The Proustian self-introspection.

[By The Delhi Proustians]

The Proust Questionnaire represents a form of interview that owes its structure to answers given by French novelist Marcel Proust, the author of In Search of Lost Time, at two birthday parties that he attended at ages 13 and 20 in the late 19th century.

In 2013, The Delhi Proustians takes Les confidences de salon (Drawing room confessions) around the city to explore people’s lives, thoughts, values and experiences. This series involves interviews across Delhi and is conducted by writers Manika Dhama and Mayank Austen Soofi.

For the seventh instalment in the series Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire, Puja Verma made confessions to Manika, while rushing home from her workplace on Golf Course Road in Gurgaon. Ms Verma works in the administration department of a real estate company.

Your favorite virtue or the principal aspect of your personality
Ability to work hard and take decisions with maturity

Your favorite qualities in a man
Looks, honesty and maturity

Your favorite qualities in a woman
Kindness

Your chief characteristic
Impatience

What do you appreciate the most in your friends?
When they are with me, especially when I need them. And I appreciate it when they stay with me even when I ignore them

Your main fault
My irresponsibility toward relationships

Your favorite occupation
Reading novels for love stories

Your idea of happiness
Living with my family

Your idea of misery or what would be your greatest misfortune?
The day I lost my Biji (Naaniji). She was such a darling

If not yourself, who would you be?
A bird

Where would you like to live?
Punjab

Your favourite colour and flower
Dark Pink. Red roses, a sign of love

Your favorite bird
Female peacock

Your favorite prose authors
Daniel Silva, Ravindra Kumar, Chetan Bhagat

Your favorite poets
I don’t read poems, but one day I will, when I have a baby girl

Your favorite heroes in fiction
Captain Jack Sparrow

Your favorite heroines in fiction
Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan

Your favorite composers
James Blunt, Don McLean, Bryan Adams, AR Rehman, Lataji

Your favorite painters
—

Your heroes/heroines in real life
My mother

What characters in history do you most dislike?
Hitler

Your heroines in World history
Mother Teresa

Your favorite food and drink
Veg Soya chap, Coconut cookies and Mango shake

Your favorite names
Parth, Reva

What do you hate the most?
Liars and duplicitous people

The military event you admire the most
The Republic Day army parade at the India Gate

The reform you admire the most
Indian laws

The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with
My interests

How do you wish to die?
Natural death with pain

What is your present state of mind?
I am worried about my career and my future married life

Faults for which you have the most tolerance
I can tolerate arrogance but there has to be a limit

Your motto in life
To do something good and special for my family

Diving deep within, like Marcel

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