City Walk – Galli Shiv Prasad Street, Old Delhi Walks by The Delhi Walla - June 6, 20220 World of a street. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] One night, the narrow Galli Master Shiv Prasad is lit up with electric lamps. The part where the lane ends into a cramped courtyard is filled with folks watching two boys dance to a film song. There is to be a wedding soon, someone reveals. It’s impossible to find out if any of the faces in the crowd might be related to the man after whom the street is named. The passage of time has made Master Shiv Prasad too elusive to catch. The story behind the place’s name has as many versions as the paratha fillings in Parathewali Gali. A nearby doodh wale describes Shiv Prasad as a musician who
City Landmark – Oberoi Hotel Flyover, Central Delhi Landmarks by The Delhi Walla - June 6, 2022June 6, 20220 Art of the street. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The friend’s the biggest enemy. The maxim is scrawled in black chalk on the wall of the Oberoi Hotel flyover, here in central Delhi’s Zakir Husain Marg (see photo). A great length of this wall is covered with Hindi graffiti, along with illustrations—a pistol, a kite, a human face drawn with two noses. Is this street art? Delhi is familiar with the concept. Some distance away lies Lodhi Colony, with its much eulogised artworks painted on house walls. Some days back, portraits of Jewish Hindi film actresses of yesteryears, including the iconic Nadira, were unveiled on a Connaught Place wall. One evening a foreign artist was seen painting that panel, graciously letting
City Life – Urmila & Jeetu, Patel Nagar Life by The Delhi Walla - June 6, 20220 Portrait of a marriage. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] It’s noon, and they are directly exposed to the heatwave. She is standing barefoot on a mound of dug-up earth. He is in the ditch below. They are talking in low voices to each other. Labourers Urmila and Jeetu are working on a central Delhi footpath, just the two of them. “We always work together… he is my husband,” says Urmila. Jeetu explains that they get assignments through a contractor. But it must be severely challenging to work in such an adverse weather. Jeetu considers the supposition for a moment, and gazes towards his wife, as if she might have something to say. “No, we are fine,” she replies with a slight
City Landmark – Mango Tree, Deer Park Landmarks by The Delhi Walla - June 6, 20220 The bench under a special tree. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It is handsome, with a pleasant disposition, seeming to unite some of the best blessings of existence. It has lived here for many years, with very little to distress or vex its place in the world. This tree in south Delhi’s Deer Park generously exudes its happy-go-lucky temperament throughout the vicinity. A gloomy passerby walking through the park is bound to experience at least a fleeting rush of giddy emotions on seeing this landmark. If tree had human faces, this one would always be smiling. On this incredibly hot and humid evening, the entire park is swarmed with people from nearby Safdarjung Enckave, Hauz Khas Vilage, and Green Park who