City Beat

admin on October 30, 2018

Chandan Khanna

@khannachandan

A photojournalist with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Chandan Khanna’s projects keep him engaged with the Delhi National Capital Region. Within the Capital, Khanna is partial to the neighbourhoods of Old Delhi. “These areas hold the real essence of Shahjahanabad, and truly imbibe all the character that makes Delhi the city it is,” he elaborates. Besides a stroll through Chandni Chowk and Paharganj Street, the foodie recommends eateries like Rajinder da Dhaba in Safdarjung, 1930’s establishment Kake da Hotel in Connaught Place, and a tipple at My Bar in Paharganj. Speaking of memorable Instagram clicks, he recalls two around Jama Masjid – One is a post-rain traffic jam, outside the Mughal-designed mosque, which captures “perfection in chaos”. The other being, a milling crowd shot through a mirror, alongside an oblivious watchmaker focussed on work. When not on assignment, the small town of Vrindavan in northern Uttar Pradesh, is where Khanna likes to unwind – especially around the festival of Holi.

Samar Virdi

@samarvirdi

Filmmaker and photographer Samar Virdi doesn’t confine himself to any particular genre. Based in Chandigarh, his images often portray the micro stories and emotions of the city’s residents. He reminisces about the image of a boy he spotted at a street-side sewing machine. “When I saw the picture again, his haunting eyes caught my gaze. I could only wonder how this little boy does such intricate work,” he says. Of the destination’s renowned architecture, he is most fascinated about the theory that Le Corbusier conceived the master plan analogous to human body – “with a clearly defined head (Capitol Complex), heart (the city centre – Sector 17), lungs (Leisure Valley with innumerable open spaces), intellect (cultural and educational institutions), circulatory system (the network of roads – the 7Vs), and the viscera (industrial area). He suggests a visit to the Rock Garden of Chandigarh, Sukhna Lake, and the Open Hand Monument.