I was in Delhi the morning news of the Paris attacks broke, 14 November 2015. I watched the ghastly news unfolding for an hour or so before heading out for my morning walk. As I walked to Lodhi Gardens it struck me that the streets were particularly quiet, even for a Saturday morning in the diplomatic quarter.
The quiet was so great that I started to write a text as I went, commenting on how well India was protecting other countries' representatives in the light of the French tragedy, with fewer cars driving round and perhaps even more security officers near the hotel than normal. As I walked along, focussed on my phone, I was aware of whistles blowing - but someone is always blowing a whistle or tooting a horn in Delhi, and it's either not aimed at me (I'm not cutting you off at this roundabout) or, if it is I don't want to engage (I don't want to visit India Gate again, I'm quite able to get to Khan markets by myself), so I just ignored the whistles and kept texting.
As I pressed 'send,' however, one of the more senior security men gave up whistling and ran up to me, halfway along the block between my hotel and the park:
Army Officer: "Madam! You should not be here! You are in the security cordon!"
Alixon: "Oh! I am sorry, Sir! I didn't know there was a security cordon! Why is it here?"
AO: "Oh dear, Madam, perhaps your hotel is within the security cordon. But you should not be here, and now you must go!"
Alixon: "Yes, of course, Sir! Is it possible for me to go forwards? I am going to Lodhi Gardens. And why is there a security cordon this morning?"
AO: "No, Madam, you cannot go forwards! The security cordon extends forwards!"
Alixon: "Oh, Sir, must I go backwards? I have come from backwards, I want to go forwards! And why is there a security cordon?"
AO: "No, Madam you cannot go backwards! The security cordon extends backwards!"
Alixon: "Sir, if I cannot go backwards and I cannot go forwards, where would you like me go? And why is there a security cordon?"
AO: "Madam, you must stand very still, away from the road. Stand next to this tree! And this soldier will stand in front of you. Do not move!"
Alixon: "Sir, yes, I will stand still next to the tree. But, Sir, will I have to stand like this for long? And is this because of the Paris attacks???"
AO: "Madam, what are these Paris attacks? The President is coming! Quickly now - and be still!"
And so it turned out that I had inadvertently wandered into the path of the Presidential motorcade, and was a headache for the man responsible for that particular block. I don't think anyone regarded me as a threat (that's a good thing, right?) but I was Not a Good Look (I'm not so sure that is!). It was too late for me to go forwards or backwards, so I was hidden as discreetly as possible.
The Presidential motorcade was fairly low-key (I'm sure this was just an early morning run and that he can bling up a motorcade with the best of them); just one long black car with flags, a couple of 4-wheel drive types bristling with aerials, some army jeeps which looked like they would imminently retire from service, and one Ambassador, the Indian classic car.
Once I got to the park I did a couple of rounds and when I came to go back to the hotel a very nice (though rather intimidatingly heavily armed) soldier was stopping us from leaving by this gate. Apparently the President was coming back, and we had to keep the route clear for him again.
The quiet was so great that I started to write a text as I went, commenting on how well India was protecting other countries' representatives in the light of the French tragedy, with fewer cars driving round and perhaps even more security officers near the hotel than normal. As I walked along, focussed on my phone, I was aware of whistles blowing - but someone is always blowing a whistle or tooting a horn in Delhi, and it's either not aimed at me (I'm not cutting you off at this roundabout) or, if it is I don't want to engage (I don't want to visit India Gate again, I'm quite able to get to Khan markets by myself), so I just ignored the whistles and kept texting.
As I pressed 'send,' however, one of the more senior security men gave up whistling and ran up to me, halfway along the block between my hotel and the park:
Army Officer: "Madam! You should not be here! You are in the security cordon!"
Alixon: "Oh! I am sorry, Sir! I didn't know there was a security cordon! Why is it here?"
AO: "Oh dear, Madam, perhaps your hotel is within the security cordon. But you should not be here, and now you must go!"
Alixon: "Yes, of course, Sir! Is it possible for me to go forwards? I am going to Lodhi Gardens. And why is there a security cordon this morning?"
AO: "No, Madam, you cannot go forwards! The security cordon extends forwards!"
Alixon: "Oh, Sir, must I go backwards? I have come from backwards, I want to go forwards! And why is there a security cordon?"
AO: "No, Madam you cannot go backwards! The security cordon extends backwards!"
Alixon: "Sir, if I cannot go backwards and I cannot go forwards, where would you like me go? And why is there a security cordon?"
AO: "Madam, you must stand very still, away from the road. Stand next to this tree! And this soldier will stand in front of you. Do not move!"
Alixon: "Sir, yes, I will stand still next to the tree. But, Sir, will I have to stand like this for long? And is this because of the Paris attacks???"
AO: "Madam, what are these Paris attacks? The President is coming! Quickly now - and be still!"
And so it turned out that I had inadvertently wandered into the path of the Presidential motorcade, and was a headache for the man responsible for that particular block. I don't think anyone regarded me as a threat (that's a good thing, right?) but I was Not a Good Look (I'm not so sure that is!). It was too late for me to go forwards or backwards, so I was hidden as discreetly as possible.
 |
| Hiding behind a soldier and a tree |
 |
| The Presidential motorcade passing |
 |
| Our temporary warden |
 |
| Modern parts of the motorcade... |
 |
...and the historical Ambassador
|
The soldier told me that the President was in the neighbourhood because it was the day of the 126th anniversary of the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first President of India. I gathered that the 125-years-since-birth had been celebrated in style over the last 12 months and this was a final commemoration to close off the celebrations once and for all (or at least for the next 24 years).
 |
| Walking back to the hotel I realised Nehru's 125th birthday had been celebrated widely, I'd just missed the signs (literally!) until then |
No comments:
Post a Comment