One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Fanciful tattoos abound, don’t they? Some folks have gods embedded into their arms, or even the names of their parents. These days hipsters often show off some profound Truth-is-Beauty kind of quotes in Sanskrit or Hebrew. But his wrist features something different—a long wavering line as though symbolizing a river. “No, in fact it’s a mountain range.” explains an amused Benjamin Haswell, 35, enjoying a cappuccino in a Delhi café. A visiting architect from London, he explains that the tattoo represents the Pedra da Gavea mountain range in Brazil where he seriously injured himself. Two years ago the Londoner was hiking in the range when suddenly he slipped, causing

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Whether alone or in company, everyone is looking stressed in this Gurgaon public garden in the Greater Delhi Region. But not gardener Neelesh Kumar. Standing by a hedge, he is proving to be an exception. With his flip flop-wearing feet caked in mud, his hands holding a shovel, a spade, and a mobile, he is smiling most beatifically. What’s the story behind such bliss? Mr Kumar shrugs good-naturedly. In his early 20s, he says he just finished watching a music video of singer-dancer Sapna Choudhary on his mobile “and her performances always freshens (he uses the Hindi word ‘taaza’) the heart.” The other reason is that he is soon leaving for

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi literally teems with scores of very important people (VIPs). Meeting even 1% of them would be the achievement of a lifetime. Far easier, but equally fascinating, is to meet the good woman Chanda who sits every day on a traffic divider selling bird seed—with hundreds of birds huddled right behind her. Here at Connaught Place’s N Block (Outer Circle) the birds know a good thing, soaring above and around Chanda. “A friend told me five years ago that pigeons regularly gather here, and that I could earn a living selling grains to people who’d like to feed them,” she explains. Of course, our capital has any number of places

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It’s only noontime, but even so. Construction labourer Shyam Lal has dozed off by the pavement. How he can sleep at all is anyone’s guess, given all the raucous traffic on this Central Delhi street in Paharganj. Soon he opens his eyes, declaring: “my stomach is empty.” He, however, doesn’t look like in distress. He is actually smiling softly. As an experienced hauler of bricks on his back, Mr Lal lets it be known that he skipped breakfast “because I haven’t gotten any work so far today.” But he’s not despairing. He knows there will be breakfast tomorrow, because his regular work-assigning contractor is returning from out-of-town assignments. “Then I’ll

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] She is a woman with decided views. “This Indian culture!” exclaims Monica Bizira in an exasperated tone. “It’s a punishment to be a woman in our society.” In her mid-50s, the lady has just got a job as a cook in an eatery in Gurgaon’s Sector 5 in the Greater Delhi Region. Tying the work-day apron, she expresses relief in finally being “able to stand on my own feet.” Ms Bizira says with satisfaction that she succeeded in making her daughter an independent woman. “I gave her an education.... she is married with husband and kids, but she also has a job in Goa airport.” She herself resides with