A different face of HKV!

For the uninitiated, HKV is Hauz Khas Village. My sojourn to the village began in 2008 when K, my best friend from high school, introduced me to its many facets. Before that I had never ventured beyond the Deer Park, and that, I always approached from SDA. Never knew HKV even existed. And this, when my parents stayed across the street in HK.

From the tiny designer stores to the newly opened restaurants. From empty bylanes to zero parking space, I seem to have seen it all at the village. I often went for Coffee with K at SDA and we walked upto the Village. The coffee often converted into a couple of drinks at TLR but the place was recently broken down, I hear. It remained one of the few big spaces in the Village. TLR gave a new identity to the upcoming talent of the city.

In due course of time, the rentals grew with the advent of new restaurants and pubs. The designers often complained about these restaurant-owners pushing up the rental value of the place. Some bought the place from the villagers, others moved out and there are still a few who are struggling to find a foothold there.

The charm of the Village gave way to rowdy crowds as people started to get to know about this hidden wonder. The beautification of the lake brought hope to the morning walkers  of Delhi born and breds. But with it, a disaster was waiting to happen. Every week a new place started to open up, eating the beautiful space which now exist in my memory. Gunpowder, Boheme', Kalista, Amour, Zo, OTB... the list is endless. The charm gave way to fear. The fear of being trapped on a fourth floor restaurant that has caught fire, with no emergency exits. The fear of being harrowed by parking attendants in the mddle of the day. The fear of going to my designer there and finding myself in a stampede in the bylanes because a fire has broken out somewhere.

The anger grows with each new establishment opening... HKV has become a monkeyland, with everyone else abandoning it like someone struck with an epidemic. Its a Palace of Illusions for me. The beautiful palace no longer remains. What remain is the illusion that someday it'll gain back its glory and charming self.