City List – Delhi’s Great Jews, Around Town Delhi by List by The Delhi Walla - January 30, 2015April 7, 20160 The Capital heritage. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The most beautiful and inspirational post-colonial architecture in New Delhi is the work of a Jew. In other words, Delhi’s Jewish legacy goes beyond its only Jewish graveyard near Khan Market. The Delhi Walla lists four people of Jewish parentage who helped shape the sensibilities of our city - for better. 1. Hazrat Sarmad Shaheed Venerated today as a Sufi saint, Hazrat Sarmad Shaheed, who was also a poet, was briefly profiled by author Saleem Kidwai in his book Same-Sex Love in India: A Literary History. He wrote: “Sarmad was born a Jew in Kashan (in modern-day Iran), around 1590. He became a trader and acquired knowledge of mystic traditions and of Arabic
Delhi’s Bandaged Heart – Manika Dhama, Delhi Metro – Blue Line City Poetry by The Delhi Walla - January 29, 2015June 3, 20152 Poetry in the city. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Poet Manika Dhama (seen above) is a reader of Marcel Proust. She co-edits Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire along with The Delhi Walla. The regular readers of this website will recall that Ms Dhama shared a poem with us way back in January 2013. Recently, she has been writing poetry on her mobile phone during her daily commute in Delhi Metro. Like many artistically-inclined Delhiites, Ms Dhama's creative instincts are partly being shaped by this relatively new phenomenon in our city. In fact, she is also presently taking photographs inside the train, some of which she has agreed to show us. Ms Dhama, who has been commuting daily by the Metro for the last 6 months or more, from
Atget’s Corner – 686-690, Delhi Photos Delhi Pics by The Delhi Walla - January 29, 20151 The visible city. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi is a voyeur’s paradise and The Delhi Walla also makes pictures. I take photos of people, streets, flowers, eateries, drawing rooms, tombs, landscapes, buses, colleges, Sufi shrines, trees, animals, autos, libraries, birds, courtyards, kitchens and old buildings. My archive of more than 25,000 photos showcases Delhi’s ongoing evolution. Each day five randomly picked pictures from this collection will be put up on the pages of this website. The series is named in the memory of French artist Eugène Atget (1857-1927), who, in the words of a biographer, was an “obsessed photographer determined to document every corner of Paris before it disappeared under the assault of modern improvements.” Here are Delhi photos numbered 686 to 690. 686. Janakpuri 687. Humayun's
City Food – Wenger’s Cake Shop, Connaught Place Food by The Delhi Walla - January 27, 2015January 27, 20151 The Capital’s oldest surviving cake shop. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The most beautiful place in Delhi is not Humayun's Tomb but Wenger's. The landmark bakery in Connaught Place’s whitewashed A block appears crowded in all seasons, at all times. There’s always a horde of confused-but-hopeful-looking people darting glances at the display shelves. The queue at the cash counter is always long. As you wait for your turn, the thick wooden door of the inner chamber swings open, and uniformed staff emerge carrying trays of pastries, patties, cookies and chocolates to replenish the shelves. The steady ship in this stormy sea is the frail turbaned man standing beside the door. The calm Sikh gentleman can often be seen chatting in a low
Photo Essay – Disappeared People, Around Town Photo Essays by The Delhi Walla - January 26, 2015January 26, 20152 Missing from life. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Mr. Mohamad Rafiq, Son of Mohamad Ismail Aged 62 yrs. an Afghan National, was missing on 29 May 2011, At 19.00 in Saket The Delhi Walla spotted this flier on a wall in Jangpura. Such notices are seen across the city. They often show badly-printed black and white photographs of the disappeared people. There is always a phone number to contact the relatives in case if anybody has any clue about the missing person. But do the passersby really take note of these lost people? Or, are these people now merely faces on the wall? Find me 1. 2. 3. 3a. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Delhi Archives – Barack Chowk, Obama Vihar Delhi Archives by The Delhi Walla - January 25, 2015January 25, 20150 [Digging out old stories from The Delhi Walla] In 2009, Barack Hussein Obama took oath as the first black President of USA. In 2012, he was re-elected as the US President. In 2008, Maria Shriver, the then wife of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, had famously said, “If Barack Obama was a state, he’d be California. Diverse. Open. Smart. Independent. Bucks tradition. Innovative. Inspirational.” What if Barack Obama was a neighbourhood or a landmark in Delhi? What would he be? In 2009, The Delhi Walla had put this question to a few Delhiwallas in town. Click here to read the rest of this article originally published on The Delhi Walla in December 2009.
