City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi

I’ve been meaning to read this book for a very long time, and not just because of the enticing title. Having heard and read a lot about William Dalrymple, and upon moving back to Delhi just a couple of months ago, I was excited about reading this book. This book is a memoir with lots of historical context strewn across the chapters in just the right balance. The author moves to Delhi for 9-10 months and tries to retrace the city’s provenance. For the sake of this review, I can divide the book into three main themes.

First, the history. Delhi is a historical city with its roots tracing back to even before the Mahabharata. A long history, coupled with numerous cultural superimpositions, has left behind a city that is unique. From the Pandavas at Indraprastha, the Chauhans, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, the British, and finally India’s Independence in 1947, Delhi has accumulated a legacy so diverse that it’s quite difficult to cover every single topic. But to think you could visit sites that have been linked to The Mahabharata, tombs built by the Delhi Sultans, majestic architectural marvels built by the Mughals, and Raj-era buildings and avenues built by the British, all in a day, is a treat in itself. Even today, after more than 30 years since this book was first published, you could take the aforementioned tour. The amount of information on each of the ruling powers, at least in this book, is directly proportional to the number of sources available. So naturally, the colonial period, the most recent and well-documented rule over Delhi, was covered most extensively. It discusses the lives of the British elites from their very first posting as a resident in Delhi under Mughal rule, to the lavish Lutyens’ parties, and their summer languor in Simla. Subsequently, the Sultanate, followed by the Chauhans and the Pandavas get decreasingly little coverage. The author manages to finish the massive undertaking of documenting Delhi’s history at the tail end of the book in a rather rushed manner. And that remains my only gripe, I wish he had more time to spend in Delhi and on the earlier, pre-Mughal history of Delhi, for a more complete and comprehensive account. But, then again, this book was never advertised as such, and it just so happened to cover the history of Delhi, so my gripe might be unwarranted.

The second theme is the building of modern Delhi and the remains of what was once considered the most elegant and cultural of all cities in the world. The author interviewed various residents of Delhi. Some who have been living in Delhi before the partition recount horror stories from the time when their families migrated amidst a massive bloodbath. He interviewed individuals whose ancestors roamed the Red Fort during the rule of Shahajahan and begrudgingly admitted that Delhi lost its most valued characteristic, its refined culture. According to them, the language (lahja), the script, the arts, and the poems have all been lost. Finally, there are those who enjoyed the parties in Lutyens’ Delhi and were given a tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan by Edwin Lutyens himself. They fondly recall those formal dress parties and the gardens of their colonial-era villas. Delhi changed drastically post-Independence. The amalgamation of different cultures, which was brittle at first, has simmered down quite a bit but is evident even today. There have been darker reminders of this amalgamation in the past, such as the riots of 1984 and the latent communal enmity that used to surface behind closed doors back in the day, but is now very much overt. The author also rightfully argues that the preservation of all the history Delhi has accumulated is poor at best. I’ve personally visited a lot of historical sites, and it’s a shame that they’re in such a bad state. There’s a huge potential for historical tourism in Delhi, and it’s been wasted, unfortunately.

The final theme is mystical. As the title would have you believe, Delhi is said to be inhabited by Djinns (spirits). There are detailed accounts of various sufis, fakirs, and spiritual practitioners that once flourished in this city of Djinns. The author visits a few of these spiritual practitioners who claim to scare away the Djinns. He spends time at Nizamuddin Dargah for a chance to listen to Qawwalis. He finds his way through underground shrines to understand the forgotten mysticism.

In one of the reviews somewhere, I read that Delhi is lucky to have William Dalrymple as its chronicler, and I feel that praise is justified, for this is such a well-rounded piece of work. Highly recommended.