City Landmark – Hindu College, North Campus
The rightward course. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It appears to be a new dawn for the “lotus”. No, The Delhi Walla is not cheering the 2014 election victory of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Narendra Modi, who led…
City Landmark – Taxi Stands, Around Town
Almost history. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Just the place to while away an evening—string cots under mulberry trees, cold water in earthenware pots, a table fan to keep the flies away, and if it rains, a cabin…
City Landmark – Flyovers, Around Town
The underbelly. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi has 90 flyovers. And some of them play a role beyond ensuring the smooth flow of traffic. Take the ITO-Ring Road flyover. The IP Estate police station is located underneath…
City Neighborhood – Sujan Singh Park, Central Delhi
The higher plateau. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Green creepers cover the red brick walls. Hibiscus vines frame the windows. Pink bougainvilleas climb to higher balconies. A large mulberry tree graces the lawn at the center. The apartments,…
City Landmark – Three Delhi Friends, Old Connaught Place
A Capital ritual. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This is the story of three men in their mid-80s who meet every Sunday in Connaught Place for coffee. The rendezvous always lasts 2 hours, starting 10.30am. The friends have…
City Landmark – Ram Chander & Sons, Connaught Place
India’s oldest toy store. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] The pillars outside the corridor have been repainted. The adjacent Odeon Cinema has been taken over by a multiplex chain. Elsewhere, most familiar landmarks have given way to junk…
City Landmark – Steam Engine, Copernicus Marg
Made in London. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This little steam engine looks like a toy, but it is real and has a name – MTR No. 1. The maroon locomotive in central Delhi’s India Gate circle has…
City Landmark – Haji Hotel, Motor Parts Market
The Walled City’s billion-star hotel. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Old Delhi’s Haji Hotel lies in the congested Motor Parts Market. There are shops selling used car tyres. It is almost impossible to simultaneously inhale oxygen and fight…
City Landmark – Standard Restaurant, Regal Cinema Building
A New Delhi souvenir. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The empty ground floor used to be its pastry counter. The Delhi Walla is at Standard restaurant, a place that no longer exists. Opened in 1957, Standard was in…
City Landmark – Jackson’s Books, Paharganj
Delhi’s most charming second-hand bookshop. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Jackson’s bookstore in central Delhi’s Paharganj sells novels and guidebooks at discount prices. This cramped shop has books in more than 10 languages, including French, German, Italian,…
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