Photographer. Blogger. Writer. Flâneur. Historian. It’s hard to ascribe a neat label to Mayank Austen Soofi and his work. Niha Masih spends an afternoon with the Delhi Walla
The nameless white marble-top grave on his first visit did not seem very different from the thousands of others that dot the capital. Years later in 2016, when a writer called him looking for a photograph of a “grave or tomb” for an upcoming book, he revisited the grave (among many others). It was the season of “dengue and chikungunya”. Steady raindrops were crashing onto the marble floor. On top was a small, faded rose slowly unfolding and, in a corner, an obscure dead fly.
From among the hundreds he shot, a photograph of this grave would go on to feature on the cover of an international bestseller by Arundhati Roy – The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness. The photographer (also a writer), Mayank Austen Soofiaka The Delhi Walla, a self-proclaimed “hyperlocal”, had suddenly gone global. But Soofi insists he prefers the former.
He has not told anyone, not even Roy, the exact location of the grave. “The book is very special to me. So, this is a thing of mystery that I want to keep for myself,” says the 38-year old. While this may be a city secret he wants to keep, his blog, The Delhi Walla, reveals many more. With 2,748 posts (plus over 19,500 images on Instagram), it features the Delhi you should see, the Delhi that you never see, the Delhi that lies forgotten and sometimes even the Delhi that will come to be.
This story is from the September 2018 edition of GQ India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2018 edition of GQ India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The 30 Best Watches Of 2024
Rounding up the best shapes, materials, complications and sizes from this year's horological novelty treasure chest.
Wes Lang's Heroes of Love...
Last month, LA-based artist Wes Lang unveiled The Black Paintings, a monumental series of works that play like storyboards to a raucous midnight horror movieand a spiritual quest. Here, GQ collaborates with the artist on a fashion story that brings his stylish characters off the canvas.
The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre Dame
In 2019, a fire nearly destroyed the crown jewel of France-and the nation set a breakneck five-year deadline to bring it back from the ashes. This is the story of how an army of artisans turned back centuries to restore Notre-Dame by hand, and wound up reviving something even greater than the cathedral itself.
"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY."
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter talks business, legacy, art, and family
The Wedding Singers
Madboy Mink's dynamic duo, Saba Azad and Imaad Shah, redefine festive style.
A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face
As collectors look to make their grail watches stand out, they're turning to unique vintage bracelets and paying thousands on thousands for straps on the secondary market.
The Fluidity of Cartier
Why Gen Z stars are obsessed with this historic maison.
A Princess with Passion
From restoring monuments to reviving hereditary crafts, Bhavnagar's Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil has her sights on the future.
THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ
The Coachella-slaying, multi-language-singing, genre-obliterating members of Ateez are quickly becoming load-bearing stars of our global pop universe.
DEMNA UNMASKED
He's the most influential designer of the past decade. He's also the most controversial. Now the creative director of Balenciaga is exploring a surprising source of inspiration: happiness. GQ's Samuel Hine witnesses the dawn of Demna's new era, in Paris, New York, and Shanghai. Photographs by Jason Nocito.