Delhi Diaries

It was almost with childlike excitement that I was waiting for our Delhi trip. Early in March, I received an invitation to attend the BRICS award ceremony for women achievers and although that would be exciting , the immediate prospect of adding a couple of days and turning it into a vacation with the boys seemed so perfect ! Delhi has forever been on my to visit list , having been a history buff since my childhood and reading about the many layers of history that the city has to offer. However added to it were the innumerable movies pictured on Delhi, so many books centred in the capital , the endless travel shows and articles on Delhi food and also my many many friends from Delhi made the city closer to my heart than I ever imagined ! Somehow the right time had not come before this but there was no stopping now. 

The Radisson Blu Marina at CP

We reached Delhi on a Sunday afternoon and were welcomed by the almost summer heat at a modest 38C only. This would go up a few degrees over the next week or so and by the time i was ready to come back, it had touched almost a scorching 44C , an orange alert in the city.  We chose to stay at Connaught Place Radisson Blu Marina Hotel.  Almost every place that we wanted to visit was a maximum of 25 to 30 minutes away. The hotel was a heritage boutique hotel , not necessarily the best of facilities but the location really made up for everything !

India Gate at sunset

change of guard ceremony at the War Memorial

Our Delhi sojourn started off that evening itself with a visit to the famed India Gate. Having seen it on television , in endless movies probably hundreds of times throughout my lifetime, it was quite a feeling to finally stand facing it in reality ! What hits you about Delhi and this I was going to witness within the next couple of days is really the vastness of each of the monuments , the sprawling grounds all around maintained impeccably , the feel of a capital city for sure . A lot of the beauty around was messed up due to the barricades of the Central Vista work that was ongoing. However watching the silhouette of the India Gate in the background of the setting sun , an orange sky at sunset and the change of Guard near the War memorial was an experience to remember. 

For dinner and a stroll we headed over to Khan Market , the famed Khan Market - supposed to be one of the most expensive shopping places in the world ! I could of course totally live here with some , rather all of my favourite shops lining the streets, the Nicobars, Anokhis, Amrapalis , Fab India’s all lined up with their ultra uber and pretty fares. But what really caught my fancy were the absolutely awesome bookshops ! Hole in the wall book shops with books overflowing every nook and cranny that you could find, literally stumbling over books as you walked inside. Books in every size and shape, old editions that were otherwise not to be found , absolutely swanky new ones as well.  Kolkata being “my” city, this was not something I had quite expected, to be bowled over by bookshops but here I was unable to move out of the shop , there was so much to explore and unfortunately so little I could carry back ! This was not only in Khan Market, but also sprawled across CP as well. 

Bara Darwaza at Purana Qila

The trees, oh the trees ! 

The next morning we started off by a visit to Purana Qila. Entering through the Bara Darwaza , we were welcomed into the vastness of the fort inside including its sprawling grounds and gardens full of the most beautiful , green, leafy and huge trees offering shade from the harsh sun. The archaeological museum hosted within the fort was quite nice giving quite a good perspective of the various layers of history of the Old Fort as well as Purani Delhi and what we know as Delhi today. Starting from the days of Indraprastha to Humayun, Sher Shah , the place was steeped in history to say the least. Of course the Humayun Darwaza, the Sher Mandal where Humayun was said to have fallen to his death were all beautiful .. but as I strolled to the back, I was met with the stark beauty of the Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque. The single domed structure built by Sher Shah is a fantastic example of pre Mughal architecture. This was my first view of red, white and slate coloured marble used for the calligraphic inscriptions which blew my mind. I would see more of these throughout the trip at Jama Masjid, the Jamila Qamila at the Mehrauli Park and of course at the Qutab complex. 

Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque

Sher Mandal

But the first view is always special as was this. The place seemed so very peaceful , the beauty of the structure against the blue sunny sky flanked by the grand trees all around. I later read somewhere that there is a marble slab within the mosque where the inscription reads “As long as there are people on the earth, may this edifice be frequented and people be happy and cheerful in it”.  In retrospect, that is exactly the feeling I got from the place.

