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Mayank Austen Soofi

Mayank Austen Soofi is a writer-snapper trying to capture Delhi by heart.

Articles by Mayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: This way to Chawri Bazar

Chawri Bazar in Old Delhi, once lively, now sees labourers sleeping in deserted streets, embodying the market's spirit as they prepare for a bustling day.

Munshi browsing through his mobile phone. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Mar 21, 2025 10:55 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: CP’s burger trolley

Burger trolleys, once a staple in Connaught Place, have vanished, replaced by other street food options despite the presence of air-conditioned outlets.

The metal carts were spread across the corridors and plazas of CP. They stocked burgers, but also patties, sandwiches, paneer kulche, “hot dog,” and cream-rolls. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Mar 21, 2025 05:18 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Into a poet’s mind

Poet Ashok Kumar Malik shares insights on happiness, literature, and nature while reflecting on life and loss during a Sunday Book Bazar visit.

With his long grey beard, the calmly book browser is resembling literary lions like Tolstoy or Tagore. Poet Ashok Kumar Malik is a faithful patron of Delhi’s Sunday Book Bazar. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Mar 20, 2025 05:46 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Leaves leaving

In Delhi's courtyard by Ghalib’s tomb, spectators watch as a pilkhan tree sheds hundreds of leaves, marking the seasonal transition and survival strategy.

The pilkhan tree shedding its leaves in the courtyard beside Ghalib’s grave.

Other Cities

Published on Mar 19, 2025 05:16 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: This way to Katra Dhobiyan

Old Delhi's Walled City faces exodus due to congestion. Katra Dhobiyan offers a surprising, spacious courtyard where children play amidst history.

The four children who were playing football. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Mar 17, 2025 05:30 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Notes on city colours

Delhi's streets are vibrant with blooming yellow Caribbean Trumpets and pink bougainvilleas, evoking nostalgia and seasonal beauty amid city life.

Delhi

Updated on Mar 13, 2025 10:48 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: The Irvin Road mystery

Delhi's Masjid Irvin Road signage misnames a non-existent street; the area is actually Baba Kharak Singh Marg, reflecting colonial-era naming conflicts.

Delhi

Published on Mar 13, 2025 05:14 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Quality by any other spelling

Kwality restaurant in Delhi, founded in 1940, celebrates 85 years as a culinary landmark, renowned for its iconic channa bhathura and nostalgic ambiance.

Kwality restaurant at Regal Cinema building is one of the longest surviving landmarks of Connaught Place. (HT PHOTO)

Delhi

Published on Mar 12, 2025 05:10 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Twilight of Delhi

Ahmed Ali's "Twilight in Delhi," celebrating its 85th anniversary, vividly captures the essence of Old Delhi's culture and nostalgia.

Delhi

Updated on Mar 11, 2025 02:14 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Mary Magdalen comes to Dilli

Delhi will host Caravaggio's 'Mary Magdalen in Ecstasy' from April 11, marking a historic first for the city to showcase an original European masterpiece.

Painted by Caravaggio around 1600, the privately owned ‘Mary Magdalen in Ecstasy’ has just been exhibited in a Beijing museum. On its return journey to Rome, the painting is to make a long stopover in Delhi. (HT)

Delhi

Updated on Mar 11, 2025 02:13 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: This way to Gali Captain Wali

Gali Captain Wali in Old Delhi, once lively, now feels deserted. Saif, a machine repairer, reflects on its past, while silence prevails in narrow lanes.

Delhi

Updated on Mar 07, 2025 10:54 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: River sutra

A man wades in the polluted Yamuna river in Delhi, as cars rush by on the bridge above, highlighting the river's neglected state amidst urban life.

Delhi

Published on Mar 07, 2025 05:34 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Walking down the history lane

Aurangzeb's intolerance led to the martyrdom of Sarmad, a mystic executed for his beliefs. Sarmad's grave in Delhi symbolizes this tragic history.

Over the centuries, the spot under the neem tree where Sarmad’s earthly remains were interred transformed into a peaceful Sufi dargah. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Mar 06, 2025 05:14 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Pink, small and punctual

Octavio Paz admired Lodhi Garden but missed its iconic bougainvilleas. These trees bloom yearly, enchanting Delhi with their vibrant pink flowers.

This Seeta-aur-Geeta duo bears flowers throughout the year, but the densest blossoming returns punctually with the departure of winter (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Mar 05, 2025 06:16 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Portrait of an entrepreneur

Shweta, a young entrepreneur, sells homemade rajma chawal at a stall outside Book Bazar, aiming to stabilise her business and honor her sister.

