City Landmark – Backpackers’ Hostel, Paharganj
The pre-pandemic scrawls. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The white walls are covered with handwritten scrawls in Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, French, German, Arabic, Portuguese, Thai, Italian, and English. There are drawings too — a woman’s face, a…
Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Ram Swaroop, Sadar Bazar
The parlour confession. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Rickshaw puller Ram Swaroop arrived in the Delhi region from his native Fatehpur in UP around 15 years ago, his family still lives there. In his early 40s, he sleeps on his rickshaw…
Mission Delhi – Shivnath Verma, Daryaganj
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Young people get restless in villages as soon as they realise life is elsewhere. They leave their homes, move to big cities full of rumoured…
City Hangout – Post-Second Surge Lodhi Garden, Central Delhi
In the light of a tragedy. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] A masked man on a bench. Behind, a centuries-old stone tomb. All around, grass and trees. No other human to be seen. Wandering in Lodhi Garden, a…
City Hangout – Bench by the Tree, Shivaji Bus Terminus
Back to the bench. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The sun’s glare is blinding, but here it feels like an unconfirmed rumour. The leafy tree is doubling up as an ample parasol. Make the bench on this cool…
Mission Delhi – Ompal, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] He’s one of our city’s most uncommon men. This afternoon, he is sitting on the pavement, giving the final touches to what seems to be…
City Obituary – Appetite German Bakery, Paharganj
Death of an icon. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The tables and chairs are gone. The cake counter is gone. The kitchen at the back is gone. One of Delhi’s quirkiest hang-outs has become history. Appetite German Bakery,…
Mission Delhi – Kailash, Sector 6, Gurgaon
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Our material possessions aren’t everything, but they are something. Labourer Kailash agrees to the assessment. He feels their importance, he says, because he has so…
City Hangout – Daylight Magic, Hazrat Chirag Delhi
A light touch. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Daylight’s so common—it is everywhere. One ends up taking it for granted. And in Delhi’s dreadful summer, daylight can be downright hostile. But there’s one place in the city where…
Mission Delhi – Zubair Alvi, Chitli Qabar
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] On the laptop, the Microsoft Excel file is open. The young man with a week-old stubble is urgently poring over sales invoices and balance sheets….
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