Sitting on a warm bed.

Sunlight pouring into the room.

A book in hand.

The sound of traffic.

The smell of jasmine

Mom’s long winding conversation on the phone.

Cousins floating in and out.

Laughter.

Unbearably loud TV.

Servant sweeping the floor.

A nanny for every kid. A driver for every adult. A helper for every task.

The smell of rain.

The taste of mangoes.

The sight of my grandmom. My missing granddad.

The company of my grandparents.

Their beautiful study. Lovely old books. Their old furniture.

The gardens where time stands still.

The arguments. The opinions. The pride. The criticism.

Politics. Money.

The gossip. The lack of silence.

Variety in Advertisements.

People selling things.

People staring...gawking... gazing.

Me Avoiding, ignoring.

Us Fighting, Bargaining...always Negotiating.

My brother on the guitar.

Dad on his cell phone.

Several pictures on the wall.

Newspapers and magazines all over the table.

Missing memorabilia, fading nostalgia.

The battle with the geaser.

The whirring of the fan.

The sight of a lizard next to the tube light. Roaches in the kitchen. My mom’s denial of their existence.

Cousins in palatial houses. Cousins in tiny flats. English speaking cousins. Artsy cousins. Intellectual cousins. Brainiac cousins. And the rest.

Idlis for breakfast. A jam session with food. Variety, spice of life.

Concerts. Music. Movies. Entertainment.

Art exhibitions.

Drinks. Chaos. Mayhem.

College kids. Fat bellied men. Beer.

Crowded pubs filled with smoke.

Being driven and then driving :))

Nature. Old trees. Cows. Dogs.

Buildings of every kind and size.

Zoos, Museums and other pretentious “avoidables” that I must not avoid!

Fashion. Bragging. Class. Mass.

Abundance of religion.

Shopping malls. Markets. Book Stores. Tiny Shops packed to the brim.

Weddings. Parties. Gatherings. Socializing.

Dad's constant traveling.

My touristy explorations and wistful pursuits.

Living it up. Fitting in. Getting out.

This is the India in my head. Is this the India of May 2010?