Mission Delhi – Manglu, Near Ashram Flyover Mission Delhi by The Delhi Walla - November 13, 20210 One of the one percent in 13 million. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] His robe is saffron. His turban is black. His beard is white. His nails are long. But it is his gaze that is the most formidable aspect of his personality. So disconcertingly sharp and penetrating, like a mere touch of a razor which cuts deep into your flesh. “I’m a sadhu,” he says, the tone of his voice is soft and filled with extreme kindness, and at once shatters the earlier uneasiness caused by the directness of his eyes. Manglu, as he introduces himself, is sitting down on a central Delhi pavement, near the Ashram flyover. He is having chai, given to him (for free) by a tea stall owner,
City Hangout – Meena Bazar, Old Delhi Hangouts by The Delhi Walla - November 13, 20210 The Other Chandni Chowk. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] These days people are composing new ballads for Chandni Chowk. The refurbished avenue has become more pedestrian-friendly for the Walled City aficionados. The change is believed to have accentuated the enjoyment of the district’s signature pleasures—the shops and eateries, the havelis and shrines, the idyllic view of the Red Fort on one side, and of the Fatehpuri Masjid on the facing side. You’ll be surprised to discover that there’s another Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. It is not called by this name, but the resemblance is like of a conjoined twin. Here also are very many shops. This too is very pedestrian-friendly (since a long time!). The signature pleasures include a view