City Landmark – Khan-i-Khana’s Tomb, Nizamuddin East

Scarred with beauty. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] A stone-paved lane hedged with marigold flowers leads to one of Delhi’s strangest monuments. The 16th century tomb of a Mughal noble, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana, is both ugly and beautiful….

Special Report – The Delhi Walla in Jaipur

Notes from the fifth Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Delhi Walla attended the fifth Jaipur Literature Festival, 2010. The five days were sunny and intense. There were singers, actors, ambassadors, college students, tourists, hippies,…

Jaipur Diary – The Final Fifth Day

Notes from the Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Click here to reach the complete compilation of the Jaipur Diary His language sits lightly on his shoulders. As one of the few Hindi writers in the…

Jaipur Diary – The Engaging Fourth Day

Notes from the Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Click here to reach the complete compilation of the Jaipur Diary Tina Brown, one of America’s most influential editors, is in love with the Jaipur Literature Festival….

Jaipur Diary – The Disappointing Third Day

Notes from the Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Click here to reach the complete compilation of the Jaipur Diary There is no reason why The Delhi Walla shouldn’t feel lucky to be in the fifth…

Jaipur Diary – The Intense Second Day

Notes from the Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Click here to reach the complete compilation of the Jaipur Diary As the only Nobel laureate in the fifth Jaipur Literature Festival, Wole Soynika – writer, poet…

Jaipur Diary – The Spectacular First Day

Notes from the Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Click here to reach the complete compilation of the Jaipur Diary The first day of the fifth Jaipur Literary Festival rocked. Held in Hotel Diggi Palace, there…

Jaipur Diary – The Early Birds

Notes from the Jaipur Literature Festival. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Click here to reach the complete compilation of the Jaipur Diary 9 pm, January 20th, 2010. Clear sky, cold wind. The food is so-so but who cares…

Photo Essay – Basant Celebrations, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Colour me yellow. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] On January 19th, 2010, the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was all yellow. It was the eve of Basant Panchmi, the day that marks the arrival of spring. Hence yellow,…

Mission Delhi – Changa Kumar, Hauz Khas Village

One of the one per cent in 13 million. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] The water in the bucket is as freezing as the 4.30 am air. But the stairs in this four-floor apartment complex have to be…