City Hangout – Government Sunder Nursery, Mathura Road
The magical greenhouse. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] From October to March, it is a country of roses, tulips, poppies and dahlias – all available at bargain basement prices. Government Sunder Nursery – Sunder means ‘beautiful’ in Hindi…
City Hangout – Dining Room & Lounge, India International Centre
Dining with the VIPs. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Request the fifth table on the right. For before he became president, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam would take his vegetarian thali there. The table was also preferred by late prime…
City Hangout – Inter-State Bus Terminuses, Around Town
When buses will fly. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi’s international airport is named after Indira Gandhi, while Maharana Pratap has to make do with its main inter-state bus terminus. Unfair? Bus terminals, or bus addas, are not…
City Hangout – Castro Café, Jamia Millia Islamia
The ideas den. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The floor is of Kota stone. The benches have wooden sheesham tops. There are no doors. Designed by the Delhi-based Romi Khosla Design Studio, this is Castro Café in Jamia…
City Hangout – Lanes & Localities, Old Delhi
The Walled City dictionary. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Once, it was a land of galis (lanes) and kuchas (residential alleys usually inhabited by people having the same occupation). But little remains of Purani Dehli’s canals and tree-lined…
City Hangout – BK Dutt Colony, Central Delhi
A cushioned world. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] In the summer, the blooming flowers of the park’s Amaltas trees paint BK Dutt Colony a shade of gold. During the rest of the year, however, the park looks as…
City Hangout – Cinemas, Around Town
Single screens and multiplexes. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The pink chandeliers are from Italy. The carved pillars are of wood. The LED screen displays the exact air-conditioned temperature inside the auditorium. The balcony seats—headrest included—are of velvet…
City Hangout – The Subways, Connaught Place
The Delhi underworld. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Omwati sweeps the place. Anil sells guavas and apples. Dinesh Kumar hawks mobile phone covers and chargers. Baneshwar Sahu keeps application forms for passport and PAN (permanent account number) card….
City Hangout – Tilak Nagar Central Market, West Delhi
Two hours in the West. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Tilak Nagar Central Market (Wednesday closed) in West Delhi can be regarded as the chicken curry for the desi soul. Congested and cosy — it has the small-town…
City Hangout – Deer Park, South Delhi
Gangnam, DDA style. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] As seen on a board in south Delhi’s Deer Park: • Stand erect • Feet together • Jump stride • Bringing arms to shoulder level Follow these instructions and, the…
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