Green with envy.

I love the rains. Travelling in this season can be very painful as well as a very pleasant experience. Painful with all the potholes and traffic jams and pleasure to see the mother nature at its resplendent best. The greenery and the sudden burst of colors is a treat for the sore eyes.
It has always been my fantasy to live in such greenery far from civilization and the madding crowd. I am glad I could live it for at least a day.
Yesterday we went to a client’s upcoming unit which is about a hundred miles from the city. the road was lined with some remarkable trees. The emerald green grass, the black ominous clouds and the empty roads with a serenity, not found in the cities, created magic.
My friends suggested that we could stop somewhere on the road side dhabas for our lunch. I wasn’t that hungry. Suddenly I saw this pretty dhaba and screamed to the alarmed driver to stop. He was driving at a whopping 120 kms/hr. I am sure he cursed me under his breath as the car lurched to a stop.
It was my lucky day. appropriately even the Dhaba was called Lucky.
Earlier dhabas were food joints on the road specially meant for the lorry drivers. No chairs or tables were laid . instead you had charpoys made of jute where the drivers could rest till their food was prepared. Then a wooden plank was laid on the charpoy itself on which the food was served.
It used to be a very basic food joint. But the food served was hot and fresh. The funny part was when the driver and cleaner ordered tea. They ordered ‘ ek paav’ or ‘ adha kilo’ which meant that the tea was brewed in that much milk. No water was mixed. Difficult for someone like me who drinks black tea but people swear that it was the best tea they had ever had.
Over the years, the concept of dhaba has changed. Its not mere cosmetic changes, but even the clientele changed. In Hyderabad specially , they are now like family outings with camels, horses, henna, tattoes and other entertainment for the kids. Gone are the days when liquor meantt some earthy Bonny Scott or Aristocrat whisky was available. Now one can get premium scotch there.
Now coming to this ‘ Lucky Dhaba’, it was like walking into a veritable park. The walkway was a square with a beautiful fountain in the centre. The walkway was lined with ornamental hedges. The inside was lush green with Burma grass. There were separate green and white cottages with clean tables laid in.
That the food was delicious was a bonus.
But I just loved the day in the midst of such greenery. Everything looked so serene and happy.
I could swear that even the trees were smiling.
sadly all the pictures I took inside the Dhaba were shaken.Good in a way.

It will help retain some of the mystique!!!