Joy it was to sit, chat and sip coffee in the 'Joy' restaurant, at leisure

                  Memories of those good, easy-paced 70's, I still greatly treasure

                  This week a short account of how it all felt, I write under my pen

                  As many thoughts crowd my mind of the time  spent at this lovely 'den'

                            Nostalgia

         When sipping coffee in ‘Joy’ was pure joy                

    

'Joy' in the late 80's. In the photo: Tim (Peter's friend), Hari Om and Surinder Vats

Way back in the 70’s, Palampur had a quiet, serene ambience. The pace of life was slow and easy. Vehicles were few and far between. Studded with plentiful deodars and pines, and the tea gardens all intact, it exuded the charm of a hill town uniquely its own. The Palampur bazaar was not so noisy, crowded and vehicle-choked as it is now. One could loiter around and shop at leisure without the fear and risk of being run over. And in this very bazaar there was – and still is – a nice and cosy hangout: Joy Restaurant manned by unassuming, polite and friendly Narang brothers: Harinder and the younger Hari Om.

Harinder Narang

Hari Om Narang

                                                         

                                                   

It used to be a favourite haunt for many of us Palampur-dwellers, and the visitors as well. After a round or two of the main bazaar, we would saunter into ‘Joy’. But before moving in, it was almost customary to first meet the ‘Joy’ brothers at the counter, shake hands, exchange greetings and share some quick town gossip. That would add an additional flavour to our ‘Joy experience’. Here then we would sit, sip coffee and give vent to our hopes, dreams and despairs. Being young and eligible bachelors, the topic that occupied center stage in our banter used to be the ‘suitable girls’ studying in local colleges and who was wooing whom! Vibrant music reverberated through the main sitting hall and a couple of small and dimly-lit ones at the rear. The resonant ABBA songs – then a big hit – still ring in my ears and send a pulse of excitement (‘Honey, Honey…I don’t wanna hurt you baby, I don’t wanna see you cry…’; ‘Mamma mia, here I go again’, still give me goose pimples of nostalgic delight). I loved Joy’s samosas, tikkis and chaat. The ras malai was another favourite of mine, as well as gulab jamuns and sizzling hot gajrela to counter the winter blues. And I am sure they still serve you the best and most delectable gajrela in town.

…And so much happened here for me. It was at the ‘Joy’ that I sat across my mentor and guide Dr Tony Gaston, a Canadian wildlife scientist of distinction to discuss about my participation in the proposed Himachal Wildlife Project, over sips of espresso coffee. And let me also make a confession. It was at the ‘Joy’ where I made a formal ‘proposal’ to my fiancée over coffee. It was here too that I came across a charming young couple: Peter Phillimore and Rachel from the UK.  Peter was then pursuing his doctorate and was in Palampur for his research work on Gaddis of Kanarthu- a small and remote village hamlet near Baijnath. They divided their time between stints at Kanarthu and a short stay in their hired accommodation at Palampur. ‘Joy’ – which they frequented often enough - brought us fortuitously together. And, since then, ours has been a rewarding, enduring friendship which is alive and vibrant even today. In fact it was Dr Peter Phillimore who suggested a week back that I write a post on ‘Joy’. And to lend a special flavour to my blog, he has, graciously enough, agreed to write his own  piece on his and Rachel’s tryst with ‘Joy’. Needless to say, they both still adore Palampur and worry about its degrading ecology.

                                            

Well, the Joy restaurant is still throbbing and thriving. The two brothers have of course greyed, as we all have- the young guys of the 70’s! But they are still their old charming selves. We now visit it but seldom. But the sweet old memories associated with this restaurant… memories of our loves and longings, meetings and rendezvousing, hopes and fears, aspirations and dreams and much else, are still vivid and alive.

PS: It seems that Dr Peter Phillimore's preoccupations have
prevented him to send his write-up for this post. I hope to receive
it soon and share it with you....maybe... next week.

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