Fare thee well, Delhi

Flying out of the nest with a heavy heart

Nadia Khan is leaving Delhi. After six years as a research fellow in Jamia Millia Islamia university where she finished her PHD on ‘expats assigned to India’, the Srinagar native is herself soon to become an expat.

She is flying later this month to start a new innings in Seymour, a city in Indiana, the United States. The young lady is offering her goodbye to Delhi by visiting all the places she wanted to explore. Last Friday, she spent three hours in Purana Quila — alone — walking, sitting, reading, clicking pictures; she also e-mailed her life coach. She agrees to become a part of the Proust Questionnaire series in which folks are nudged to make ‘Parisian parlour confessions’, all to explore citizens’ distinct experiences.

Your favourite qualities in a woman

I like when women are sufficient for themselves without any external help.

Your favourite occupation

Writing.

Your idea of happiness

Freedom with discipline.

Your idea of misery

My biggest misfortune would be to die without having written anything, I mean vocationally.

Where would you like to live?

For now I have grown obsessed with Delhi. It was not always like this. I hated the crowd and the hustle. Then I read a little into the history of Delhi, the way it has risen up numerous times from ashes, centuries of rulers wanting to make it their own. I am not done knowing Delhi yet.

Your favourite colour and flower

Black. Gardenias.

Your favourite prose authors

Arundhati Roy, Sylvia Plath, Franz Kafka, Chimamanda Adichie.

Your favourite poets

W.B. Yeats, Amrita Pritam, Parveen Shakir, Faiz.

Your heroes/heroines in real life

Doctors. My father is one and I have seen him give his entire life to helping people.

Your favourite food and drink

Biryani. Chai.

What do you hate the most?

Pretence. Opulence.

The reform you admire the most

More recently, driving rights to women.

The natural talent you would like to be gifted with

Painting.

How do you wish to die?

I want to die a writer and having lived my life in complete freedom and discipline.

Faults for which you have utmost tolerance

People talking highly of themselves.

What is your present state of mind?

I am in the process of healing.

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