City Life – Mirza Ghalib’s Love Signs, Ghalib Academy Life by The Delhi Walla - June 25, 2017June 25, 20170 Chairs of heart. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It is evening and ghazal singer Athar Hussain Khan is rendering ‘Chupke Chupke’ to a packed audience. The Delhi Walla is at Ghalib Academy in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Basti. The front row glitterati in the auditorium include Urdu poet and short story writer Nigar Azim. The great 19th century poet Mirza Ghalib, after whom the institution is named, is also present—as a painting. The balcony, however, is empty. In fact, it mostly remains without people even during the most coveted poetry sessions that are frequently hosted here to celebrate Ghalib’s legacy. I soon discover that my impression about the balcony was an illusion. These vacant seats are souvenirs to the memories of all