Delhi Nights

Delhi comes alive at night and the cockroaches lurking in our room are no exception to this. As the sun goes down, the shops seem to appear from every crevice as do the women, children and cows. Small fires made of burning rubbish and wood are dotted throughout Main Bazaar as the locals and shopkeepers try to keep warm.  There appears to be more people out and fewer cars and despite the dark I am comforted by the night.

We meet a man tonight outside an eatery. He is not Indian but is clearly well known and perhaps lives in Delhi. He catches us reading a menu and makes a suggestion. I ask him where he is from and he replies “Heaven”. I notice he has a young dog by his side wrapped in blankets. He tells us the dog is hurt and is dying. I ask if it will be Ok and he says “No, but I want it to go peacefully so I will sit with her and care for her until she goes”.

Tonight we feast on Channa Masala which is chickpeas and paneer cheese in thick spicy gravy scooped up in garlic naan. It is our favourite dish thus far. Later that night as we leave the eatery the man we saw earlier with the dog tells me to remember that “Not all angels have wings.”

Afterwards we share steaming hot chai with a young Indian man who has taken a liking to us. We end the evening high on Delhi.