Atget’s Corner – 726-730, Delhi Photos

Atget’s Corner – 726-730, Delhi Photos

The visible city. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi is a voyeur’s paradise and The Delhi Walla also makes pictures. I take photos of people, streets, flowers, eateries, drawing rooms, tombs, landscapes, buses, colleges, Sufi shrines, trees, animals, autos, libraries, birds,…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Phebe Bay, Singapore

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Phebe Bay, Singapore

The 34th death. [Text by Phebe Bay; photo by Marcel Sim] Born to a middle-class couple, Phebe Bay did moderately well, although she was not exceptional. As a student, for instance, she was neither the best in her classroom, nor…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Saudamini Jain, Sector 40, Noida

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Saudamini Jain, Sector 40, Noida

The 33rd death. [Text by Saudamini Jain; photo by Pallavi Gurtoo] Saudamini Jain, a journalist and writer, died in her sleep, precisely the way she would have liked to. Ironically, death was perhaps the only thing that went according to…

Mission Delhi – Ratan Kaul, Greater Kailash-II

Mission Delhi – Ratan Kaul, Greater Kailash-II

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and top photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] She is from Kashmir, but her real homeland is Page 3. A regular on the party pages of Delhi’s newspaper supplements, Ratan Kaul is…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Irfan Husain, Sri Lanka/England/Pakistan

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Irfan Husain, Sri Lanka/England/Pakistan

The 32nd death. [Text by Irfan Husain; photo by Daisy Bunn] Columnist Irfan Husain shuffled off these mortal coils after an extended bout of moribundity. His last words were: “Too much temptation; not enough time.” His long life – too…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Seema Chowdhry, Hauz Khas

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Seema Chowdhry, Hauz Khas

The 31st death. [Text by Seema Chowdhry; photo by Priyanka Parashar] Seema Chowdhry left for her final journey on 13 April, a Friday, with the hope that she will finally meet a Yoda, an Avatar, a Spock or any other…

City Library – Mister Arjun's Books, The Piano Man

City Library – Mister Arjun’s Books, The Piano Man

A vanishing world. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] You don’t usually see books lying about in Delhi restaurants, except for a few loungy places in Paharganj where foreign backpackers leave behind their India guidebooks for the benefit of…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Roger Choate, Stockholm

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Roger Choate, Stockholm

The 30th death. [Text by Roger Choate; photo from private collection] Longtime journalist and Ganges campaigner Roger Choate disappeared recently while tobogganing near his home in snowy Sweden. When last sighted, the old guy was wearing a battered straw hat…

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Jairaj Singh, A Smoky Bar Probably

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Jairaj Singh, A Smoky Bar Probably

The 29th death. [Text by Jairaj Singh; photo by L Coffta] It isn’t clear whether he is dead today, or still alive. What we do know is that Jairaj Singh isn’t here. It is also evident from what we know…

City Notice – The Delhi Proustians, 38th Meeting

City Notice – The Delhi Proustians, 38th Meeting

A la recherche du temps perdu. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] The 38th meeting of The Delhi Proustians was to take place on March 9 2015. The Delhi Walla has moved it to next week. Sorry, but there’s…