Humayun's Tomb

Later in the day we visited the very famous, the very beautiful Humayun’s tomb. Humayun’s Tomb is the first of the grand mausoleums that were to be synonymous with Mughal Architecture , reaching its zenith with the Taj Mahal close to a century later. The contrast of the white marble dome standing over the red sandstone structure and the understated beauty of building with the char-baghs all around is a perfect reflection of the aesthetics that the Mughals had. Persian and Indian craftsmenship coming together to create the beauty of these structures can be seen in the many artefacts within these sites. Not to mention the use of ornate jharokas inside the mausoleums as I had also noticed in the Kuhna Masjid at Purana Qila. We were most fortunate to have a dear friend’s friend who is working with the Aga Khan Foundation to show us around and explain the nuances of architecture and design in each structure. The romance of tracing Akbar's footsteps while doing so was incomparable !  

We spent the rest of the evening in the marvellously restored Sundar Nursery area adjacent to Humayun;s Tomb. Offering endless photo opportunities in the rose gardens, the water fountain area, peacocks appearing out of nowhere , the old tomb structures standing majestic in the midst of greenery .. I was quite jealous of Delhites having such a glorious and open lung space newly rejuvenated and so well maintained to come out for their morning or evening strolls. 

Sunder Nursery area

Tuesday morning saw us venturing out towards the Red Fort. Having witnessed the tricolour being hoisted from the Lahori Gate of the Lal Qila innumerable times , pictures of it across all our textbooks since childhood and now in my childrens’ books, it was such an overwhelming feeling to stand in front of the fort finally ! Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned building of this fort when he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi and the fort has stood testimony to centuries of history unfolding within its walls. To imagine Nehru unfurling our tricolour on 15th August 1947 from the Lahori Gate gave me goosebumps and I sung our National Anthem silently in my head as I walked around !The stunning beauty formed by the combination of Persian palace architecture with Indian traditions, the red sandstone walls contrasted by the white marble art work, some of the structures inside are nothing but poetry in stone. 

Posing in the Red Fort

To imagine the emperor sitting in the Sawan or Bhado Mahal watching the rains from heaven bringing new life to the lush gardens , composing poetry, sitting in the Diwan’e i Aam or Khaas giving audience to his subjects , the absolute beauty of the Moti Masjid against the cloudless blue sky blazing white ,surrounded by the lush greenery all around witness to the many events that are now nothing but text in our history books brings back that sense of wonder. The thought that we are nothing but small specks in the wheel of time. 

No matter how powerful, how great an emperor or king you are , we are all reduced to dust and nothingness .. what remains is what stories you gave to the world , about your kindness or your hatred and how you choose the world to remember you for generations after, everything else is so fragile and so temporary ! We took a rickshaw and went to Chandni Chowk in search of Haveli Dharampura where we would have our lunch. A splendid fare of butter chicken ,naan, the most refreshing shikanji ever and the best kesar kulfi I have had ever ! 

Haveli Dharampura

Chandni Chowk darwazas

The narrow alleyways are deceptive to what lies behind the doors lining them - huge, rich , ornate and beautiful havelis - many of which have been restored, some lying neglected in their faded glory - but again you can feel centuries of history steeped in each turn of the pathways, rich merchants selling their wares .. years of bargaining for the best value for money. We could not spend as much time as I would have liked shopping through these lanes - but will definitely come back at a better time when the sun is not blazing hot down your back ! The view from atop the haveli was Delhi 6 for you and the Jama Masjid standing tall not too far away , a mish mash of houses so close to each other that you could jump from one terrace to your neighbours - countless movies have been shot in this backdrop and it seemed oh so familiar in reality.

Jama Masjid

The Jama Masjid was a must visit of course. It being the month of Ramadan, it was a little crowded but the beauty of the structure no matter how many times you’ve seen it in pictures is absolutely mesmerising as is the trance like atmosphere of faith within.

Qutb Minar

No tourist can leave Delhi without visiting the world famous Qutb Minar of course and we were there on Wednesday morning. This is the tallest brick minaret in the world and a victory tower built on the site of Delhi’s oldest fortified city the Lal Kot built by the Rajput Tomars. The beauty in the symmetry of the tower , the elaborate decoration of the tower with inscriptions and geometric patterns is a feast for the eyes. Not only the monument itself , but the surrounding complex with several other historically significant structures each beautiful in its own right. The perfect symmetry of the arches , the Alai Darwaza and stunning marble work on its ceiling was something I could spend hours and hours marvelling at. No wonder this is one of the most visited tourist spots in Delhi. At each of these places, we did hire guides and the place came to life with their descriptions and stories of yester years.  We strolled into the Mehrauli Archaeological park soon after. The grounds being vast,  and the sun at a scorching 42C , we did not see too much except the Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb. With not too many people visiting this area, the desolate atmosphere was an experience in itself, sitting in the shade of the tree canopy in the ground,  viewing one more gorgeous mosque architecture, wondering about the possible legend of the love story played out in these parts. 

