[Reader-list] Zakir Nagar

[khadeeja arif]

When Dilli wali Amma (I call her Amma only) came to Zakir Nagar, Gali numbers already existed. House numbers were allotted once people deposited house tax. Amma was the first to deposit the tax. She does not remember the exact year. According to Amma, She was among the first people to arrive in gali no. 22 (her gali).


Nafees Lane (adjacent lane to 22) was named after Patwadi Nafees from Old Delhi. Amma also recalls the old Babool trees and a “sham Shan ghat”in place of newly settled Tooba Colony, adjacent colony to Zakir Nagar that ends at Taimoor Nagar.

Whenever I go to see Amma she is busy with people. She is rather busy solving their problems.


These days Amma is busy preparing for her daughter Yasmeen’s marriage.
Sunday is a busy day for her. She meets most of her neighborhood people with their problems only on Sunday.

Last time I was with Amma on the day of World cup final (23 March, 2003). Amma was glued to television since morning though the match started at 1pm.

“Are is Bush ko to Uda do” Amma showed her anger on America. The Iraq war was already on. She was more worried about Iraq war. in between the match Iraq war was her primary preoccupation.
Amma wanted to arrange a rally against Iraq War. “Ab yeh sab karni ki mujhme takhat nahi hai”.

In between the talk Amma is concerned about my tea too.

All the enthusiasm that Amma set to watch the world cup with disappeared immediately Australia made unbelievable run score of 360. “Scahin ki jab zaroorat ho jab yeh ek dam out ho jata hai". She was too angry with Indian team that day. She was thoroughly disgusted.
Her TV was switched off much before India was actually declared lost the world cup.

I met Amma on the 10th of this month. I saw her applying henna on her head. She was busy talking to her friend Noorjahan who came from Dryaganj to consult Amma. Her shops in Daryaganj were demolished about three months back and nothing is given her back as compensation. 


Next day I found her ill. Amma recovered fast as she has to prepare for Yasmeen’s marriage.

Yasmeen is looking for a job. She wants to be” financially independent”.
Most of the time Amma is sitting glued to TV watching AAJ TAK, her favorite news channel. She also thinks that AAJ TAK is sabse tez channel.

For yasmeen’s marriage Amma still prefers to shop from Jama Masjid as she believes that one gets the best bridals wears there.
Amma had to submit her electricity bill. She didn’t want to go in the bus as she had to carry quite some money, and she considered it unsafe to travel by bus. She took her nephew with her. She does not trust anyone else with such large amount of money that’s why she herself goes to submit all her bills