Mir Taqi Mir’s verse captures deep love and longing for Delhi. His poetry echoes the feeling of finding one’s true self in the city.
Deeda-e-giryaan hamara neher hai
Dil-e-kharaaba jaise Dilli shehar hai
“My weeping eyes are like a river
My heart ruined like the city of Delhi”
Delhi is a city that lures people from different places who romanticize it as their muse. Many prominent works revolve around the heritage and history of Delhi. The city has gone through various phases and continues to get built and broken again. While cinema has portrayed Delhi in its full glory through films like Rockstar, Band Baaja Baaraat, or Delhi 6, literature brings the city’s soul to life. Books make people wander the streets of Delhi and interact with its different facets through vivid descriptions.
Several writers have told the stories underlying Delhi’s heritage interlinked with their accounts, one such prolific poet being Mirza Ghalib. Talking about Delhi without mentioning Ghalib feels like a sin. His writings covered the chronicles of Delhi and were found after he died in 1869. Author Pavan K. Varma talks about this through a biography titled Ghalib: The Man, The Times. The book opens with Ghalib’s stature in the Mughal court and depicts the chain of events that the city underwent after the Revolt of 1857, which marked the beginning of the British atrocities.
Then comes Korma, Kheer and Kismet, the illuminating work of Scottish journalist Pamela Timms. She churns many tales about the food of Old Delhi, taking readers to those places in the city and capturing the distinct fragrance of the delicacies described in the book. This book also serves as a strong counterpoint to the belief that heritage lies only in monuments. It notes how heritage covers each aspect of culture and life.
Before heritage walks became a trend, books played a major role in the lives of those who shared a curiosity for extraordinary places. The Forgotten Cities of Delhi is a remarkable book by Rana Safvi that incorporates all the hidden gems of Delhi. Beginning from the historical trails in Siri, Tughlaqabad to the serenity of the holy dargahs of Central Delhi, the book feels surreal with its illustrations and poetic excerpts.
Delhi has such a rich history one cannot just confine it to the indisputable connection the city shares with the Mughal culture. It dates back to the period of Mahabharata, a crucial landmark in the heritage of India. A notable Urdu writer, Intizar Hussain has recounted the origin of Delhi, the then Indraprastha, while also glimpsing into the present life of the city that lies beyond description. His book was later translated by Ghazala Jamil and Faiz Ullah into English and titled Once There Was a City Named Dilli.
The true way to explore a city is to walk through its streets and cross every puddle in between, but literary works that focus on a city as a living entity give deep insights into its history. They stand the test of time, providing ample evidence and stories from the past as the city constantly transforms, as its heritage gets rooted out to build other cemented structures. But no matter if it has taken a different hue, Delhi remains home to its people. They must relate to one of Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq’s oft-quoted lines: Kaun jaye Zauq par Dilli ki galiyan chhod kar. “Who then can leave the streets of Delhi?”
About the Author:
Anshita Jain
I am a literature student and an avid reader. In addition to to my love to hoard books, I am also interested in exploring the various realms of art in the hope finding my true passion (who am I kidding).
