An Evening at Irani Café

"An evening at Irani Café".....I am supremely sure that this does not sound as merry as an evening at the beach. But wait, There is indeed some resemblance between these two:)....A recent conversation with an Old friend brought a myriad of thoughts that seemed to say they were one and the same.

After ages, I got some leisure time J, Hyperbole aside…just like my college days I met with one of my old friend  and we thought of spending that few moments qualitatively. So, pursuing this further, we marched towards a nearby Irani Café.

Although we met, unwittingly, after a decade, but our topic has resumed “on the dot” from where it was surceased. And yes, it was about his college sweetheart. And soon the train of thought brought in long-forgotten but wonderful memories of journeys undertaken long ago, of time spent waiting at the bus stops, of walking the narrow length of the connecting road between college and bus stops whiling away time, of buying The college magazine and he trying to impress none other than her. For few moments, I felt as if it was a break from a class and we are still in collegeJ

Well, People romanticize College Days. There are many classic stories as testimony for this. But romanticizing the Irani Cafe??? Doesnt it sound wiggy?  Well, We both starting regaining thoughts related to an Irani Café nearby our College.

 “I have spent many hours at the beach. During my Stay in Mumbai, many evenings were spent at couple of beeches seeing the sea and watching the world go by. But in this land-locked area  Hyderabad, the beach is a a distant dream. But, somehow I found this café near your house just like a beach”, Said my friend.

This for sure ringed bell in my head...Well, after some more discussion I came to know that he is now working in Europe and having good life there. I felt nice about him and kept on talking more n more with he being my focus,  because I know him from the very beginning of time and I kept the dido continued over a cup of Irani Chai… Suddenly he said something to me..and . I have dipped my biscuit in tea for two seconds longer….!!!!

He said to me that he is staying in a Hotel in Hyderabad as entire family of his got relocated to Europe..! Well, that was a news for me…however back in my mind i was still trying to connect the dots between the beach and irani cafe...and we kept talking for some more time, many people came in and got out and soon the tide has ebbed just like a beach, and the cafe got empty.. . !! We were just lost in the discussion …..Maybe to be lost in another world, uncaring of the worries of the life that awaits us outside. There in the beach are the lovebirds, here we enjoying the chai and biscuits, Or there the man sitting alone every day, another lonely person like us, we imagined. It is the harsh reality of life that allows them no time to stand and stare. Soon it is dark. The people have left the beach. We too have started emptying. The tides still come in and go. Some people  still pass through the cafe. But now nobody to get in or out except for a few that we can count on our hands. Are they the real lost ones, no home  to go back to?

I just realized that it is not the amount of years you have spent in a place that accounts being called as "home",  but it is the  near and dear people who create this wonderful piece of home

The beach is fun. The Irani Café too. Metaphorically they are the same. But only if we can come back to our own homes and dear ones. 

And all of a sudden my friend got a call asking his whereabouts. I was sure it was a female voice but I didn’t dare ask him if she was the same as the one in collegeJ. May be, certain things are better left unspoken about..

Cheers,

Aditya Telidevara