Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Winter Aa Gaya Maidaan Mein. Ho Jamalo!!

Like a much awaited prodigal son, winter, as we know it, finally shows up in my city of Karachi and I take this moment to reiterate how nothing and I repeat NOTHING can beat a Karachi winter. Cars honk less. People smile more and walk slower, wrapped up in delicious coloured shawls, sporting steaming paper cups of chai. The frenzy in the air mellows down to a lingering enjoyment of what is around us and suddenly, we are human beings.
Winter, of course, is a euphemistic term in Karachi. Its a 2 week long season in which everyone hurriedly pulls out their favourite sweaters and shawls (or this year ponchos) and thrills in the feeling of cozying with lattes and coffees at the recent spate of coffee shops peppering town. The humming buzz of activity around town is a consistent background score and you smile, comfortable in the knowledge that so much positive energy is right now a part of Karachi.
Winter marks so much on a personal level for me. Its always always about a new start. About fresh beginnings and a certain amount of letting go. Holiday season tends to be nostalgic, as it is, but with the return of the "friends from abroad" (yes amna, you're included in this now!), the energy triples, accelerating to a whirl of emotions and colours, espresso outings and long talks. I look forward to this years holiday season with a certain amount of trepidation, as I know I will see some aspects of my past move firmly into the future and some aspects of my future slide effortlessly into my present. I wait with bated breath, because I am scared. Have the past 27 years prepared me for this kind of decision making? Am I as a person capable of breaking out of any unhealthy life patterns I have found myself stuck in, to move on, better and stronger, hence happier than before? In the past I have realized that some of the greatest strentghs you can muster inside you are when put in situations you have dreaded the most. Suddenly you are on your own and with nothing more than that, you become a survivor. Winter is about survival. Of being able to prove to yourself that amidst the social chatter, you can be who you wanted to be by simply realizing that yes, you do move on. The nip in the air helps you walk faster, the chill in the evening air puts a spring to your step...the sudden impulse to do a quick dance step...And as I contemplate the next couple of weeks with coffee and gossip and random chitchats with my friends at McTunkee, I smile; winter's here again. Lets get this show on the road.

7 Comments:

At 6:03 PM, Blogger M K Abbas said...

Ah how I miss the "Karachi Winters" - its like the what Canadians call the "Indian Summer" - once again, I envy you for being in the city that Id love to be in.
Karachi winters really do rock!!!! Make the most of it.

Cheers
MKA

 
At 6:03 PM, Blogger M K Abbas said...

Ah how I miss the "Karachi Winters" - its like the what Canadians call the "Indian Summer" - once again, I envy you for being in the city that Id love to be in.
Karachi winters really do rock!!!! Make the most of it.

Cheers
MKA

 
At 2:20 AM, Blogger sam said...

This is NOT winter. Please stop calling it winter. It makes me want to pull my hair out. Karachi does not experience winter. Its just that karachi-walas need an excuse to bring out the ugly sweaters with paisley motifs and the begums want to show off their latest acquisitions from Lahore.
I'm sorry but I refuse to partake in the festivities. Come to Lahore, you'll experience winter in all its glory from sexy clingy sweaters on busty lahori chicks to saturday night sheesha at the mini golf course to kashmiri chai from Lakshmi and rocking parked cars in dense fog (literally rocking :)) I LOVE lahori winters. :D

 
At 8:17 AM, Blogger jammie said...

hahah sam you are lucky to have experienced lahori winters. im just making the best of the deal i DO have. and i do love karachi. in the 'cold', its even better!

 
At 5:16 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

First timer here.. !! Lovely Post !! Liked it a lot..

Too good comments to the post as well... This is what me and my fellow Delhi-ites tell ppl from Mumbai.. Stop calling it Winter !! Winter is about the morning chill, its about sweaters, jackets and gloves and mufflers ! its when you cant see 50 metres in front of you.. and just can spot the car ahead's rear lights .. but not the whole car itself.. and when you see the reddish tinge apearing on the cheeks of the fair skinned ones in your city ..

Will visit more...

 
At 10:14 PM, Blogger Roberto Iza Valdés said...

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At 2:39 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

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