Dilli Meri Jaan

17/05/2026

With .anushreepoddar. At .union

12/05/2026

Discussing Earth Bag and Exposed brick walls, in our class today. Not just because of their low GHG and resource footprint. Because the calm of sitting inside a space created with natural material (by the owner with his own hands in this case) can never be matched by a cement, glass, chrome structure.
And it's just so so so pretty.
Bird photos on Pic 3 clicked by the owner, of those who come visiting his Peach trees every day.

09/05/2026

04/05/2026

Jaalis down the ages.
Pic 1: Mughal
Pic 2: Joseph Stein
Pic 3: Yours truly

Keeping people naturally cool, and non-dehydrated, over centuries..

Have been covering myself head to toe and shiveringly switching off fan at 4 am every day of last week. Yes it's been unseasonably cold. But the ACs in neighbouring houses whirrr incessantly.

These Jaalis also make it easier to use coolers when we hit peak summer. Keep these on and the dreaded glass doors open and you won't be a steamed momo when the cooler runs. And your electricity bills will remain in 3 digits (ours does). And most importantly, you won't have dry skin and hair 😁

01/05/2026

Thanks to store in Dilli (and their fabulous ), daughter grew up knowing that there are people of different colours, religions, countries, abilities and situations. In sharp contrast to the all-white mono religion kids I grew up reading about, who went on picnics and had lemonades while solving mysteries.

has been doing all kinds of literary events like book readings, and also creating little spaces for people to just come and read silently, together..
This reading room is a super collaboration between the two..

Please go ONLY if you want to read. For ages 14 and below (yes I transgressed and trespassed severely but I read and read and read).

30/04/2026

Thank you doston, for keeping me clothed in your beautifully preserved, natural fibre clothes this last decade. As my students say, pre-loved carry memories...and I can truly feel your joy when I wear these (thank you .k
for this prettiness..)

But my cupboard is now closed for pre-loved, just like I closed it to anything new, a decade back.

Because a necessary and sufficient condition for a sustainable cupboard is 'Less and Old'. It's an 'And' function.

I know my minimalism may not stop the burning of the earth. But I can only do what I can do. And I owe atleast that to my daughter..

(Confession: I did buy a madhubani art saree last month, costing my monthly salary! And i will buy that occasional handloom, heirloom fabric...but thankfully they are prohibitively extensive)



Thank you again gupta
and others not on insta, who used their clothes carefully, just so that I could wear them next.

04/04/2026

04/04/2026

Nicest parts of walks are just sitting, observing, chatting. On a lazy sunday morning. As we say bye bye to History Sir - at least for sometime.

31/03/2026

Mehrauli Archaeological Park Walk
April 4. 9 to 1030 am.

We will explore the famously haunted Jamali Kamali Tomb, Metcalfe s guest house, a recently restored centuries old baoli and the trees of this ancient space, many of which are in bloom celebrating spring..

Starting Point: Jamali Kamali Tomb

Registration: WhatsApp 9899799335 to book. The walk fee of Rs 300 can be sent to the same number. There is an entry fee of Rs 50 for the Metcalfe house, interpretation centre and Cafe Stone.

22/03/2026