Degrees of separation

In the continuing ‘war’ between north Indians and Maharashtrians, the capital city of Maharashtra has scored a point over the capital city of ‘north India’, New Delhi. Despite what rumour might say, Mumbai’s Santa Cruz recorded a nifty 8.5°C, a whole half centigrade below Delhi’s 9°C. While that might suggest throwing Mumbaikars out of gear, one can sense more than just the Shiv Sena trying to turn ‘colder’ into ‘cooler’.

While Delhi has subsequently grown colder, with the boys at the Met predicting a 3°C weekend on Friday, the cold winds from Central Asia have made Delhi not too dissimilar to, say, Chicago. But history has prepared Delhiites for strong winds — and, indeed, pillaging armies — from the Asian Steppes. But will Mumbaikars survive the chill that they never thought would come to their cosmopolitan city by the Arabian Sea? The coldest reading in Mumbai was recorded on January 22, 1962, four years before the Shiv Sena was born, possibly in retaliation to the balmy, wonderful south Indian winter.

This time round, Delhiites still have an edge. In fact, they should be pulling at the edges of each other’s blankets in real discomfort, while Mumbaikars bask in the luxury of shivering without the need to really shiver.