Kashmir Diary – The Bund, Srinagar
The unhappy land. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] A pathway by the Jhelum, the Bund teems with Kashmiris, not tourists. The Delhi Walla is in Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital. In the afternoon, schoolboys sit on the riverside slopes, while…
Kashmir Diary – Inner Meanings, Srinagar
The unhappy land. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Pigeons soaring up from Lal Chowk. Mist coming down the snow-capped mountains. A soldier with a gun, he is smiling. A veiled woman inside a bus, sitting on a window-side…
Kashmir Diary – Jamia Masjid, Srinagar
The unhappy land. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Mossy brick paths, grey pigeons, yellow poppies and smooth pillars made from the wood of Deodar. The Delhi Walla is at Jamia Masjid, the grand Friday mosque in Nowhatta, a…
Kashmir Diary – A Bloodless Evening, Srinagar
The unhappy land. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The sun is setting behind Hari Parbat. The ancient temple at the top of Shankaracharya Hill has disappeared from view. The boats on the Dal lake are reduced to their…
Kashmir Diary – Martyr’s Graveyard, Srinagar
The unhappy land. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The graves are covered with grass, irises and roses. The Martyr’s Graveyard in Old Srinagar is crowded with men who, it is said, died in the struggle for an independent…
City Travel – The Heart of Sufism, Ajmer Sharif
The soul of Delhi. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Delhi is the city of Sufis. It is traditionally known as ‘Bais khwaja ki chaukhat’, the threshold of 22 Sufis. To understand the soul of this city, you must…
City Travel – Nainital, North of Delhi
In search of lost time. [Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi] At a height of 1,938m, giddy tourists gratify themselves by boating on the lake, riding the ropeway trolley and shopping on Mall Road. That’s Nainital, the hill station…
City Travel – Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
The middle-class Delhi’s Switzerland. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] Mussoorie, the Himalayan town in Uttarakhand that is a six-hour drive from Delhi, is a resort in name only. The Mall Road, the city’s touristy stretch, is littered with…
Jaipur Diary – People of the Festival
Saluting the lit lovers. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] It’s the people. In the 6th Jaipur Literature Festival, The Delhi Walla liked the readers more than the authors. I was moved by the earnestness of Delhi University students…
Jaipur Diary – The Chai Breaks
The tea in the earthen cup. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] One of the many good things about the 6th Jaipur Literature Festival was the free chai served daily in the two chai breaks – at morning and…
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