The Hyderabad airport is ranked No. 1 in the world. Its only when you read the small print you realize that it's number No. 1 amongst airports of a certain size. Its like saying Dehradun is the best airport in the world amongst airports that cater to 134 passengers every day.
But cynicism aside, the new airport at Hyderabad is nice. And here I mean functional nice, not the over-the-top-opulent-nice a la Dubai or you-can-almost-live-here-convenience-nice a la Changi. But what makes it stand apart from its Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore cousins is the 6 lane road connecting it to Cyberabad, once Naidu's dream and today the adobe of IT Giants.
It was past midnight when I landed and as the taxi entered the 6 lane road, the first signboard read, no autos (I think they meant auto rickshaws), two-wheelers or trucks. I started dreaming of a day when similar roads will adorn all cities in India when suddenly the taxi screeched to a halt and the driver started cursing. Amongst the various alankaars in choicest Hyderabaadi Hindi, I understood 3 words...Nizaam Ki Bahu. My eyes started scanning the darkness for some damsel in distress from the Nizaam's family but nothing. And then I saw them, sitting in the middle of that six lane highway, as oblivious to the world around them as Sheila Dikshit is to the plight of Delhiites, 5 buffaloes, doing what they do best, nothing.
Welcome to India, said that little voice inside me. Right through the move from London to Hyderabad I had managed to mute this voice, using a mix of threat, logic and mollycoddle. But this incidence gave it a shot of Red Bull. I hate that little voice, more so when it has a sarcastic edge to it.
It has been almost two weeks since that night. And apart from the occasional barb from the left flank, the voice has been more or less silent. I have started to realise that this voice thrives in the company of my other half. And since we have not spent much time together in the last couple of weeks, its not getting enough encouragement. But all that will change from tomorrow.
Friday 13 August 2010
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