So, even though I haven't had time to post in a while, I have been keeping a list with all the little things I want to write about. One of them is a little thing that makes me giggle. In Delhi, there are a lot of Sikh's who keep their hair. As most you probably know, this means that they wear turbans. There is an extra accessory that they have in Delhi though, with I can only think to refer to as a beard cosy. Anyone who has contended with the elements in Delhi with long hair, can understand why it makes sense to cover it in transit.
There are a multitude of different modes of transit, and each comes with its own very particular set of dangers in terms of arriving at your destination intact. Motorbikes/scooters can be the bomb, your hair rippling in the wind, feeling the air rush into your face, simulating decent weather. But really, you are just acting as a giant net, with your hair lovingly filtering the air for the lucky person breathing behind you. Not only does this mode of travel result in a hair nest that someone in Delhi could and would make it home in and that is impossible to politely fix, it is also adorned with dust, bugs, all kinds of pollution, and tiny samples of each smell pocket you passed through. Metros are not without woe. I won't go into graphic detail, but yes, I have been puked on, in the morning, on the way to work. Autos have similar issues as motorbikes, with the added bonus of street children's tugging hands, and collateral splatter from auto-drivers spitting paan. And walking? Just add it all together, and splash some mud around your ankles.
Now that you understand the dangers, you can see why there are many different styles of these cosies. A very common one is a strip of cloth that covers the beard and is tied in a knot on top of their heads. Having my brain, I don't register the many men for what they are, normal guys commuting to work, and trying to look presentable when they get there. I mean, obviously I know that's what's going on. But in my mind, I like to pretend that there are handfuls of guys walking around, scootering to work and riding the metro with comically old fashioned tooth aches.
Love,
Violet
