For those who missed the late eighties in South Delhi, here’s a quick recap of life in GK-1 (Greater Kailash, part one), a neighbourhood that was once the stronghold of prosperous punjabi society. Dinner parties happened in big, plush drawing rooms. The food was inevitably heavy, but outstanding. It was considered good form to shout ‘Verry Good Yaar‘ if you liked the tikkas, and it was considered crap form to eat dinner before guzzling six large whisky-sodas and puffing your way through half a pack of marlboro lights (thankfully, nobody went ‘gymming’ in those days). The conversation centred around property/business/cars/the opposite sex, in that order. After dinner, the younger crowd would abandon the uncles and aunties and head to one of the few ‘discs’ to work off some testosterone. Ghungroo was the most famous ‘disc’ of all (people called it Ghungroo’s, just as they call Olive Olive’s today), and a good night out usually ended in a drunken brawl. Today, G.K.1’s residents have deserted their drawing rooms for wood-and-chrome lounges and Mediterranean resto-bars. But, if you’re lucky, a favourite aunt or old college friend might still invite you for a winter barbeque in GK-1, or GK-2 even. Make damn sure you go – but don’t forget the Alka Seltzer.
Sevain (vermicelli milk pudding to our foreign friends), served cold – fantastic.
The common or garden GK-1 ‘Pomarian’. Slowly being replaced by Pugs and Apsos.
Mandatory Johnny Black – with lots of soda and ice, chief!
The lads step out for a smoke and show each other their novelty lighters (but not in front of the elders).
Tikkas on the fire. Very good, yaar.
28°33_18_n, 77°14_14_e on an Ovi map.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Excellent article. Just a further point regarding conversation, i think talk also veered towards the relative merit of the shammi versus galauti kabab. I think.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:52 am
bunch of modern school boys. almost smart+almost rich+almost cool=almost there.
there are only two smart ones i know from that school and i know many.