City of Djinns: A Year in DelhiCity of Djinns is the portrait of a city as has never been attempted before. Meeting an extraordinary array of characters, from the city's elusive eunuchs to the embattled descendants of the great Moghuls, from the nouveauriche Punjabis to the last witnesses of the British Raj, and investigating the resonances of these people and their ways with the India of the past, this is a unique and dazzling feat of research and adventure by one of the finest writers of his generation. Watched over and protected by the mischievous djinns - spirits invisible to the naked eye, 'like us in all things, but fashioned from fire' - Delhi has been saved many times over the centuries. From the desolate, run-down graveyards in which partridge-fighting has drawn crowds for hundreds of years to the exquisite palaces of the old city which now lie empty and crumbling, Dalrymple comes to know this bewildering place intimately. He conveys the magical nature of this city at the meeting point of all the great cultures of South Asia, a city that has been destroyed and rebuilt, forever being reborn under the care of its guardian djinns. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
appeared arrived asked Balvinder beautiful become began bird British brother brought building built called century course court covered dark Delhi dervish djinns door Dr Jaffery early Emperor English eunuchs eyes face father finally five followed four Fraser front garden Gate girls give hands head Hindu India Khan later leave letters light lived look months morning mosque moved Mughal Muslim never night Olivia once palace passed Persian Punjab Puri remains replied Residency returned road seemed seen Shah Shah Jehan side Sikh sitting soon stands story suddenly Sufi Sultan Taj Mahal talked tell things thought tomb took turned village walked walls wanted whole wrote young