Shweta’s rajma chawal stall at the Book Bazar in Mahila Haat on Asaf Ali Road. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Mar 04, 2025 07:29 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Khajla blooms

In spring, flowers bloom in Delhi, but khajla, a giant delicacy, shines during Ramadan, especially in Old Delhi's sweet shops.

The crispy crackly khajla surfaces during the ramzan when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Mar 03, 2025 05:44 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: A city landmark

Ghazipur's garbage hill, India's largest landfill, looms over Delhi, reflecting the struggle between waste and survival as life persists amid the refuse.

Delhi

Updated on Mar 01, 2025 07:00 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Chaikhana chronicles

The closure of a long-time chaikhana in the Walled City highlights the rarity of these teahouses, which serve as vital community spaces for locals.

Modern Tea House in Gali Haveli Azam Khan is a poets’ corner. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Mar 01, 2025 07:00 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: This way to David Street, part II

Leena Kapoor, great-granddaughter-in-law of Saul David, reflects on her family's legacy on Old Delhi's David Street, which still bears his name.

Leena Kapoor confirms she is the great-granddaughter-in-law of Saul David, the man who gave his name to the street. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Mar 01, 2025 06:58 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: You’ve Got Mooli

Rajesh's vibrant vegetable cart in Ghaziabad stands next to a rarely-used letterbox, symbolizing the decline of handwritten correspondence in the digital age.

One letterbox stands by Rajesh’s cart, here in Ghaziabad’s Sector 17. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Feb 26, 2025 05:50 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Century scored

Gurugram's Swatantrata Senani Zila Parishad Hall, built in 1925, celebrates its centenary, honoring history amidst the city's modernity.

A landmark in the Millennium City is observing its centenary—Swatantrata Senani Zila Parishad Hall. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Feb 25, 2025 05:14 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Spring is the thing with… semal!

The semal blossom returns to Delhi, marking the brief spring with vibrant red flowers, a sight celebrated across the city’s parks and streets.

The semal tree beside the ITO crossing is glowing in a festive bloom. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Feb 23, 2025 09:34 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: This way to David Street

Daryaganj's David Street reflects loss with absent vendors and a vanished bridge, yet remains lively with tea drinkers and laborers watching cricket.

Leena Kapoor, the great-granddaughter-in-law of Saul David, the man who gave his name to the street. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Feb 21, 2025 09:19 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Pink Lodhi

Visit Lodhi Garden to see the stunning pink trumpet trees in full bloom, a vibrant sight against the blue sky, perfect for a serene escape.

Since the flowers are pink, and are shaped into a trumpet, they are called pink trumpet. (HT PHOTO)

Delhi

Published on Feb 20, 2025 06:04 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Neeli’s blues

Neeli Masjid in Hauz Khas Enclave offers different experiences by day and night, illuminated by blue sheets amidst a quiet, smoggy backdrop.

Neeli Masjid in Hauz Khas Enclave. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Feb 19, 2025 07:14 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: An enigmatic bookman

Delhi's enigmatic bookseller Vishal Nagraj re-emerges after a disappearance, sharing insights on solitude, literature, and his love for books.

Vishal Nagraj in a bookstore in the city. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Feb 18, 2025 05:14 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Citizen Jaisul

Jaisul, a Delhi rickshaw puller, reflects on his struggles, family ties, and the burden of debt after a rare visit home to Bihar.

Delhi

Updated on Feb 17, 2025 03:49 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: This way to Kucha Dakhni Rai

Kucha Dakhni Rai features long-standing machinery shops and a chai stall run by Zakib, with locals unaware of the history behind the name.

Zakib has been running his chai stall for 30 years in Kucha Dakhni Rai. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Feb 15, 2025 04:45 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: Valentine’s Day mubarak

This Valentine's Day, enjoy romantic verses by Mirza Ghalib, reflecting deep passion and longing, perfect for reading in Lodhi Garden.

Dawood, a shop staffer, at Ghalib’s tomb. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Updated on Feb 13, 2025 10:37 PM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: A city that is a gram

Gurugram turns 10 in 2026, celebrating its rich heritage and modernity with Instagrammable spots like Sham Sweets, Gateway Tower, and Gwal Pahari.

Each scrawl is in a different handwriting, indicating that this is a popular getaway for local Romeos and Juliets. (HT Photo)

Delhi

Published on Feb 11, 2025 05:24 AM IST

ByMayank Austen Soofi

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Mayank Austen Soofi

Mayank Austen Soofi is a writer-snapper trying to capture Delhi by heart.

