Delhiwale: The bougainvillea eater

Shehzad says he is a fakeer. He bides time till lunch by nibbling on bougainvillea petals.

One evening, we come across bougainvillea vines on Lodhi Road. The pink flowers are falling down on the pavement. A man is sitting directly under these flowers — his colourful costume consists of various pieces of different clothes stitched together. He introduces himself as Shehzad. He says he is a fakeer, an ascetic.

The man excuses himself to perform his prayer after which he sits down cross-legged on the pavement.

He picks a bougainvillea flower from the ground and… well, he eats it. It’s an incredible sight. He picks another flower, and eats it, and he goes on eating the bougainvillea flowers one after another. He stops after a minute. Amused by our obvious astonishment, he says, “These flowers were time-pass. I shall soon have my meal.”