Photo Essay – The Chitli Qabar Urban Art Installation, Old Delhi
A temporary art exhibit.
[Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi]
The Old Quarter of Delhi is known for many wonders. The art of spitting noisily has been cultivated to a high form here. Many tourists, of course, come to see the Mughal-era monuments and buildings of this historical district. These days the sophisticated travellers—the kind who seeks realistic experiences—also look out for dead rats lying squashed on the narrow streets.
The city has now started to draw the tourists to a new attraction–a contemporary work of profound multi-layered creativity that seems to have clearly been inspired from the great creations of artist Subodh Gupta.
It’s a newly formed hill at Chitli Qabar Chowk, a deliciously chaotic crossing near the great Jama Masjid. The hill is made of fruit peels, egg shells, used condoms, dead cats, soggy rotis, chicken bones, mutton bones, plastic glasses, used tea leaves and empty milk packets.
On a recent morning, the area’s dogs were seen lounging on the hill. At one point a man climbed to the peak and saluted to all the people who cared to spot him up there.
Sadly, the local intellectuals mistook the idea behind the art installation and instead attributed it to a strike by municipal workers. Nevertheless, The Delhi Walla celebrates this public work by archiving it for posterity. May such art continue to flourish and inspire the city.
Stuff National Gallery of Modern Arts is made of
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and have you been to the marvelous hills of Ghazipur in east Delhi? They’re all man-made but I’ve heard the water has curative properties.
haha Naushirvan!! the water has curative properties 😛
I can well imagine the plight of the customers and owners of the shops surrounding that garbage heap, especially Prince Jewellers. One doesn’t expect to see garbage so close to beautiful things…
All over Delhi the same, except New Delhi area.
Urban Art Installation and free of charge 🙂