By this time most of the Gurgaonites would have come back to the home ground after travelling to cool exotic places for the summer. You would have gawked at magnificent urban structures, experienced some thrilling rides at amusement parks, been up close with wild animals at a safari or paid the equivalent of your driver’s monthly salary to see the living quarters of a long dead king. You would have shared some stunning pictures on Facebook and received an average of 42 Likes and 12 comments. Now you are back to dull and dusty Gurgaon wondering when you can get away for another vacation.
Even I was feeling the same way when I realized that our Gurgaon too can get on the tourist map. We have a lot to offer by way of tourist attractions to the local, domestic and foreign traveller.
We do not need to go to a forest for a safari when we have a concrete urban jungle right here. Hop on to a Maruti Gypsy and see the local fauna. Here, you can spot the famous Multicolored Pig of Gurgaon, the only pig that is excellent at camouflage. Born a tender pink, it can within a few months, acquire a dull blackish brown hue and blend perfectly into the grime and grit of the nulla or road. There you see the Fearless Cow and the Indifferent Buffalo. Unlike its placid cousins in other cities, the Fearless Cow is known to charge a Fortuner if disturbed during its siesta in the middle of the road. The Indifferent Buffalo really doesn’t care if you toot your horn a hundred times. It will not budge from the parking spot. If you are lucky, you may spot a Lunging Monkey swinging from balcony to balcony, lunging expertly at a clump of bananas in the fruit bowl or a packet of chips in the hands of a toddler. And if you are very lucky, you may see a bemused Langur riding pillion on a bicycle, a perfect example of adapting to the urban jungle life.
After a safari, it is time for the Amusement Park Rides. Forget all those Ferris Wheels, Roller Coasters and Rotating Tea cups. For the real thrill, get into a shared auto at IFFCO chowk. If you manage to extricate yourself from it, hop off and climb into a rickshaw. Challenge the rickshaw driver to take you through any potholed road as fast as he can. If you are still able to hold down your lunch, board a bus at Sadar bazaar and see if you can hang on till the last stop. Get into a car and drive through a traffic jam caused by a malfunctioning signal at a T point. Stagger out at Huda Metro station and rent a bike. Pedal along MG Road during peak hours. If you are still alive, you can arrive at a mall and buy a nice souvenir. Notice that you paid a fraction of the amount you would have shelled out at Disneyland. Also notice the number of world class hospitals in Gurgaon that you may need to visit after the experience. Do not notice the world class fees they will charge.
After all that adventure, you might want to take it easy the next day. It is time to take a tour of the local architectural wonders. You might have been to Barcelona and admired the Modernist works of Gaudi or marvelled at the massive pyramids in Cairo. Now admire the amazing office building that looks like a stranded ship. Here is another one looks like a jumble of red and white lego blocks put together by a naughty child. Across the road, you might see a large translucent trapezium that resembles an object from outer space. Wander about gazing in awe at the vast modern office complexes in Cyber—-. Now get to see the living quarters of the locals. Take a tour of a sample flat at a swanky new upcoming high rise. Wonder at the latest motion sensing technology and voice activated temperature control systems. Be dazzled by the ability of the interior decorators who make it seem like the living quarters of a modern royal family. Marvel at the ingenuity of the builders who have used every inch of available space to construct these massive structures. Marvel more at the ingenuity of the nearby families of construction workers who manage to live under a single tarpaulin tent. Take some marvellous photos of all these manmade wonders and share them on Facebook.
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur are old news. Gurgaon has so much potential. It is time to add this city to the Golden Triangle and focus on developing it as the next major Indian tourist spot.
