Hauz Khas village, South Delhi



6.23am: Waking up in Hauz Khas Village, my new address. Looking out the window into the 13th century ruins. Ferozeshah’s tomb, the madrasa, the lake. Beyond – Deer Park. The trees laced with the morning mist. The rest of Delhi invisible.

6.45am: Sitting with EM Forster’s A Room With A View.

7.47am: The back terrace lit up with natural light. On the ledge, a bird’s nest (There’s an egg!).

8.15am: The village lane. A schoolboy on his bike. Boutique stores, still closed. Morning walkers. A peacock flying on to a car’s roof. Fruit sellers outside the village gate. A road looping ahead. On the left, the woods. Opposite, the sun rays splitting through the branches of trees. They are falling on a cyclist, an empty plastic bottle, a sweeper. Moments later: a traffic light, a ruin, a flower seller. Turning left. Green Park Main. Hauz Khas ends.

Note Hauz Khas Village is the outcome of a successful marriage between rural setting and urban chic, with ruins as backdrop. In this jumble of art galleries, restaurants, furniture stores, and private houses, you would find a few apartments that are available on lease. Architecturally unimaginative but livable, the monthly rent of a one-room flat may cost between Rs 7000 and Rs 9000.

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  • shiva

    good effort.

    can i expect another Hauz Khas from the perspective of a rural Indian?

    (writing style is close to sex diaries in newyorkmag)

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  • puneet

    i still remember d first tiem i went to hauz khas..n mann i wan totally awestuck..those small lanes..old shops selling authentic old film pictures and posters..silver jewelry..n along wid dem the more chic boutiques sellin designer wear..(i esp like swati modo’s shop)..hauz khas jus transports a person to a very different time space..!

    n i really hope dat d govt doesnt try to remodel it..itz jus beautiful as it is..!

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  • Dagnacious

    Hello MAS.. reading a blog -http://issuedinpublicinterest.blogspot.com/2008/10/backscratching-darcy-boy.html, i realized that its you who break the soppy monotony of dilse from time to time.. do say my hellos to wickham! :)

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  • Sunaina

    wd love to meet you/chat about hkv and delhi of yesterday and today. do come by some time to my boutique, raj creations, #30 GF, main road.

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  • Puneet

    New address eh?! Cool… what happens to Nizamuddin basti now? :)

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  • http://ritudiary.wordpress.com/ Ritu

    Nice description of Hauz Khas! It seems that now u will be obssessed with Hauz Khas…but the place is really amazing. Once you start living, you never want to get out of it…

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  • Anonymous

    Right thing to discuss.

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