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
The word mushaira is derived from the Arabic root word Sh-`A-Ra which as a noun means ‘something that is felt’ and as a verb means ‘to feel’. Mushairas and poets played an essential role in Delhi’s religio-cultural landscape. Verses were recited in the qahwa khanas (coffee houses) of Chandni Chowk, at various urs and at … Continue reading The Firang Shayar
“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 