Indian Adventure (Part 1)-Delhi

We arrived in Delhi on the evening of July 3rd after a long, direct flight from JFK. A representative from Castle & King tour company picked us up and drove us to our hotel, The Florence Inn in Karol Bagh, a commercial neighborhood in Delhi. We were within a block from the very busy Ajmal Khan Market with lots of clothing shops, street vendors and some restaurants. Though we found it overwhelming to deal with the dozens of solicitors requesting our business at their stores, we were able to shop for many clothing and jewelery at this market. It was quite easy to find a tailor to get my saree blouses stitched. We had some very good meals at very affordable prices as well. This hotel was quite close to the metro station located near the large Hanuman statue (attached to a Shiva temple) but we didn't have a need to explore public transportation options as we had obtained a car through the tour company.


Our sight seeing started at the India Gate, a prominent landmark in Delhi that commemorates the soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives while fighting for the British Indian Empire. Next stop was the Presidential palace surrounded by other ministry buildings in the heart of the area known as Lutyens' Delhi. Edwin Lutyens was the leading British architect responsible for the architectural designs of this part of New Delhi during the colonial period. We also visited the Mahatma Gandhi interactive museum which was free to the public. It contained many multi media exhibits that contained Gandhi's teachings and was staffed by very eager volunteers.

The religious diversity of the Indian subcontinent was apparent by the number of Hindu, Jain, Sikh temples along with mosques and churches that we passed by. Among them we had the opportunity of visiting the Birla Hindu temple, Gurudwara (Sikh temple) & the Lotus Temple (Bahá'í House of Worship). Visiting the Gurudwara was a unique experience as we learnt a lot of about the Sikh culture and had an opportunity to be guided through the temple by our tour guide of Sikh origin. We touched the holy body of water and walked through the large kitchen where volunteers prepare lunch for thousands on a daily basis. The Lotus temple was a landmark structure in Delhi. It was very cool & bare inside except for the pews and required everyone to indulge in silence. The bodies of water around was strategically built to keep the marble cool from the scorching sunlight in the summer months.

We had planned to shop for wedding clothes in Delhi, so our driver took us to Kashmiri Haat & Delhi Haat, a clothes & handicrafts bazaar. Though I had requested to go to more everyday shops, the tour guides were keen on promoting these government run establishments that feature artisans from various states. The items were way pricer than we had expected and it was awfully difficult to say no. Upon our arrival, we were offered something to drink and made to sit comfortably as they displayed their merchandise in front of us. We also drove by a large outdoor commercial center known as Connaught Place. But due to the major construction in the city in preparation for the Commonwealth games in september, we didn't get to shop in this area.

Qutb Complex is an example of the earliest Indo-Islamic architecture built by the India's first Muslim ruler. The minaret has been renovated by the various rulers to be preserved as the world's tallest brick minaret. Part of the complex is a former Hindu temple that was converted to a mosque. But namaz prayers have never taken place at this mosque as the depictions of Hindu gods still prevails on its interior walls. The iron pillar is another notable attraction for its high purity, as it stands with no corrosion and inscriptions intact since its erection during the time of the Rajputs.

The walled city of Old Delhi founded by Shahjahan, was my favorite part of the city tour. We saw the Red Fort (similar to its namesake in Agra) from a distance as we drove up to Jama Masjid. The Moghal architecture was very impressive and we walked around the large complex wearing cover ups as we were not appropriately dressed. Then we enjoyed a rickshaw ride through busy streets of Chandni Chowk. Having watched the movie Delhi 6, I was very excited to see part of the city. The large amounts of electrical wiring which has survived since the colonial times was a noteworthy sight.The easy juxtaposition of the old with the new was one of the striking factors about India. I hope to have the opportunity to visit more of India in the future.