India, Oct. 23 -- A landmark Delhi book clocks an anniversary year

A book on Delhi need not always have a monument on every other page. Or paya-nihari, or chhole bhathure, for that matter. A book might also have a leaf. Pradip Krishen's Trees of Delhi turns twenty this year.

First published in 2006, this definitive field guide covers 252 species, helping the Delhiwale recognise trees they might have been passing for years without knowing what they were. Each entry is filled with photos and gives the tree's scientific, common and desi names, its flowering seasons, and details of its leaves and fruit. There are also where-to-see directions: the Ridge for bistendu, Jahanpanah City Forest for kareel.

A quick flip of the book from cover to ...