Jamila Kamila Tomb and Mosque

One felt like sitting here and pondering about life for hours if not more.  That evening we were adventurous enough to wander into the narrow lanes that took us to the original and famous Karims where we had our fill of barra kababs and decadent naans to go with it. 

The Jama Masjid lit up against the midnight blue was a spectacle to behold in itself. I also managed a short shopping sojourn at the Shankar Market near CP as recommended by a friend and the range of dress materials and chikan kurtas from SEWA sent me into a tizzy ! 

We made our way through Delhi mostly by autos, once or twice by the most efficient metro network and of course an Uber here and there when we went to slightly far off distances such as Gurgaon to visit a friend. But what made our couple of days in Delhi so much more livelier and colourful were my endless conversations with the autowallahs . Every topic under the sun starting from the political scene in the country to communal harmony or discord created by powerful entities but affecting the lives of the ordinary. The status of such folks through the pandemic , how rising petrol and diesel prices were killing , and yet how they loved this city that was theirs. The philosophy of everything , of love, sights to behold and of course the customary must visit to the government sponsored Delhi Haats which would offer them a commission. 

Lodhi Gardens

The last day took us to Lodhi Gardens - more spectacular tombs in the middle of lush green and ornate gardens. So many open spaces for young couples to express their love for one another or just friends to hang out and talk their hearts out without paying a hefty price for the same. 

This was  sheer luxury in a city bursting at the seams with over population, to have these beautiful open spaces which helped your mind broaden into horizons far beyond the narrowness of the otherwise difficult daily lives one had to endure. And stark contrast to the lives in the shanties of course were the absolutely sprawling bungalows in Lutyens Delhi - the huge wide roads, white bungalows in the midst of your own Lodhi Gardens so to say barricaded by strong gates with severe security guarding them. 

We could not leave Delhi without visiting Raj Ghat and paying our silent tribute to Gandhiji , and couldn’t help but wonder if today’s atmosphere in the country shadowed by hate is what he really envisioned. Alas that topic rests for another day.  A visit to the Lotus Temple was a must as well ,the only other architecture similar to the Sydney Opera House - completely done in marble and such a beauty standing in the middle of nowhere with people from all faiths and religion sitting in the cool interiors of the temple lost in their own meditative thoughts. 

We also visited the National Museum and stopped over at the Ugra Sen ki Baoli taking many shots at this picturesque step well ideal for film makers as a backdrop again. 

And of course we wandered through the alleys of Hauz Khas , a collection of old Islamic architecture dotting the banks of the reservoir. Now home to several quirky little cafes,  art houses and shops selling old posters from days gone by as well as very old maps and antiques - if one had the eye, you could find something pretty unique in these tiny shops. 

Nizamuddin Dargah

On Friday evening I managed a solo visit to the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. I met with one of the priests and was extremely fortunate enough to enter the mosque within and offer my prayers along side some other old uncles. Since it was the month of Ramadan, there was no Qawali ongoing but I was promised an audience the next time I visited the city. The beauty of the dargah, the festive spirit with the lights and everyone sitting around breaking their fast was an experience to savour such as none other. I also visited the Guru Bangla Sahib on Sunday morning , walked around the sacred water body within , had the famed prashad and was overcome with a sense of peace and gratitude for all that life had to offer. Once outside, I shared a modest breakfast of the road side piping hot chai and kachori along with my auto driver who was patiently waiting for me. 

I can’t believe that our short trip to Delhi was over. The days blurred into one another hopping from one historical site to the other punctuated by some of the most delicious meals, interspersed with meeting friends I had been meaning to meet forever, with a bit of shopping here and there and endless photo ops. The Delhi heat couldn't dampen our spirits at all and the warmth of the people who took us around, showed us their city added to our delight. I was absolutely not let down on my expectations from my long awaited visit to the capital city and can’t wait to visit again !