City Walk – Side-lane Strolling, Jor Bagh
A passage to exclusivity.
[Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi]
Who wouldn’t want to live right here in Jor Bagh?
This upscale neighbourhood in Central Delhi is far from maddening crowds, with graceful mansions safely secured by guards and dogs.
Even so, one can sense the flavour of the hushed enclave by embarking on a pleasing stroll through a side-alley connecting to Jor Bagh via Second Avenue Road.
The discreetly situated lane takes you past the backsides of the great houses where any number of tiny dwellings provide shelter for staff— plus, there are enchanting views of spiraling staircases going up to the roof. These one-room homes are crammed with beds and tables and entire lifetimes worth of domestic accumulations. Elsewhere, the lovely short lane is neatly decorated with straight lines of flowerpots. Probably the doing of the residents of the aforementioned staff quarters, the orderly pavement decor adds a pleasing perspective to our otherwise messy metropolis.
This afternoon, at least, the alley is so very… quiet. Mainly, the chatter of birds, while the roar of traffic is reduced to mere white noise. This lane itself is shaded by the shifting shadows of tree leaves: the patterns changing with every passing hour. Romantic couples sometimes park along the lane, sitting silently holding hands, sometimes appearing sad. Whatever else happens, they probably won’t be living in Jor Bagh anytime soon, if ever.
The lane abruptly ends at a park, with a sign: Parking for residents only. So concludes the tour. Further ahead reigns wealth with an ample measure of snobbery thrown into the bargain.
Side-walk to Jor Bagh
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