I have decided to stop being apologetic about my love of Shimla's rooftops. They exist, they are varied and I love each and every one of them. For good measure, I have placed an old, old favourite, sung by Carole King. The title? Of course, "Up On The Roof"!
The roof and frontage of Himachal Emporium is rather interesting, even if defaced by the ghastly board advertising the name of that worthy entity.
I was walking past Chaura Maidan yesterday, when I happened to look up and noticed this rooftop. I stared. I squinted. I rubbed my eyes. Couldn't believe what I was seeing. Was that an urn placed in a shelf??? I zoomed in on the object. Yes! It was an urn with some pretty blue design on it. And now, looking at the photograph, I cannot but help marvel at the sheer blueness of the sky....(See image below).
The questions that now plague me day and night: Who put it there? Does it contain anything? How does it stay up? Is it glued in place? If not, then what if there's a strong gust of wind? Will it blow off and fall on Praveen who sells me my daily bread? (I sincerely hope not).
This wonderful rooftop is a part of the Railway Board Building. Isn't the contrast of the red with the blue of the sky behind simply lovely?
En fin, the roof of the Himachal Tourism Corporation's office on Scandal Point. Interesting, in its own little way. I clearly belong to the wrong era. I should have been born in the era when government buildings were constructed aesthetically in our country. Alas.
And now, the promised ditty...
When this old world starts a getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I’ll climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be
And there the world below don’t bother me, no, no
So when I come home feeling tired and beat
I’ll go up where the air is fresh and sweet
I’ll get far away from the hustling crowd
And all the rat-race noise down in the street
On the roof, that’s the only place I know
Look at the city, baby
Where you just have to wish to make it so
Let’s go up on the roof
And at night the stars they put on a show for free
And, darling, you can share it all with me
That’s what I said
Keep on telling you
That right smack dab in the middle of town
I found a paradise that’s troubleproof
And if this old world starts a getting you down
There’s room enough for two
Up on the roof...
And now, the promised ditty...
When this old world starts a getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I’ll climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be
And there the world below don’t bother me, no, no
So when I come home feeling tired and beat
I’ll go up where the air is fresh and sweet
I’ll get far away from the hustling crowd
And all the rat-race noise down in the street
On the roof, that’s the only place I know
Look at the city, baby
Where you just have to wish to make it so
Let’s go up on the roof
And at night the stars they put on a show for free
And, darling, you can share it all with me
That’s what I said
Keep on telling you
That right smack dab in the middle of town
I found a paradise that’s troubleproof
And if this old world starts a getting you down
There’s room enough for two
Up on the roof...
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4 comments:
I love all those quirky little things. It surprises me how much more I notice now that I have a photo blog. That blue urn is great.
oh so u also noticed the urn....we used to call it the holy grail . Yeah..there is soemthing very mysterious about it. Who'd have thought that place for it.
I noticed that urn last year (actually this year) when visiting you, and never thought to ask you about it, somehow! It's rather pretty, up close.
No one has a clue about the urn. The only person left to ask is Raja Bhasin.
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