KAROL BAGH -PART 2

REGAL AFFAIR

I can never forget my attachment with REGAL Cinema.  Those were very good childhood days .

REGAL CINEMA used to be our only entertainment those days.  Situated in Connaught Place in New Delhi.  Whenever I think of Regal Cinema my memory goes back to my school days. This was constructed in 1932. 

We Tamilians used to live in Karol Bagh , New Delhi

 for almost over 20 years. Whosoever comes to Delhi those days find Karol Bagh a very nice place to live . Each Tamilian knows the other one as it used to be a small community then.

We lived in a small rented accommodation in Karol Bagh,  You need to climb six stairs to reach your Kitchen , another six steps to Washroom, a drawing room, one small room . Enjoyed life immensely.

We five of us, my parents,  a sister and a brother spent our entire school and college life in that small accommodation

My father used to work for a private organisation, just behind Regal Cinema.  Those days No T V, no telephones and the only outing used to be to see movies on Sundays.

Invariably, once in a month my father used to get movie tickets for the Sunday Morning show.  It used to be a fun packed visit to the Movie Hall. Tickets had to be booked a week in advance .  Only one Morning show for Tamil movies and that too only in Regal Cinema.  My father used to get the tickets  on Monday for a movie on the coming Sunday,  Every night he used to keep counting the same five tickets out of excitement.  All of us used to exchange glances .

Come Sunday, full of activity.  The show starts at 7.30 AM . All of us take bath, get ready, eat breakfast, leave the house by 6 AM , walk up to the Bus stand a K M away, take a bus to Regal cinema, reach with full enthusiasm , meet our friends waiting before the Hall  and later into the Hall.  Those days all movie halls had red color screens which opens up and we see the white screen inside.  The Theatre would play the only song that they had every week before the start of the film while we were waiting,

After the movie, we get out in the hot sun from the A C Hall, all in bad mood, tired, sleepy and hungry. Take a bus straight home. No Hotel eating culture then.  Mother used to quickly make Lunch. we eat discuss about the movie we saw and what a life it used to be.

In Saraswathi Marg we used to have one Dr.Akhilam to whom all South Indians go.  She would give us one colored liquid in a bottle and we would be fine the next day.  Every time you go , only the color of the liquid change.  We pay her in instalments.  Her uncle comes home every first week humming a carnatic song (my father would get irritated) for collecting the instalment.  It would be just Rs.5 per month,  😏. Dr.Akhilam's sister's son was my class mate Shankarraman,  He also became a Doctor and is practicing in Chennai, I think.  He is in our MEA School Whatsapp group now.  

Roshann di Kulfi used to be a big attraction in Ajmalkhan Road .  In summer we go .  In Channa Market there was one Mysore Cafe.  It was just bang opposite my Aunt's house in 11 A block .  It was a heaven for all Bachelors of that area.  You need to pay monthly charges for your breakfast lunch and dinner.  It was doing very well.  I was small then and used to sneak in for vada sambar .  Ganapathy Mama the owner used to be very affectionate.  Then there was Mahadevan Mess , Kanpur Mess, Ramanujam Mess and others.  All dishes everywhere used to be very tasty.  Coffee is awessome.  Roopak Store , the dry fruit store in Ajmal khan was a big store and it  would always be crowded.

Close to Kanpur Mess, we had Panicker Travels which takes people to Haridwar Rishikesh, Badrinath Kedarnath chandigarh etc.  Very popular those days and very well organised tour operators.

On Mondays, the regular shops in Ajmalkhan Road would be closed and you have the popular "Monday Market" where the vendors would spread their wares on the platforms .  You name anything you get it there very cheap.

 There used to be one South India Hotel in Ajmalkhan Road .  My parents go there to that terrace where discourse would be held in the evenings of some particular month for almost a month,  It can accommodate atleast some 200 people.  In summer it would be pleasant in the terrace,

In summer, you have the refrigerated cold water vehicles would be there throughout Delhi.  Very good to have it severe summer.  We could easily take 2 to 3 glasses.  Only 5 paise per glass.  No filterm nothing.  It never affects you not even your throat.

Then in winter the Moongfali wala would be spread everywhere.  It will be in a Tela with Moongfali (groundnut with skin) and in the middle you have a :fire pot to keep it hot.  Rich and poor, young and old buy this and keep munching.  You can find ground nut skins all over the place including your coat packets. 

When we come from office we invariably come through Saraswthi Marg just to buy the delicious Paruppu Vada  in a small shop in the corner by a Malayali guy.  7 pcs for Re.1 .  So delicious it used to be.

In Gurudwara road, there was a Fatfati stand ( fatfat is a sturdy three wheeler) where five people can sit. It runs between Karol Bagh and Connaught place on regular basis for just 25 paise..  There was a chai shop near the fatfati stand close to Punjab National Bank in Gurudwara road which runs for 24 hours.  Garam Garam chai,  It was said that this shop guy used only one match stick some 20 years back and the angiti is still burning 24 hours 365 days.😅😏

Brave for More to come next😃