Our Hangout

K.Nags............Kamla Nagar for those who are not from the University.....and not into the Miranda Lingo......was a hangout for all of us here in the University Campus.......North Campus to be precise. Yes, there are 2 Campus - the North & the South..........and of course the North Campus is the best! No, I mean it really! Ask anyone! Most of the Top colleges were here in the North and all at a walking distance.

Well, coming to where I started.....K.Nags.....this was the place where we bought all our course books..........this was the place where we bought greeting cards for all occasions..........and occasions were plenty!..........Birthdays........Valentine Day.....Holi.....Raksha Bandhan... Diwali....Christmas...New Year.....and also for no occasion cards....simply!....Missing you...Sorry...

Then, there was this "Chana Bhatura" (Indian Bread with chickpeas) stall in a "galli" (lane).........."Chacha's". Chacha in Hindi means an Uncle. In India, everybody was an Uncle or an Aunt..........we do not address as Mr or Mrs....that would have been rude. This is the Indian culture. Coming to "Chacha's", this was a really popular place with all. The food was delicious and the price reasonable. One had to wait.....to be served.........not in line though! Just hang around in front of the stall!

Another popular place with us, was the place where we would either have cold coffee or badam milk....."Badam" meaning almond. A trip to K.Nags was incomplete without having a drink........and this was really delicious.........especially the badam milk..........nutritious as well as tasty.....We would see that all the badam pieces at the bottom were tossed to our mouth along with the last bit of the milk..........full value of the money paid!

I also must tell about the corner cold drink shop where we would so often stop for a refreshing drink...........of "kancha nimbu"! No, this is not an exotic drink...........just plain old lemonade in a bottle with a marble for a stopper! Kancha is marble and nimbu is lemon in Hindi. The marble in the bottle would be punched in to remove it and masala (spices) which was black salt, pepper, etc would be added, shaken and a straw inserted and given to us. It was yummy!

Lastly, this was a place to see and to be seen...........for many boys & girls!