People wonder why I’m an ardent fan of this city. And in the height of summer, I wonder, too. But as the months roll by and the city slips out of its seasonal fatigue, the old fondness creeps back in… In the words of Manto, it seems as if “summer and winter have made their peace.” It’s that time of the year again. The mornings are cloudy, noon less so, and then the stuffy afternoons give way to evenings subtle and breezy.

At the height of winter, though, we may miss summer a tiny bit. We’ll barely be able to shed the warm razai in the mornings, or turn off the hot water shower (many will announce they skipped one that day because it’s too cold to bathe everyday). We’ll warm our hands over steaming cups of tea and throw around an extra shawl, just in case. Morning walks will be delayed, but students will still wake while it’s dark outside. Flights will be delayed due to fog, traffic will be slower. But even in dull shades of grey, the city will be brighter than it has been. Artists will spill over to the gardens in magnificent concerts, when musicians come out of hibernation (it works the other way around, yes - in May I asked one of them when he will be in concert next he said he will return to Delhi only once the weather improves). Some outdoor lunches where we’ll prefer picking the sunniest chair, and later, the cozy evening bonfires.

Thousands of baraatis will dance on the road at the big fat North Indian wedding, its loudest in winter. We’ll be lucky if we are not invited to one which will take place on-the-day-of-the-most-number-of-weddings-in-the-city. I look forward to this time in Delhi. It’s when this city is most beautiful.