Mission Delhi – Furqan Ali, Ghalib Academy Library
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] He contains multitudes within himself. Furqan Ali writes verses in his journal, is a trained calligrapher in Urdu, and an archivist as well, and also…
City Food – Dilli 6 Chaat Bhandar, Outside Siri Fort Auditorium
The mother of all snack stalls. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Without doubt, this has to be the naani of all the roadside snack stalls. The unusually huge counter is filled with multitudinous dishes—aloo chaat, dahi bhalle, papri…
City Hangout – Masjid Udayan, Gurgaon
A cold-weather friend. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] A man is lying on a bench, wide awake. Some steps away, a chhole-bhature eatery staffer is hurriedly finishing his homemade dal-roti. While a cotton candy hawker, armed with plastic-wrapped…
City Hangout – Chekhov’s Promenade, South Extension-2
A lane to breathe. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Very often restless people have the habit of pacing to and fro in their living room or on their terrace, if they have any. Such an exercise is said…
Mission Delhi – Aditya Raj, CR Park
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Such a vivid series of cumulous clouds. There’s also a man with a moth perched on his mouth. To a visitor at Aditya Raj’s studio…
Mission Delhi – Rajesh, Mathura Road
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Isn’t Rajesh a man’s name? Rajesh shrugs her shoulders. “My parents named me Rajesh, I don’t know why,” she says sombrely, admitting in a surprised…
City Landmark – Muhammad Ateek Chawbiwale, Tiraha Behram Khan
The key man. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It’s like discovering all the passwords of your online existence copy-pasted into a stranger’s laptop. Such is the alarm one feels on coming face-to-face with hundreds of keys hanging in…
City Food – Shekhar Chai, Anand Vihar
The 24/7 tea stall. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Here’s a persuasive reason to patronise a pavement chai place. The owner is so committed to his stall that he has its name tattooed on his arm. Shekhar Chai…
Mission Delhi – Unnamed Monkey, Hazrat Chirag Dehlavi’s Sufi Shrine
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] He has no known friends or relatives. Utterly alone, he seems to prefer his own company. This unnamed monkey lives in the dargah of Hazrat…
Mission Delhi – Rupkesh Kumar, Central Delhi
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It was a brief sleep, and a deep sleep. And a rare occurrence, for Rupkesh Kumar, 53, never sleeps during the day. But this late…
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