When home becomes history: The house on Faiz Road

In Delhi’s busy Karol Bagh area, there is a two-lane street called Faiz Road, divided by a metal fence. Strangely, however, it’s not very long, about one kilometre or under a mile. The neighbourhood is difficult to classify as either a commercial or residential area – it’s best described as a mix.

There are scattered shops with flats above them, a few traditional mohallah-type houses – closely packed homes with shared walls, inner courtyards, and balconies overlooking narrow lanes – alongside apartments, some small hotels, and a lot of traffic.

It’s an old part of town, not in the best condition.

Old Delhiites know it well and everyone seems to have some idea about it – but what exactly is it famous for? It appears to be just a short stretch of road, mainly a connecting route. Passers-by likely don’t even glance at the street sign; they use it simply to get from one place to another or perhaps to visit a few shops along the way.

However, some who do notice the street sign might wonder why it’s called Faiz Road. They might assume it was named after the famous Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. It certainly seems like a tribute to him. However, Faiz Ahmed Faiz...

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