Chawri Bazar in Old Delhi, once lively, now sees labourers sleeping in deserted streets, embodying the market's spirit as they prepare for a bustling day.

Burger trolleys, once a staple in Connaught Place, have vanished, replaced by other street food options despite the presence of air-conditioned outlets.

Poet Ashok Kumar Malik shares insights on happiness, literature, and nature while reflecting on life and loss during a Sunday Book Bazar visit.

In Delhi's courtyard by Ghalib’s tomb, spectators watch as a pilkhan tree sheds hundreds of leaves, marking the seasonal transition and survival strategy.

Old Delhi's Walled City faces exodus due to congestion. Katra Dhobiyan offers a surprising, spacious courtyard where children play amidst history.

Delhi's streets are vibrant with blooming yellow Caribbean Trumpets and pink bougainvilleas, evoking nostalgia and seasonal beauty amid city life.

Delhi's Masjid Irvin Road signage misnames a non-existent street; the area is actually Baba Kharak Singh Marg, reflecting colonial-era naming conflicts.

Kwality restaurant in Delhi, founded in 1940, celebrates 85 years as a culinary landmark, renowned for its iconic channa bhathura and nostalgic ambiance.

Ahmed Ali's "Twilight in Delhi," celebrating its 85th anniversary, vividly captures the essence of Old Delhi's culture and nostalgia.

Delhi will host Caravaggio's 'Mary Magdalen in Ecstasy' from April 11, marking a historic first for the city to showcase an original European masterpiece.

Gali Captain Wali in Old Delhi, once lively, now feels deserted. Saif, a machine repairer, reflects on its past, while silence prevails in narrow lanes.

A man wades in the polluted Yamuna river in Delhi, as cars rush by on the bridge above, highlighting the river's neglected state amidst urban life.

Aurangzeb's intolerance led to the martyrdom of Sarmad, a mystic executed for his beliefs. Sarmad's grave in Delhi symbolizes this tragic history.

Octavio Paz admired Lodhi Garden but missed its iconic bougainvilleas. These trees bloom yearly, enchanting Delhi with their vibrant pink flowers.

Shweta, a young entrepreneur, sells homemade rajma chawal at a stall outside Book Bazar, aiming to stabilise her business and honor her sister.

In spring, flowers bloom in Delhi, but khajla, a giant delicacy, shines during Ramadan, especially in Old Delhi's sweet shops.

Ghazipur's garbage hill, India's largest landfill, looms over Delhi, reflecting the struggle between waste and survival as life persists amid the refuse.

The closure of a long-time chaikhana in the Walled City highlights the rarity of these teahouses, which serve as vital community spaces for locals.

Leena Kapoor, great-granddaughter-in-law of Saul David, reflects on her family's legacy on Old Delhi's David Street, which still bears his name.

Rajesh's vibrant vegetable cart in Ghaziabad stands next to a rarely-used letterbox, symbolizing the decline of handwritten correspondence in the digital age.

Gurugram's Swatantrata Senani Zila Parishad Hall, built in 1925, celebrates its centenary, honoring history amidst the city's modernity.

The semal blossom returns to Delhi, marking the brief spring with vibrant red flowers, a sight celebrated across the city’s parks and streets.

Daryaganj's David Street reflects loss with absent vendors and a vanished bridge, yet remains lively with tea drinkers and laborers watching cricket.

Visit Lodhi Garden to see the stunning pink trumpet trees in full bloom, a vibrant sight against the blue sky, perfect for a serene escape.

Neeli Masjid in Hauz Khas Enclave offers different experiences by day and night, illuminated by blue sheets amidst a quiet, smoggy backdrop.

Delhi's enigmatic bookseller Vishal Nagraj re-emerges after a disappearance, sharing insights on solitude, literature, and his love for books.

Jaisul, a Delhi rickshaw puller, reflects on his struggles, family ties, and the burden of debt after a rare visit home to Bihar.

Kucha Dakhni Rai features long-standing machinery shops and a chai stall run by Zakib, with locals unaware of the history behind the name.

This Valentine's Day, enjoy romantic verses by Mirza Ghalib, reflecting deep passion and longing, perfect for reading in Lodhi Garden.

Gurugram turns 10 in 2026, celebrating its rich heritage and modernity with Instagrammable spots like Sham Sweets, Gateway Tower, and Gwal Pahari.

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