Two friends trying to find their purpose in life by traversing the streets of Delhi.
When The East India Company arrived in India, it made it compulsory for army men and British officials to either bring their wives along or marry a native. The British also adopted the Mughal practice of taking concubines or prostitutes as partners, which, however, became a problematic practice in the early years of the 19th … Continue reading The Mosque of Mubarak Begum
Sandwiched between the Lok Nayak Hospital and the bustling locality of Chandni Chowk lies Asaf Ali Marg, an old and dingy road that houses a number of banks, shops, and bookstores. To the east of this street lies the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, whereas the Lal Quila is just a few miles to the north. … Continue reading Hotel Broadway
When a nation undergoes a major historical amend, does this change manifest itself in areas other than high politics? As countries undergo significant political changes, they also experience specific paradigmatic shifts in culture and ideology that trickle down and engulf not only it’s people but also transform the very symbols and rituals embedded in them … Continue reading Delhi in 1947: The Role of Bharat Mata in the Indian Independence
The Old-Walled city of Delhi houses a variety of stories behind its mysterious maze of timeworn streets, that trace their origins deep into the annals of medieval Indian history. As we venture into the labyrinth of its galis and mohallas, we come face-to-face with the dearth of treasures it has kept hidden behind its centuries-old … Continue reading The Khayali Gharana of Delhi
The twentieth century flooded Indian history with major transformations. In the initial decades of the twentieth century, one of the major changes was the shifting of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. While the city of Shahjahanabad in Delhi enjoyed an important position from the late 17th century onwards, the shifting of the British capital … Continue reading Rooh-Afza: A Spirit for the Soul
“Please come, come in,'' says Tahir, a short guy clad in a shabby teal kurta-pyjama whose eyes gleam as he looks at us. His shop is right across the street from the Jama Masjid, a street which is never silent; the sound of all sorts of vehicles and numerous people emerge from the street on … Continue reading An Artist lost in time
The customary winter drafts blew through the crowded streets of this part of Old Delhi, bringing with it the aroma of spiced meat being cooked and the smoky smell of coal being burnt in the tandoors. Behind us the minarets at the centuries' old mosque blared the Azaan, the name of God reverberating around us, … Continue reading Shahjahanabad
Dastaan-E-Dilli 