quick update...

January 26

I haven’t managed to connect last few days. We recorded a few interviews but that was all. Everyone is on a holiday and an extended one at that. Himachal Day followed by Republic Day followed by weekend followed by another holiday on Tuesday! Right!
We spoke to some very interesting geologists and their perspective on Himachal, Shimla, science, nature and future was engaging and thought-provoking (for the want of a more spontaneous word).
Then we spoke to a group from Mandi, who was to perform their folk dance (they must have, we missed it today!), an old old man called Mangatram, a group of college students, Mayor and spoke to a few others who did not want to record their interviews but still did not mind sharing their views on Shimla.
Broadly, everyone agrees that there is a possibility of a natural disaster… Like earthquake striking the congested hill station. And that the city is not equipped to deal with one. However, no one is really worried as there has not been one and everyone accepts the suffocating dangerous concretisation as we all accept corruption, I guess. People very vaguely remember the Kangra earthquake and nothing more. They are more worried about lack of snow in the last couple of years.
It was heartening to see that so many people turned up for the Republic Day celebrations on the mall road. Otherwise, haven’t these days become just another holiday to sort things at home and catch up on urban-lifestyle-induced-lack-of-sleep?