City Life - Disappeared Citizens, Around Town

City Life – Disappeared Citizens, Around Town

Seeing the ‘missing’. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] “ Rafiq, son of Ismail, aged 62, is missing. He was last seen in Saket.”—This flier is spotted on a wall in Jangpura. ‘Missing people’ are found across Delhi. Their…

City Landmark - Bedil’s Tomb & Bharat Mandapam, Mathura Road

City Landmark – Bedil’s Tomb & Bharat Mandapam, Mathura Road

Long-ago poet these times. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi is changing so fast. Just across the road are the sleek edifices of Pragati Maidan’s Bharat Mandapam. They came up last year, replacing the decades-old Hall of Nations….

City Walk - Gali Mochiyan, Old Delhi

City Walk – Gali Mochiyan, Old Delhi

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] If it were faithful to its name, Gali Mochiyan this afternoon would be full of shoe makers at work. Instead, the gali is resonating with…

Mission Delhi - Suhail, Central Delhi

Mission Delhi – Suhail, Central Delhi

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] The vast bookstore echoes with the traffic’s dull roar—the busy road is just outside. Moments later, a melodious sound is heard. Distinct from the steady…

City Landmark - Art Gallery, Ghalib Academy

City Landmark – Art Gallery, Ghalib Academy

Poetry intersecting with painting. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] He seems so far from the world of today, but Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan Ghalib died only 155 years ago, aged 72. This being the great poet’s death anniversary,…

City Faith - Basant Panchmi, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s Dargah

City Faith – Basant Panchmi, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s Dargah

Season’s greetings. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Someone today will put on a yellow scarf. Somebody else might pick up a yellow turban, or perhaps a yellow kurta. Some other might do with a yellow rose, though yellow…

City Monument  -Chausath Khamba, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti

City Monument -Chausath Khamba, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti

Of light and stone. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Winter dhoop is making the marble glow, as if the soothing sunlight were emanating from the opacity of the stones themselves. The most beautiful of all buildings—old and new—in…

City Life - Staircases, Gurgaon Mosque & Gurgaon Mall

City Life – Staircases, Gurgaon Mosque & Gurgaon Mall

More than just a fire exit. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] Here are two aspects of one city. As seen through two staircases. The first one is a steep staircase littered with shoes, sandals and chappals—see right photo….

City Home - Kue Wala Ghar, Chawri Bazar

City Home – Kue Wala Ghar, Chawri Bazar

Old address. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] The sunlight falling on the tall blue walls quivers softly, making the concrete look liquefied. The staircase to the roof is crisscrossing upwards into a series of landings. And the sehen,…

City Hangout - Day-End at Sunday Book Bazar, Mahila Haat

City Hangout – Day-End at Sunday Book Bazar, Mahila Haat

Time passing, and final hours. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Endings mark closure to stories, give clarity. Endings tend to be poignant. Such is also the case with the fabled Sunday Book Bazar. The story of Delhi’s weekly…