City Nature - Two Bougainvillea Trees, Lodhi Garden

Season’s spectacle. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Following are a few observations made in a city park one uncomfortably warm noon this week. 1. Currently, the most beautiful sight in Delhi is of two side-by-side bougainvillea trees in…

Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire - Inam Khan,  Sir Syed Road

Into a citizen’s heart. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] He restores torn clothes, for he is a rafoogar—belonging to a diminishing segment of tailors who specialize in the art of darning. A yumna-paar dweller of Khureji, Inam Khan…

Mission Delhi - Shabana, Central Delhi

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Walking snail-like along a sleepy passage lined with residences, she repeatedly turns to make sure the young boy and the little girl are keeping behind…

City Nature - Pilkhan Trees, District Park

New leaves. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Today is the holy Holi. This day of colours ends in hours, but some of the colours of Holi shall linger amid the trees of Delhi (even though the season’s red…

Mission Delhi - Nitin Kumar, Outside RK Ashram Metro Station

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] There’s the cart for gol gappe. The other cart is selling nariyal pani That one is crammed with bananas. The street outside RK Ashram metro…

City Life - Altering Patterns, Old Delhi

Everything is changing. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] One time this used to be an empty lot littered with the detritus of a collapsed mansion. Then a builder raised a multi-storey, with Khan’s Bistro on the ground level….

City Obituary  - Sona, Ghaziabad

Passing of a community dog. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Did he slip away on his own free will? Or did somebody whisk him away? The second possibility seemed more likely to his human friends. After all, the…

City Walk - Gali Mazar Wali, Old Delhi

A Walled City street [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] The name promises a grave. And there is indeed a grave. Somebody’s mazar flanks the entrance of Gali Mazar Wali, here in Kalan Mahal locality. A mazar often—but not…

City Season - 2024 Spring, Around Town

Colours of Holi. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Spring is a time of colours, and colours mean Holi. This year, the festival is falling quite late, on March 25 (it was on March 8 last year). Even so,…

City Landmark - Promenade Books, Hauz Khas Village

Life in the village. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Outside, Jack Kerouac’s poster is staring from the glass wall. Inside, black shelves are stacked with Nietzsche, Hunter S. Thompson, William S. Burroughs, etc. Delhi’s newest bookstore opened ten…