Our Self-Written Obituaries – Prachi Nagpal, Rohini, Delhi Farewell Notice by The Delhi Walla - March 24, 20190 The 222nd death. [Text and photo sent by Prachi Nagpal] As Virginia Woolf said that a woman needs a room and some money to be a writer. Prachi Nagpal didn't know what would become of her, but she surely knew she would have her own room. She had been shifting houses for a long time, and always felt dislocated as Mr. Biswas. She thought, "What does it mean to not own a physical space in this modern world? It actually means nothing." And, the questions came up fluttering to her from all the angles of the world like “What do you want to be?”, “Who are you?” and this cacophony subsumed the voice of nothing, of nobody, that she thought she was. But,
City Landmark – City News Service, Connaught Place Landmarks by The Delhi Walla - March 22, 20190 The print media landmark. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It’s hardly a secret that these are difficult days for print media—because of the Internet. Here in Delhi, it’s hard to find all-day newspaper stalls anymore. Even so, a unique relic still thrives in the heart of Connaught Place. City News Service doesn’t stock Indian papers any longer but does sell famous international mastheads like The New York Times and The Guardian from London. “Our regular customers have always included diplomats and foreign nationals,” explains owner Vaibhav Gupta. The international newspapers are collected at the airport from incoming Air India flights; in a supply chain that’s worked smoothly since 1984 when they decided to stock the publications. Mr Gupta does feel the very best
Mission Delhi – Sanjeev Das, Gurgaon Mission Delhi by The Delhi Walla - March 20, 2019March 20, 20190 One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Sanjeev Das willingly exited from “the pointlessness of the ordinary world” about a decade ago and became a baba, an ascetic. He now travels the land, passing through cities and villages, in the company of babas like him. The 46-year-old gentleman, however, hasn’t renounced his love for one essential element of his life— his hair. This afternoon, on a Gurgaon pavement in the National Capital Region, he is carefully, slowly, combing his crowning glory. Mr Das’s head is leaning to one side as he brings the comb down through his dense smooth hair. “I shampoo them daily,” he discloses the habits of his vanity, briefly raising his eyes. Sadhus
Our Self-Written Obituaries – Sharda Mutha, Jodhpur Farewell Notice by The Delhi Walla - March 20, 2019March 20, 20190 The 221st death. [Text and photo sent by Sharda Mutha] She was found dead, lying in utter solace on a rainy dawn. The raindrops fell on Sharda Mutha’s corpse as if they were trying to push her body underneath the sand, somewhere in the waves. Despite being an extravagant over-thinker, as it seemed, she had eccentric contentment on her face. Her lifeless face had so much life in itself as if she had found her peace and tranquility in death. The raindrops paved their way through the wrinkled face of the 60-year old woman. Her fingers had ink stains as though she was trying to write a poem about how she'd be free after all these years; about how she was going
City Hangout – Most Romantic Park Bench, Lodhi Garden Hangouts by The Delhi Walla - March 19, 20190 The most-feeling seating. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Those fussy romantics seeking the seclusion of a park, but only in a most aesthetic setting, simply need to seek out a particular bench in the lushness of Lodhi Garden. Mind you, there’s something a bit moody about this bench, right under a tree that never provides shade. It remains leafless throughout the year with its bare branches looming up into the air like the wailing limbs of a person in perpetual mourning. This is a kind of nudity awash in deep melancholy or perhaps careless abandon; a question of interpretation by anybody comfortably seated on the bench itself. Some distance behind that tree is a monument making its own sad statement. Sheesh Gumbad’s
City Landmark – Premier Shoe Factory, Sadar Bazaar, Gurgaon Landmarks by The Delhi Walla - March 18, 2019March 19, 20190 The old time jewel. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] There are places in the National Capital Region where every little or big landmark gives an illusion that it must have come up around the year 2000. Dwarka, for instance. Or Indirapuram in Ghaziabad. Or parts of Gurgaon. But here’s something since 1938--a shoemaker’s establishment. “That Singer is more than a hundred years old,” mutters shoemaker Jawaharlal Sherawat, gesturing towards the rusty black sewing machine installed behind him. “And this ladder is 80 years old.” Taking out a “rubber stamp” from its plastic cover, he says in a hushed whisper full of awe, “This is our muhar (seal)... Premier Shoe Factory, Gurgaon.” Mr Sherawat’s footwear workshop is ensconced in an old, crumbling, half-abandoned mansion in
Our Self-Written Obituaries – Lalit Vijay, Lajpat Nagar, Delhi Farewell Notice by The Delhi Walla - March 18, 2019March 18, 20191 The 220th death. [Text and photos sent by Lalit Vijay] Lalit Vijay, aged 87, was found dead near a degh somewhere in Koramangala, Bangalore; a place which he had relished since his college days. The autopsy report claims it to be the overdose of biryani but, according to sources, his body had achieved Nirvana after eating two plates of Meghana Special. There's a difference, you see. Mr Vijay was a jolly fellow who tripped madly on Rahul Dravid, the cricketer; Shantaram, the novel and Begum, his wife and soulmate. Amongst the few materialistic stuff found at his residence, there were souvenirs from Lord’s, posters of Virat Kohli, a photo frame with a picture of his family, a locket with green heart and a
Mission Delhi – Rani, Central Delhi Mission Delhi by The Delhi Walla - March 18, 20191 One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This is Rani’s 15th winter. She is wrapped in blankets and gunny sacks. The evening is chilly. She is quietly warming herself upon a coal-fired stove. Rani has a quiet nature and doesn’t really chat with people. Could this be because she is a goat? Rani belongs to a Central Delhi kebab seller — the details of her life are narrated by the elderly seller’s son. He is skewing the mutton seekh kebabs on iron rods. Rani was born in the kebab shop itself. Her mother was purchased many years ago from Haryana. The mother is dead and so are Rani’s five brothers. They were sacrificed over the years, during
City Landmark – Rafugar Sajid Suhail’s Establishment, Chawri Bazaar Landmarks by The Delhi Walla - March 15, 2019March 15, 20191 The last of his kind. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] He first learnt rafu—the noble art of darning—from his father, who in turn was taught by a master. Even so, Sajid Suhail, Chawri Bazaar’s only full-time rafugar, sincerely hopes his three children will take up more lucrative professions. “I’ve been restoring torn clothing for some 30 years but, alas, so few customers these days,” sighs Mr Suhail, 50. Ready-made clothing is now the norm, while the very notion of nifty tailored outfits has almost vanished. Another difficulty is the location of his small shop in Chawri Bazaar in Old Delhi. The area was always a bustling market but it also used to be residential, and now over the years many families have
Our Self-Written Obituaries – Priyanka Elangbam, Imphal Farewell Notice by The Delhi Walla - March 15, 2019March 15, 20191 The 219th death. [Text and photo sent by Priyanka Elangbam] Priyanka Elangbam died last night with her earphones entangled loosely around her neck. It didn't strangle her. She was listening to some positive affirmation ASMR videos on YouTube, to help her with her "self pity" issues which had been working up lately. Some will say she died peacefully. Some will say she cried a bit before the final breathe. She lost a lot of people recently, close friends and family. She thought it was because she suffocated people who she loved. But that might not have been the case, it was just her over-thinking nature accessing the whole situation. But she improved a lot lately, all because she started loving herself more. One