City Landmark - Pushkin's Statue, Redeveloped Mandi House Traffic Circle

City Landmark – Pushkin’s Statue, Redeveloped Mandi House Traffic Circle

Poet and his bird. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] A cunning squirrel is traipsing underneath the green hedges. A bird, somewhere hidden, is twittering infrequently. A yellow butterfly is flapping about aimlessly in the cold air. A barefoot…

Delhi Metro - Icing on the Chowk, Rajiv Chowk

Delhi Metro – Icing on the Chowk, Rajiv Chowk

On the 20th anniversary of Delhi Metro. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] “All across the distance and spaces between us…” An instrumental rendition of Celine Dion’s love song from the movie Titanic is playing from the speakers this…

Delhi Metro - Metro Spotting, Aastha Kunj Park

Delhi Metro – Metro Spotting, Aastha Kunj Park

On the 20th anniversary of Delhi Metro. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Suddenly the silver-grey coaches of the Violet Line glints into view, far in the horizon (see photo). The train runs past a backdrop of high-rises. But…

Delhi Metro - Poem of All Commutes, Chattarpur

Delhi Metro – Poem of All Commutes, Chattarpur

On the 20th anniversary of Delhi Metro. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] The many lines of the Delhi Metro have stitched our vast, unwieldy, smoggy city into a multi-coloured embroidery. It has also rummaged its way into the fabric of our…

Delhi Metro - Suitable Commuter, Central Secretariat

Delhi Metro – Suitable Commuter, Central Secretariat

On the 20th anniversary of Delhi Metro. [Photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] A climate change professional and a literary critic, Nikhil Kumar shares a memorable episode of his reading life on the Metro. “IT TOOK me around a hundred Metro…

Delhi Metro - Septuagenarian Commuter, Wenger's Cake Shop

Delhi Metro – Septuagenarian Commuter, Wenger’s Cake Shop

On the 20th anniversary of Delhi Metro. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] At 78, the turbaned gentleman must be among very few Delhiites of his age to travel daily on the Metro. He has a day-job to do….

Delhi Metro - Woman's Commute, Chawri Bazar Metro Station

Delhi Metro – Woman’s Commute, Chawri Bazar Metro Station

On the 20th anniversary of Delhi Metro. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] A young woman in Old Delhi, or Delhi 6, steps out of her house, with a large stole or dupatta purposely hiding the dress beneath. She…

Mission Delhi - Sumit Tokas, Connaught Place

Mission Delhi – Sumit Tokas, Connaught Place

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] He is holding a book-sized power pack battery charger, but he isn’t busy with his mobile phone. He is writing—employing the endangered duo of pen-and-paper….

Mission Delhi - Pavel, Connaught Place

Mission Delhi – Pavel, Connaught Place

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] He has the casual accessories of a foreign backpacker from backpackers’ Paharganj, but is manning a pavement stall of photos in Connaught Place, this evening….

City Walk - Galli Maulana Muhammed Saleem, Old Delhi

City Walk – Galli Maulana Muhammed Saleem, Old Delhi

This way to Galli Saleem. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Is it a calle in Venice, or a rue in Paris, or a sokak in Istanbul? This Purani Dilli galli might be mistaken for a lane in the…