City Walk - Jahanpanah City Forest, South Delhi

City Walk – Jahanpanah City Forest, South Delhi

Into the wild. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] You’ve probably heard that old expression “can’t miss the woods for the trees!” That’s exactly how The Delhi Walla felt one cold evening when venturing into Jahanpanah City Forest. My…

City Walk - Twilight Around the Water, Hauz Khas Lake

City Walk – Twilight Around the Water, Hauz Khas Lake

A stroll around the huaz. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] These days anything even resembling a pool of water can easily inspire panic among Delhiwallas thanks to dengue mosquitoes. But December is one of our better months. The…

City Walk - An Unusual Route, From Barakhamba Traffic Light to Turkman Gate

City Walk – An Unusual Route, From Barakhamba Traffic Light to Turkman Gate

A contrasting world. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Let us go, you and I, when early evening splays the skies. To set forth on a surprising stroll that reveals storied wealth uneasily nudged by gross poverty. The walk…

City Walk - Vakeel Lane, Central Delhi

City Walk – Vakeel Lane, Central Delhi

A serene amble. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This quiet stretch has the tranquility of a siesta hour. Vakeel Lane is a short walk from the Colonial-era commercial district of Connaught Place. But you will not believe it….

City Walk - Historian William Dalrymple's Guided Tour, Mehrauli Ruins

City Walk – Historian William Dalrymple’s Guided Tour, Mehrauli Ruins

Author walk. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] More than 50 experts from different fields have been pooled in for the ongoing Delhi Walk Festival. Only three of them are foreigners. While no walk can have more than 30…

City Walk - Mandi House Traffic Circle, Central Delhi

City Walk – Mandi House Traffic Circle, Central Delhi

Inside the theater district’s heart. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] A santoor recital. An art opening sundowner. A new play. Been there, done that. Mandi House, after all, is home to art galleries, concert halls, and the exalted…

City Walk - The Regal Cinema Backside, Central Delhi

City Walk – The Regal Cinema Backside, Central Delhi

The underground excursion. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This has to be the craziest ‘walk’ in Delhi. Actually, it is nothing but a little lane hidden behind the Regal cinema building in the Colonial-era Connaught Place. You might…

City Walk - Towards Flaubert's Tomb, Cimetière Monumental de Rouen

City Walk – Towards Flaubert’s Tomb, Cimetière Monumental de Rouen

Visiting a writer’s grave. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] So harmonious, these living arrangements of the dead. The Delhi Walla is at the Monumental Cemetery in Rouen, the home of Gustave Flaubert, the creator of Madame Bovary. In…

City Walk - Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi

City Walk – Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi

Touched by moonlight. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] It is pleasant to be in Chandni Chowk, to sweep the eyes 360 degrees in this in-your-face Secular India theme park—temples, mosques, church and gurdwara. To see masked Jains, kirpan-wielding…

City Walk - From ITO to Red Fort, Central Delhi

City Walk – From ITO to Red Fort, Central Delhi

The path less traveled. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Trips to Jama Masjid will soon become easier. The trial run of the eagerly awaited and much postponed Heritage Line of the Delhi Metro will begin in August 2016,…