Mashak wallas, past and present
India, May 19 -- It all began one afternoon in Delhi's Sunday Book Bazar, on fishing out the first edition of an out-of-print guidebook on the Walled City. Published more than 35 years ago, 'Old Delhi: 10 Easy Walks' was authored by two Englishwomen, Gaynor Barton and Laurraine Malone. The cover shows a man standing in front of the Jama Masjid. He is in check lungi, with something slung on his shoulder. It is a mashak, an old-fashioned goat-skin bag. Long ago in Purani Dilli, a mashak walla would draw water from the well, pour it into his goat-skin bag, and hawk the water from house to house.
Today, Jama Masjid still stands in the same place where this photo was clicked. But the mashak walla is not to be sighted. A bit more exploration of t...
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