Atget’s Corner – 681-685, Delhi Photos Delhi Pics by The Delhi Walla - January 25, 20150 The visible city. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi is a voyeur’s paradise and The Delhi Walla also makes pictures. I take photos of people, streets, flowers, eateries, drawing rooms, tombs, landscapes, buses, colleges, Sufi shrines, trees, animals, autos, libraries, birds, courtyards, kitchens and old buildings. My archive of more than 25,000 photos showcases Delhi’s ongoing evolution. Each day five randomly picked pictures from this collection will be put up on the pages of this website. The series is named in the memory of French artist Eugène Atget (1857-1927), who, in the words of a biographer, was an “obsessed photographer determined to document every corner of Paris before it disappeared under the assault of modern improvements.” Here are Delhi photos numbered 681 to 685. 681. Seelampur 682. Mehrauli 683.
City Life – Living with Cats, Old Delhi Life by The Delhi Walla - January 23, 20154 Kitty's own city. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Mehvash Sattar lives with her scholar father and his hundreds of rare Urdu books; the 25-year-old is a master’s student. She has many friends. The closest is the homeless Laali, who hangs out a lot in Ms Sattar’s second-floor apartment. Laali is a cat. Earlier, Ms Sattar had “pure white” Silky, who succumbed to pneumonia last year. Another cat, Kittu, died of old age. The filmi-named Chulbul Pandey, too, is enjoying the feline afterlife. Ms Sattar’s mobile phone has photographs of all of them. The fact that Ms Sattar’s home is a magnet for stray cats doesn’t make it special. After all, it’s in Pahari Imli, which is in Old Delhi. Living with cats is
Atget’s Corner – 676-680, Delhi Photos Delhi Pics by The Delhi Walla - January 22, 20151 The visible city. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi is a voyeur’s paradise and The Delhi Walla also makes pictures. I take photos of people, streets, flowers, eateries, drawing rooms, tombs, landscapes, buses, colleges, Sufi shrines, trees, animals, autos, libraries, birds, courtyards, kitchens and old buildings. My archive of more than 25,000 photos showcases Delhi’s ongoing evolution. Each day five randomly picked pictures from this collection will be put up on the pages of this website. The series is named in the memory of French artist Eugène Atget (1857-1927), who, in the words of a biographer, was an “obsessed photographer determined to document every corner of Paris before it disappeared under the assault of modern improvements.” Here are Delhi photos numbered 676 to 680. 676. Triveni Kala
City Monument – 5 Hidden Treasures, Around Town Monuments by The Delhi Walla - January 21, 2015August 10, 20160 A selection of Delhi's serene monuments. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Aamir Khan-starrer film PK has had an unintended, somewhat unfortunate, impact on one serene locale: Agrasen ki Baoli. This 14th century stepwell off central Delhi’s Hailey Road was the hero’s shelter in the film. Today, it is drawing great crowds. Agrasen ki Baoli may never be the same again. As consolation, The Delhi Walla tells you about five beautiful monuments in the city that have not yet lost their serenity — and hopefully never will. Atgah Khan’s Tomb In the heart of central Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, this tomb is hidden by brick shanties. The turning that leads to its gate looks like a private courtyard. You see women combing