I long

I long for J chachu
and Badi Phuppi
and S Appa
and Qurrutulain Hyder
and Jamia Millia enclave
and the annoying maulanas
who blessed me as they passed..
and the rickshaw pullers
with their emaciated dbodies
and the sound of awadh
and the paan ki peek
besides
the thela/stand wallah
selling roasted bhuttas/corn
and the Badi bis
sitting in their charpoys
chewing paan
and their hennaed hands with chaliya
and the daughters-in-law
with newly-wed glows
on their faces
waiting
for their kurta pyjama-ed husbands
to come home..
with a box of mangoes
in their hands.