City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

Delhi’s free soul.

[Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi]

One evening, The Delhi Walla sighted his most beloved Delhiite – author Arundhati Roy. She was in India Habitat Center, a giant cultural complex in central Delhi that host book launches, art exhibitions and high-brow theater dramas. Ms Roy was walking alone towards the amphitheater. She was wearing a long sarong-like skirt, which seemed originally to be a silk saree. A wide golden silk border ran along the skirt. Upward, the author of The God of Small Things was in a black sleeveless top, topped with a black see-through cotton jacket, which had elbow-length sleeves. The frills consisted of a blue bangle, two finger rings (one was very large), a minimalistic necklace and a pair of earrings. A brown leather bag was slung on the right shoulder. The hair was curly, partly grey and combed mutinously.

Ms Roy looked like a free man, as if her happiness did not depend on any lover or novel. The evening sunshine was dancing shamelessly on her body. Her hips were swaying wildly. Her cleavage was exposing her independent spirit. She was smiling to herself, as if in a dream. As she came close, her gaze fell on me. A moment later, it shifted. A moment later, it moved back to me, as if it was trying to recall something from the past. A moment later, the novelist pointed her finger at me and exclaimed, “I know you, I know you. You keep stalking me.” She then turned away and vanished.

Like a blurred dream

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

I want your smile

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

Free from the world

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

Do you remember me?

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

Who are you?

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center

I know you!

City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, India Habitat Center