Winged Visitors

Winged visitors
by Punam Khaira Sidhu

THE mellow rays of the winter sun fall warm on my face as I start my walk down the jogging track beside Sukhna Lake in the late afternoon. At this time of the year, the track is converted into “Kachnar Gali”. The showy inflorescence of this orchid like flower of the Bauhinieae plant family spills onto the track and the grassy verges in a smattering of gorgeous purpley-mauve, their fragrance spilling into the crisp winter air. Across the waters of the lake, in the shadow of the brooding Shivaliks, wrapped in their misty robes, there are, suddenly, numerous winged visitors: Water fowl, Herons, Mallard ducks and even the occasional Crane. Having escaped colder climes they bob up and down, greedily taking in the sun. As always, I am grateful to live in this beautiful city.

Away from the lake, in homes across the city there are innumerable NRI visitors who have winged themselves home for a well deserved Christmas break. As families reunite, the warmth of loved ones drives away winter chills. The sector 17 Piazza, and the lake is replete with young ones in their trademark Tommy Hilfigers and Swatches speaking Punjabi with a quaint twang. Proud grannies with bright faces and a spring in their stride, introduce their progeny to their friends. There are no wrinkles on all these greying faces; children and grandchildren are better than the best botox treatment. They fill up the empty spaces not just in the Dermis but in all those spaces of the heart that no cardiologist knows about.

In the markets, the NRIs bring cheer and the almighty dollar. The visitors ooh and aah over wool carpets, handicrafts, gur, gachak and rewarian. As credit cards are swiped the ringing of the cash registers has at last count taken our forex reserves over the $ 100 billion mark. There are parties, crowds outside the Hindi movie theatres and Planet M, for Ghazals and Gurbani after all, after the September 11 WTO bombing, “....kya pata Kal Ho na Ho”! Ghagras and lehenga’s fly off shelves while “desi” jewellery is hot just as is gajar ka halwa, garam gulabjamun and mithai of all sorts, and Yoga. The signature query ‘Is that right’ floats around the City boulewards.

And then just as suddenly as they arrived, the winged visitors on the lake take flight and return home. Our NRI visitors, also leave the warmth of family and homes, peopled with parents, grandparents, siblings and fond relatives and friends. Loneliness and longing again colours this city of greybeards and green hedges making one wonder about the NRI dream and its price. I watch all the grey faces plodding along for their constitutional by the lake, their hearts heavy with unshed tears. The accumulating forex reserves bring them no cheer.