This way to David Street, part II

The Old Delhi encyclopaedia

- Mayank Austen Soofi

One sleepy afternoon in Old Delhi's David Street, a kind passerby helpfully points to a house. The bell is rung. The door flaps open. Leena Kapoor confirms she is the great-granddaughter-in-law of Saul David, the man who lent his name to the street.

This evening, Leena, a teacher trainer, is hosting a visitor in her high-ceiling drawing room. She is sharing the long sofa with her husband, a retired school administrator, and son, a lawyer. The 150-year-old residence is immersed in peaceful silence. Until a few decades ago, this was among the street's tallest buildings. Today, it is dwarfed by multi-stories.