City of Djinns - a path down history

I was almost 14 years old when I visited Delhi. It was late August 1991, the last leg of our two and half month long trip home from Rome. We stopped I think for 7-8 days in Delhi. This part of the trip was for sis and I to see India's capital. We spent the week seeing the many sights in Delhi, some new and some old.

At that time my uncle and aunt lived there. Uncle was a doctor in the military and was housed in a huge colonial home. From the first look one would think what an awesome place they got. A huge house with an amazingly big garden, a long driveway. But when you live in the house you realise how little importance the city gives really to preserve its history. This very house if it were here in the States would have been preserved and probably would get a historic landmark label. The house was pretty much falling apart.

This was one of the points shared by William Dalrymple in his book City of Djinns. The loss of Old Delhi, and with it its history. Reading through the book took me back to 1991. It really put more meaning into the places I visited as a young teenager. He covers such a vast variety/diversity of people that make up Delhi, the new and the old. I don't think he missed anyone! That made this book ever more interesting to read. I didn't know over half of what he wrote about this city, the nation's capital. It left me wanting to read more and learn more.

A great suggestion, that fit me so well! Thank you, fugney for the suggestion!