City Faith – Radha Krishna Mandir, Sadar Bazaar, Gurgaon
Homely temple. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The very air is steeped in absolute mindfulness. The place feels so private that you fear you have gate-crashed into somebody’s residence. Such is the charm of Radha Krishna Mandir. A…
City Monument – Old Stephen’s, Kashmere Gate
The building that once housed a famous college. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Red bricks, sprawling gardens and a cute little chapel. That’s St Stephen’s College in Delhi University’s North Campus. But this dream destination for millions of…
Mission Delhi – Om Prakash, Central Delhi
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It’s hardly a secret that any number of people may choose to disguise greying hair with henna. But Om Prakash has carried it one step…
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…
Delhi’s Bandaged Heart – Siddhartha Singh, Central Delhi
Poetry in the city. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Not only a prolific poet, he’s also a busy tax lawyer. But Siddhartha Singh, chatting in a Delhi café, does suggest a greater intimacy to poetry, “even while law…
Home Sweet Home – Ruined Mansion, Roshanpura, Gurgaon
The story of a home. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Old abandoned houses tend to become hauntingly surreal in their dilapidation. Despite being stereotyped as a fantasy land of high-rises and multi-storey apartments, the Futuristic City of Gurgaon…
City Life – Rickshaw Puller Saroj Pal’s Pillow, Central Delhi
Material comforts. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This rather humid morning Saroj Lal in Central Delhi is still sound asleep in his rickshaw, his body splayed across it. With his feet lazily slumped over the handle bar. So…
City Food – Devi Prasad’s Chai Stall, Paharganj
The ideal tea stop. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Finally found! The pavement chai shop that arguably serves the town’s very best chai. But, first, let’s make something clear. There is no “best” chai shack in Delhi, because…
Our Self-Written Obituaries – Shadman Alvi, Chattarpur, Delhi
The 238th death. [Text and photos sent by Shadman Alvi] It was a cold frigid winter evening when the news broke out. Shadman Alvi, 62, was found lying cold on the floor of his small house in a city suburb….
Mission Delhi – Renu Prajapati, Near Gurgaon Bus Stand
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This e-rickshaw driver is a woman. Such a sight is rare in Delhi, and more so across the city border here in conservative Haryana. “Yes,…
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