Delhiwale: A spot like no other | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Delhiwale: A spot like no other

ByMayank Austen Soofi, New Delhi
Jul 15, 2022 01:45 PM IST

A new place to lounge in the national capital region.

This day, last year: hundreds of pigeons around freedom fighter Asaf Ali’s statue.

Freedom fighter Asaf Ali’s statue at the head of Asaf Ali Road. PREMIUM
Freedom fighter Asaf Ali’s statue at the head of Asaf Ali Road.

This day, this year: hundreds of pigeons are still around the same statue.

Yet, the place has been transformed.

This can become one of the loveliest little places to lounge in the entire national capital region (NCR). It is still not open, so nothing official about this sneak preview.

Earlier, the plaza at the head of Asaf Ali Road was impossible to penetrate. Every inch of the land was occupied by pigeons. All through the day, people would get grains from the grain hawkers sitting by the statue, and feed the fat birds. The scene was reminiscent of Roman vomitoriums where the guests would eat and eat, throw up, and eat again. The whole ground, as well as the venerable statue, stayed stained with the bird droppings.

Some months ago the plaza was barricaded. This afternoon, the birds are as packed as ever, but the dirty ground has given way to a thick bed of grass. That’s right, there has been a facelift. Shinny benches are scattered around the lawn.

This new garden will open soon, assures a car parking attendant nearby, gesturing towards the plaza’s recently installed lamp posts, still covered in plastic. He credits the renovation to a joint enterprise of Delhi Metro with the city’s municipal corporation.

A gap through the barricade makes it possible to enter the enclosure. The photo above doesn’t convey even half the beauty the place is exuding. It is tranquil to sit on a bench, to gaze upon the statue, to observe the society of birds. The Mughal-era Dill Gate, nearby, adds gravity to the backdrop. The traffic speeding along the avenues is incessant but its unsteady rumble fails to shatter the shanti.

There certainly are many places in the big wide metropolis to feed the pigeons (such as the Masjid Udyan in Gurugram, etc), but nowhere will you find benches dispersed so picturesquely around a bird-filled nook, presided over by a stately statue, and with a centuries-old monument within easy sight.

Such panoramas are common in European cities, where they tend to be a popular meeting point for the locals (check Henri Cartier-Bresson photos). Now, our Delhi, too, has one. Hoping the place is unveiled asap. Just a few steps away from Delhi Gate metro station.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Continue reading with HT Premium Subscription

Daily E Paper I Premium Articles I Brunch E Magazine I Daily Infographics
freemium
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On