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Home / Author / Mayank Austen Soofi

Mayank Austen Soofi

Mayank Austen Soofi

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

Articles by Mayank Austen Soofi

Delhiwale: His 50 years in the Book Bazar

A few booksellers from the bazar’s pioneering days are still manning the bazar. The gracious Qamar Syed is one such presence. (HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 6, 2026 12:11 IST

Delhiwale: Defence Colony’s Three Stars

Outside the edifice, colourfully painted benches lie beneath murals of turbaned, moustachioed men. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Feb 4, 2026 06:25 IST

Delhiwale: This way to Chatta Girdhar Lal

An arched niche in the building below is filled with discarded plastic bags, sacks, and broken bricks. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 30, 2026 23:12 IST

Delhiwale: Portrait of a lady

Roshan Khatoon, a housekeeper, has just finished her evening work in a central Delhi household, and is getting ready to leave for home. With an umbrella and pithu bag in hand, she patiently agrees to become a part of our Proust Questionnaire series. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 29, 2026 05:32 IST

Delhiwale: Home without a balcony

There is no balcony in this spacious sixth-floor apartment in Sahibabad. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 28, 2026 10:18 IST

Delhiwale: Mona’s silver jubilee

Today, Mona would have been over 90. She died nearly a decade ago. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 27, 2026 09:24 IST

Delhiwale: The parade sights

Citizens trying to get a glimpse of a previous year’s parade. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 26, 2026 07:32 IST

Delhiwale: This way to Gali Blue Door Wali

On a recent night, the blue doorway was uncharacteristically deserted. The elderly grocer in the modest shop beside it, was sitting on the floor adjusting the toffee jars, as a citizen strolled past, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 23, 2026 22:10 IST

Delhiwale: The return of yellow

Last year’s Basant celebrations, showing a dargah florist stall. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 22, 2026 22:08 IST

Delhiwale: One landmark, many perspectives

The Jama Masjid is so grand and so visible from all parts of the historic quarter that it appears to symbolise the entire Old Delhi. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2026 22:02 IST

Delhiwale: Landmark through generations

The Amrit Book Company shop in CP with the framed photo of the late founder. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 19, 2026 23:00 IST

Delhiwale: Usha’s daily daring excursions

Everyday, the woman gets up and dresses in a suit, a sweater and her super-warm red jacket. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 19, 2026 07:12 IST

Delhiwale: This way to Gali Mirza Suraiya Jaan

Every evening at seven, citizen Salman arrives at the gate, and sets up his food stall on one side of the street’s entrance. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 16, 2026 21:52 IST

Delhiwale: Barbershop Homer

Known more commonly in the locality as Kaaliya, Asif (left) prefers the nickname to his original name. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 15, 2026 05:05 IST

Delhiwale: Winter’s garden

This moment, a helicopter is flying over the park (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 14, 2026 09:00 IST

Delhiwale: Portrait of a former photographer

Sunil talks of his journey from being a photographer to an auto rickshaw driver. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 12, 2026 22:14 IST

One of Delhi’s favourite bibliophiles, proprietor of Faqir Chand bookstore, passes away

Faqir Chand bookstore’s Anup Bamhi died on Saturday following a heart attack, aged 64. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 10, 2026 22:58 IST

Delhiwale: This way to Gali Paswan

A corner wall shows something unexpected—a marble tile is etched with the likeness of a man in western-style suit and bow tie. The underlying inscription identifies the figure as L. Darvari Lal. (HT)

Updated on Jan 9, 2026 21:44 IST

Delhiwale: A lady dastango’s go-to salon

Fouzia is being attended to by his colleague Simmy. (HT)

Updated on Jan 7, 2026 22:58 IST

Delhiwale: Nirmala’s drinking water

There are many fellow citizens who probably cannot afford filtered drinking water. Such as citizen Nirmala. She is a beggar, and throughout the day, she sits on a Central Delhi market pave, seeking alms. During the day, she drinks the tap water sourced from a friendly snack vendor. (HT)

Updated on Jan 6, 2026 22:16 IST

Delhiwale: Turkman, 50 years later

The stone gateway on the monument dates from the Mughal-era. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 6, 2026 06:45 IST

Delhiwale: Other park, other monuments

Sunder Burj, which dates from 16th century, is the oldest monument in the garden. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Jan 5, 2026 09:47 IST

Delhiwale: This way to Gali Dilsukh Rai Khajanchi

After talking to a few passers-by accosted at Gali Dilsukh Rai Khajanchi, it emerges that the descendants of Dilsukh Rai Khajanchi continue to be the dwellers of the street. One helpful citizen points out the door of the descendants’ house. The doorbell is duly rung. The door opens, the man behind the door modestly confirms that he is indeed the descendant of the man who gave his name to the street. Sanjay Mahendra escorts the unexpected visitor through a long corridor. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 2, 2026 21:44 IST

Delhiwale: Into the lungs

This primeval land of Mangar Bani has been existing as a forest for a long time, maybe for thousands of years. (HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 1, 2026 21:36 IST

Delhiwale: On 31st December, 2025

The photo shows the urban reality of our times: a smoggy day-end gathering upon a littered ground in suburban Ghaziabad. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Dec 30, 2025 22:06 IST

Delhiwale: Noon for morning

The young tea man was silently preparing a new round of chai. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Dec 29, 2025 22:06 IST

Delhiwale: Birthday poet by numbers

Internationally renowned photographer Nicholas Vreeland (also a Buddhist monk) was sighted visiting Ghalib’s marble tomb in central Delhi. (HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 26, 2025 22:12 IST

Delhiwale: Shuklji’s reader

Among many readers who felt a personal sense of loss at Vinod Kumar Shukla’s passing is a young poet in Delhi. Mukul lives in Mayur Vihar Phase 3. (HT)

Updated on Dec 25, 2025 21:50 IST

Delhiwale: The ‘wale’ census

We are the Delhiwale. The ‘wale’ in Delhiwale loosely means ‘belonging to. (HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 24, 2025 22:08 IST

Christmas Eve edifices

The church’s main building was decked with blue and orange fairy lights, but the front lawn lay immersed in darkness. (Mayank Austen Soofi)

Updated on Dec 23, 2025 22:44 IST

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