs.
Shopkeepers are smart enough here. They treat ladies as if they are their sisters and mothers. They welcome ladies and show them everything that they have on their shelves. I always wonder about the factories who make such clothes. Because the fabrics are just awesome and colors beat the stuffs that are kept in HiFi showrooms and malls of Delhi. The shopkeepers give discounts as well as if the shopping is being done for their own houses.

Every second shop is of either kapde ki dukaan or eating outlets. The street roadsides are over loaded with the heaps of cloths and that of chicken and mutton.
At times, I forget that Muslims eat vegetables also. When I see vegetable venders, laying their vegetables thelas on roadsides I ask myself, 'do these people eat vegetables also?'

Eating outlets are decorated with big glass covers which display chickens chopped in different shapes or some big biryani handis. And when you enter in any of these outlets you will have to wait for sometime to grab a seat. The food is extra delicious. And price is too low. These outlets force me to think over the difference between price of veg food and nonveg food. I just can't believe that the non veg food are cheaper than the veg here.

The variety of chicken and mutton ranges from Afghani to Mughlai to whatnot.

To be cont...with the spirit of the people who live here and the time of election campaigns down these overcrowded streets!!