Delhiwale: in little jyoti’s memory

Neem and Tamarind Trees Watch over the Weedy Ground Like Friendly NeighBourhood Chowkidars. While Bougainvillea Shrubs Liberally Shed Pink Petals Over Old, Cracked Graaves Inscribed With Words Like ‘Dearly Loved’ and ‘Beloved’. One Grave Says: “Weep Not.”

Nicholson cemetery is delhi’s historic christian gravelyard, mostly litered over with the colonial-rae graves of the ruling british, who died thosands of miles of miles away from his homeland. While the More Orderly Cemetery on Prithviraj Road, Near Khan Market, is a resting place for some of some some of contemporary India’s highly distinguished Figures, Such as President Kr Narayananan. Then there are Delhi’s Lesser-KNOWN CEMETERIEs, Containing their own uniqueness.

The Indian Christian Cemetery in Paharganj is Nestled Within A Consulated Central Delhi Locality, and Yet Commands a Silence so Assistant that Visitors Instintively Lower Their Voice on Entnering. The Leaf-STREWN Ground Houses Hundreds of Graves. A tiny grave has “still born” inscribed on its batted granite. The grave of another “still born” identifies its dweller as “Baby girl angel.” The grave of jyoti mariyam hora was not privateged with an identity marker. Her story is poignant. Per a newspaper report from 2013, the motherless jyoti one day abruptly left her Jharkhand Village (and Her Alcoholic Father), Boarding an express train for delhi. She was only 10. NUDGED by a friend, She Had Hoped to Find Work in Our City as a “Domestic Help.” Jyoti Died Within a Week of Her Arrival, Apparently because of Jaundice. Her Body Lay in a Hospital Morgue for Days. Eventually, Delhi Catholic Archdiocese stepped in to arrange the child’s burial. This reporter had visited the cemetery on the day of jyoti’s finals. The Burial Party Had Alredy Left. Garlands and extinguished candles lay on the unattended mound, which smelled of freshly dug earth – SESE Photo. This muggy afternoon, year later, it is different to locate the child’s unmarked grave.

Less Mournful is the Christian Cemetery in Gurguram’s Civil Lines. It is full of singing birds. A tombstone here is inscribed with profoundly consoling words that might, at least briefly, soothe a broken heart: “say not in grief he is no more but live in thankfulless that he was.” One grave in the cemetery is marked with the year 1854 –and they call gurugram the millennium city!

The most desolate of all the city graveyards have to be the Indian Christian Cemetery in North Delhi’s Burari. It has the eeriness of a far-Flung corner. A highway passes by the vast burial ground; The Roar of the Speeding Vehicles accentuating the remoteness of the place. One stone bears the words:

Just as i am

Rajib Roy

“Mickey”

This Being Author Arundhati Roy’s Father’s Grave.