City Neighbourhood- Gali Peerji Wali, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood- Gali Peerji Wali, Old Delhi

Mystic’s lane. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] They forgot the water jug. The family must have vacated the old house in a hurry. Not much remains of the mansion except for a green door and a corner wall,…

City Neighbourhood- Gali Godo Wali, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood- Gali Godo Wali, Old Delhi

A secretive world. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] With its extreme narrowness and darkened ambiance, Gali Godo Wali has the mood of an underground tunnel . Plus, it is so secretive that it doesn’t exist even on Google…

City Neighbourhood - Gali School Wali, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood – Gali School Wali, Old Delhi

Lane of doorways. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Standing outside an archaic blue doorway, a man in blue (see photo) is singing a tragically worded lullaby, pleading for alms. He pauses, stands silently for some time, and walks…

City Walk - Civil Lines, Gurugram

City Walk – Civil Lines, Gurugram

A walk for a civil season. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] The fog is gone. The smog isn’t so visible. The sky is of a rare blue, at least on certain days. It is that magical time of…

City Walk - Gali Mochiyan, Old Delhi

City Walk – Gali Mochiyan, Old Delhi

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] If it were faithful to its name, Gali Mochiyan this afternoon would be full of shoe makers at work. Instead, the gali is resonating with…

City Walk - Prithviraj Road, Central Delhi

City Walk – Prithviraj Road, Central Delhi

A stroll through exclusivity. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] The road is wide. The pavement is also wide, so wide that three or four of us can easily walk together side by side. Meanwhile, the night air is…

City Neighbourhood - Gali Ghisi Int, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood – Gali Ghisi Int, Old Delhi

A street with an unusual name. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] It feels like Vladivostok. Just as remote, as isolated from the crowded and familiar world. This silent Old Delhi street, on the slope of Pahari Bhojla, is…

City Neighbourhood - Gali Ghantewali, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood – Gali Ghantewali, Old Delhi

A street of the bell. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Lazy but punctual, it comes back every hour to mark the passing of time. Sometimes its sound is so muted by the daytime blabber of the streets, and…

City Neighbourhood - Gali Gondni Wali, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood – Gali Gondni Wali, Old Delhi

A street of the interiors. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Walking down the Walled City galis is comparable to chase scenes in James Bond thrillers in which the hero is running after the anti-hero through a variety of…

City Neighbourhood - Gali Dakotan, Old Delhi

City Neighbourhood – Gali Dakotan, Old Delhi

Lane of Saturday people. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Place-names in Old Delhi make sense. Gosht Wali Pahari is nestled along a pahari and has shops selling gosht. Pahari Imli had an imli tree. Gali Akhare Wali had…