Julia Child in Venice – Martina Gerotto Cooks Pasta e Fagioli in Memory of Gina Mondovecchi, Near S. Giobbe Church

Julia Child in Venice – Martina Gerotto Cooks Pasta e Fagioli in Memory of Gina Mondovecchi, Near S. Giobbe Church

The great chef’s life in Venice. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] The spirit of a place can exist in the memories of a person. Gina Mondovecchi has that relation to Venice. To those who knew her, she was…

City Hangout - The Morning Mystery in the Ghetto, Venice

City Hangout – The Morning Mystery in the Ghetto, Venice

The special district. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Really, is this the place where it all began? One early morning The Delhi Walla walks through the world’s first ghetto. Apparently Jews no longer live in this ancient ghetto;…

City Moment – On Rudely Greeting the ‘Horrid’ Big Ship Tourists, Venice

City Moment – On Rudely Greeting the ‘Horrid’ Big Ship Tourists, Venice

The memorable instant. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It is always delightful when beautiful people find a reason in life. This time it is against the big ships. One afternoon The Delhi Walla goes to the promenade of…

Atget’s Corner – 956-960, Delhi Photos

Atget’s Corner – 956-960, Delhi Photos

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,…

City Food - Laura Marzano's Spritz, Venice

City Food – Laura Marzano’s Spritz, Venice

Local but not local. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] There is nothing purely local in the world. Not even spritz, the local drink of watery Venice, a touristy city without virtually any nightlife leaving its endangered locals with…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Pooja Tripathi, Delhi & Patna

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Pooja Tripathi, Delhi & Patna

The 135th death. [Text by Pooja Tripathi; photo by Remya Menon] This morning Pooja Tripathi, a well-known chronicler of city lives and loves, was found dead at her wooden cottage in the hills. Ms Tripathi leaves behind a books-filled home,…

City Hangout - Paper Market, Chawri Bazar

City Hangout – Paper Market, Chawri Bazar

A papery world. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Is the modern world really paperless? Some of us hope that we get there soon–it’d be good not to kill trees just so that lackadaisical office employees can generate mountains…

City Notice – The Delhi Walla’s Photo of Arundhati Roy Appears on Her New Book of Essays!

City Notice – The Delhi Walla’s Photo of Arundhati Roy Appears on Her New Book of Essays!

An important landmark. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Delhi Walla website will complete a decade in 2017. Since the beginning of my blogsite, I have been photographing a distinguished Delhi walla, writer Arundhati Roy (see the photos…

City List - Sufi Shrines Where Women Are Allowed, Around Town

City List – Sufi Shrines Where Women Are Allowed, Around Town

Feminism in Islam. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] “Ladies are not allowed inside.” This notice on a yellow board hangs outside the burial chamber of Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. The shrine is one of the many dargahs…

City Food – Papdi Chaat, Around Town

City Food – Papdi Chaat, Around Town

Spheres of delight. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] In a time when divisive leaders such as Donald Trump become mainstream politicians and the idea of a multi-religious, multi-racial society seems like a nightmare to many people, one option…