EUNOIA

WORLD BOOK FAIR

Well as the drama unfolds it gives you what you need. The intention was to go to the Indian Art Festival instead I ended up at the World Book Fair. Thousands of stalls. Amazing selection of books. Actually it was overwhelming. There was just so much. Languages varied from the sixteen recognised Indian languages, English that binds them all together and then international language books. It was not the word that attracted me the most but the cover art. It is always refreshing immersing in another culture who differently image.

Not only were there books, but guest speakers, discourse, performance; such as a wonderous Khartik dance troup, with live singers and what could only be a condensed dramatic performance of the Gita, from the epic Mahabharata. It was so stage crafted and would have worked with distance but this was an intimate, in the round, performance space. One could have touched the actors.

One blessing was that there were empty chairs and I happened upon a white leather two seater lounge. I don't think it was reserved for anyone more special than myself, certainly no one intimated that. After wandering through the multitudinous forest of text, display and illustration it was such a pleasure, on the feet, to sit down. Only thing missing was a chai and I looked, let me tell you.

By the time I exited Pragati Madan Hall # 6 it was dark and colder. A rickshaw drive home, after quite a standoffish negotiation process with the driver, was welcome. The Metro was an option but I did not feel like entering the sardine can again today. I am sure when the other patrons see me at the station they wonder how one more can fit in. It is possible if you lift your arms and have snuggle bunnies occupying the space underneath.

EUNOIA

GOING TO THE MOVIES

Star Wars: The Force Awakens a must see on the big screen and as it won't be showing on my return from travels I decide to see it in Delhi. Two weeks since release and already in this market it is slowing down. It was only showing once today, 11:50am. Always fun locating places in Delhi. The movie cinema was only a five stop metro ride ( about 6kms ) and I got down at the one the cinema was named after and walked, all the way to the next metro stop, where it was located. Didn't look like that on imaps, so learnt something.

Reached the INOX Patel Nagar Cinema in time, purchased the ticket, Rs180 - divided into admission fee 107.15, tax 42.05 then 3D charge 21.40 and tax on that 8.60. Wonder what the charges in Australia would look like if broken down the same way.

Entry, like in most public areas now in India, is through security and I caused a stir because I was carrying a camera. After much tooing, froing and natter from security to manager to bigger manager it was decided the easiest thing was to take the battery out of the camera, to be returned upon exit.

So best laid plans, arrived in cinema 3 just as the movie was starting and it was almost pitch. Fumbled my way half way up the seat rows and into the middle before my eyes adjusted and put the 3D specs on.

The cinema is very clean and has comfortable seats with a tendency to recline and I was not sure whether this was a feature of not. There were only a dozen or so in the movie, so plenty of space, with a sound system to blow your ears off.

Thoroughly enjoying the movie when the house lights come up and the movie stops mid scene. It's intermission. Yes, that is right, forced fun time. Most get up and walk out, I assume for bathroom and refreshment. For those of us remaining the food venders come to the seats and ask what we want, menu in hand, just in case you changed your mind.

The screen comes to life again and across the screen messages beam

-  beware of any articles under seats that may be bombs

- look around the people either side as they may be terrorists

- in case of fire ring .... Not where and how to exit the place

Then the advertising starts for the remainder of the break before arbitrarily, I'm sure, the movie restarts. Not everyone has yet returned and there cannot have been a feeding frenzy with so few people.

Credits start to roll and there is a scurry from seats with everyone ushered out the emergency exit stairs.  Here you are out of the building walking down flights of stairs into sweepers scraping the overnight pigeon waste off the steps, past cats obviously hunting rats in the debris until the entrance is found again. I reclaim my battery from totally different security personnel who were well aware. He draw was pulled open and one battery deposited into my hand. What the security check did not see was a spare battery being carried and an iPad. My wealth is not to be augmented from pirating the movie obviously plus I'm pretty sure specialist 3D camera gear would be needed.

EUNOIA

CHAATWALA

Small business thrives between the arches and pillars of Connaught Place and food items are a big market. Situated on the end of F Block the chaatwala does a thriving trade. Chaat is a staple savoury Indian snack food. There is no equivalent to compare it to.

The stall occupies two by one metres raised off the ground on boxes with a bright red plastic table cover as a skirt. Atop, the platform is full of food stuffs. Mounds of dry cereal, reminisce of cornflakes, rice bubbles and vermicelli sit in large round trays. The mound is supported with a ring of cardboard and a ring of whole red tomatoes. Smaller quantities of different varieties are housed in clear plastic tubes. In other piles are gram and fried dals. The centre mounds add colour, finely diced onion, coriander and tomato.

Towards the creator are piles of paper and foil corrugated plates, short paddle pop sticks by the hundreds and hand made recycled newspaper bags. Directly in front are stainless steel containers filled with spicy chutney and tamarind water. The final ingredient, freshly squeezed limes, sitting in plastic bags. The store offsider squats on the pavement and prepares kilos of onion on a sack, acting as protection from the street and cutting board. The sack is lifted and emptied onto the existing pile replenishing stock, tomatoes next.

Sevpuri is the speciality of this stall. It is a dry chaat. Patrons have access to three sides of the stall and gather. The preparation is as much theatrical spectacle as skill. All within reach, ingredients are spooned into a bowl in quick succession on hearing the order. The dry ingredients first, then diced, followed by chutney and/or sauce. The whole is tossed vigorously combining the ingredients and flavours together then slid into a takeaway plate topped by two wooden 'spoons'. The plates hold the piled content but are flimsy, the spoons flat and it requires attention to consume lest it spills to the red ochre marble pavers.

Custom is brisk and continuous. There are always patrons around the stall, no one minding the wait, nor the price. There is enough for one or to share and it obviously fills a hole. A brief respite and the creator wipes his hands, adjusts his position and has a chai. The chaiwalas and coffeewalas are constantly roving with the their undertone call of ' chai, chai ' or ' coffee, coffee, coffeeeeee ' ensuring that all have heard and don't miss the opportunity, not knowing they needed.

A constant stream of smaller entrepreneurs carry and ply their goods, socks, cards, shoeshine, ear cleaners, selfie sticks, drinks, while mobile ice cream carts ( Kwality in red or the yellow and blue of Mother Dairy ) are nearby. A laden drinks cart has all manner of soft drink available, either take away plastic or drink here glass bottles.

Satisfied with their snack, eaten at a standstill or seated on uncomfortable round marble stools, all dispose of the waste before continuing.