Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Goldman, Connaught Place Delhi Proustians by The Delhi Walla - January 20, 20250 Portrait of a citizen. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Always in a golden-coloured costume, every exposed part of his body painted in that colour, he calls himself a “Goldman Statue (Artist)” He daily performs in Connaught Place, mostly standing still as if he were a statue, a donation box beside him. This evening, he agrees to become a part of our Proust Questionnaire series, in which citizens are nudged to make “Parisian parlour confessions”, all to explore our distinct experiences. Your favourite virtue. Talent to make people laugh. What do you appreciate the most in your friends? A friend should never be a dagabaz (betrayer). My friends betrayed me. Your favourite occupation. Acting. What would be your greatest misfortune? To love somebody. If not yourself, who would you be? If I were not a goldman, I would have been a thekedar. That used to be my profession. I would arrange teams of labourers to work on construction sites. Back in those days, I would sometimes entertain the labourers with my mono acting. Anyhow, I ended up with great loss in thekedari, and couldn’t continue with it… it is true, the world looks colourful when you have money, but you see the real world only after you lose your money. Then everybody changes, including your relatives and friends. Where would you like to live? I live in Najafgarh, which is a long metro ride from Connaught Place. But I will like to live in CP, and save myself the daily commute. In fact, I put on the golden paint on my face only after reaching here, and wash it with soap before walking back to the metro station. Your favourite colour. Golden color. It is my identity, the source of my earning. Your favourite names Arvind, Arpit, Golu—my three sons. And Radha, my wife. What do you hate the most? Being a target of taane (taunts). The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with. God gives us more than we need. We need to know what exactly we need. Faults for which you have the most tolerance. While I stand motionless, being a statue, some passers-by push me, abuse me, or pick up my paisa ka dabba (donation box) pretending to run away with it. I forgive them. FacebookX Related Related posts: Proust Questionnaire – Reshma, Old Delhi Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Muhammed Saleem, Connaught Lane Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Money Changer Sunil Chawla, Connaught Place Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Abdul Rashid, Central Delhi Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Lafazuddin, Dilli Gate