Hyderabad: The Recipe
 And when,  in the smouldering cauldron of April Musi  sizzles like Ghee and the tendrils of Nastaliq   caramelize issuing the aroma of Dakkani , add the oblongs of cumin till you hear the crackle of names: " Ghode ki kabar ", strew in the petals  of a star anise till you hear  the blooming of Azaan   from  Jama Masjid , and stir in the peeling stuccos of cinnamon till you hear  the rustle of old book market in Abids . Now, toss in the marinated viscera of the city, the arcades Chowmahalla and the sinews of  Begum Bazaar, the marrow of ancient alleys winding through Charminar. Finally, slide your hands  into a casket of anima, find the longest grains of Basmati, layer carefully the folds of time: first Kakatiya , then Bahmani , followed by Qutub Shahi and on the top Asaf  Jahi . And there! you have the recipe of a city.
Comments
had lost its shoe
to probe her wetness.
Fingers hadn't
tousled her,
grabbed her
and then
let her run free.
Long had it been
since she
drifted into eyes
and had become
an irritant,
like a dream."
very unassuming.. love these surprises from my locality.