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What did Delhi’s famed monuments and palaces look like a century ago? How did Shahjahanabad get its name? How is the Indian capital transforming itself from a stodgy, bureaucratic city into a dynamic world class metro? If such questions intrigue you, Delhi Then and Now is a must buy.
The 202 page tome is really two books rolled in one — one side opens as Delhi Then, the other as Delhi Now. Historian Narayani Gupta, a founder member of the conservation Society of Delhi, recreates the Delhi of sultans, emperors and viceroys, while Dilip Bobb, managing editor of India Today, overviews the city as it is today.
Delhi Then stands out for its wealth of 19th century miniatures of Delhi and rare archival photographs, many of which have been published for the first time. Nineteenth century photographer Felice Beato’s first real panorama of Shahjahanabad shows us the landscape of Delhi as modified by 70 years of British rule. Through Beato’s lens we see how much wider Chandni Chowk was and how the course of the river Yamuna has altered. The reader is also treated to some stunning pictures of the ceremonial darbars held in various places in British India.
The narrative scores over the visuals in Delhi Now. Bobb loves his Delhi and does an excellent job of summarising and analysing trends, debates and issues relating to the city. This part of the book could have done with more photos of Delhi’s zeitgeist, its changing lifestyle and its new symbols of status and power. Visuals of Delhi’s multiplex culture and emerging socialite scene, which Bobb talks about in his essay, are conspicuous by their absence.
On the whole, the book is a passionate effort. The treasure trove of rare photographs and insider insights into Delhi’s past, present and future is a treat for Delhiphiles.
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Pages : 202
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