August 6, 2013 – Today, we explored Old and New Delhi. We visited various sites throughout the city,
which included India Gate, Jama Majid (or Friday Mosque), Humayun’s Tomb, and
DLF Promenade. We also took a rickshaw
ride through the street of Old Delhi.
·
India Gate - At the center
of New Delhi, stands India Gate, an “Arc-de-Triomphe” like archway in the
middle of a crossroad. Similar to its French counterpart, it commemorates the
70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army
during the World War I.
·
Jama Masjid (Mosque): This is the largest mosque
in India, with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. It began in 1644
and was the final architectural feat of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who
built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Agra. The highly decorative mosque has
three great gates, four towers and two minarets constructed of red sandstone
and white marble.
Out of respect, we all
removed our shoes. Emily and I were
given pink and orange floral robes to wear before entering the Mosque. We then entered through a massive iron door that set
the stage for the various marvelous, yet imposing areas inside. You immediately
enter a courtyard that is simply colossal and completely uncongested, a stark
contrast to the crammed conditions of the Delhi streets just outside the
mosque. Entering the Mosque is a welcome
spiritual respite from the madness of the city.
· Rickshaw (or
Tuk Tuk) ride in Old Delhi – After
leaving the Mosque, we divided into teams for our rickshaw ride through the
narrow streets of Old Delhi. Emily and
Tom jumped in the first Rickshaw, and James and I followed in the second. Within seconds of being seated, we were
immediately plunged
into the narrow alleyways of the city – alleyways, which would have probably
made one hesitate if walking on one’s own.
But our rickshaws did not hesitate, bumping
steadily all the way. The ride is tough, to say the
least, as the seats and backrests have minima; cushioning, are quite slippery
and are a tad too narrow for most passengers. Secondly, rickshaws (especially
auto-rickshaws) have limited suspension, so rather than dampening the effects
of a rough ride, the rickshaw appears to amplify each and every jolt. But it is well worth it to get a glimpse of
‘real’ people living their lives and operating their businesses.
In fact, no amusement ride at Disney or Universal
can rival the excitement of a rickshaw ride through the crowded streets or
provide you with the thrill of seeing the majestic colors of the looms of
silken materials in the sari shops, or smelling the powerful and intoxicating
aromas of the Indian spices in the spice markets, or catching a glimpse of a
monkey dangling atop haphazard electrical wiring looped overhead for as far as
the eye can see. For Tom, Emily, James,
and I, this was one of our most memorable moments on our trip.
· Humayun’s
Tomb – On our vacations, Tom likes to
visit ‘dead people’. In fact, he has a
bit of an obsession with tombs, which the kids and I tease him about
relentlessly. Well, this vacation… like
all good vacations for Tom – had to include a Tomb!
Humayun died in 1556, and his widow Hamida Banu Begam commenced the
construction of his tomb in 1569, fourteen years after his death. I don’t
share Tom’s obsession with dead people, but have to admit the Tomb was
remarkable. While Humayun’s Tomb was not
on par with the Taj Mahal, one can certainly see similarities between the
two. The grand arches and openings
create the impression of depth, and detailed ornamentation in several colors of
stone adds to the richness of the surfaces, much like in the Taj. Moreover, the tomb has an idyllic feel as it
is nestled amid beautifully maintained gardens, pathways, fountains and water channels. Overall, it is a must see while touring
Delhi.
On a humorous note, on the side of Humayun’s Tomb
lies a second tomb. This is the tomb of
Humayun’s barber. I suppose the moral of
the story is that it is important to look good even in death!
· DLF
Promenade – DLF is a premier shopping
mall in Delhi – that’s right, you read that correctly – I said “shopping
mall”. And yes, we went to the mall,
much to James’ dismay. We went primarily,
because my friend, Sadna, and Emily’s friend, Sonya, both recommended the mall
for shopping for affordable, quality kurtis.
A kurti is a loose shirt worn by women in India with either leggings or baggy,
pajama-like pants. They tend to be made
of very light, airy fabrics that breath well in the intense heat of the Indian
summer.
Both
Emily and I were successful shopping.
Emily bought several really adorable kurtis, and I bought two absolutely
beautiful saris for Sadna’s wedding in February. Thanks to Tom, Emily and James for helping me
to select the saris. And thanks be to
all that we ewre in and out of the mall within an hours time!
· Dinner at
Indian Accent:
That night, we
dined at Indian Accent, which has been hailed by “foodies” and by Trip Advisor
as the BEST
restaurant in Delhi. The menu is Indian
fusion – i.e., Indian food with a twist. The menu is innovative and
imaginative. The service is impeccable. This was truly one of our most memorable
meals.
Shortly after
being seated at our table, we were approached by the Head Chef, Manish Mehrotra. Chef Manish introduced himself, welcomed us
to the restaurant, and asked whether we would mind if a journalist shot some
photographs of us interacting for an upcoming article. We, of course, agreed eager to be featured as
local celebs in the press. While the
journalist took photographs, Chef Manish shared his recommendations and
inquired whether we had any dietary restrictions.
I have to say, the food was good, but that is not what made the meal so
very memorable. Rather, it was how much
we all laughed throughout the meal. Our
laughter was further fueled by the neighboring table, where we heard a piercing
‘honk’ emerge from the silence. We turned our heads to see a grown woman loudly
blowing her nose in her cloth napkin during her meal…. Ew! When you’re sitting at a nearby table trying to
eat, it’s just nasty to hear. And if you are juvenile, like we all are, it is
downright funny! This, of course, only fueled our
‘potty talk’ about burping, farting and nose blowing throughout our meal. Moreover, we owe a big thank you to our
nose-blowing neighbor, who continued to provide fodder for our laughter as she
removed her shoes at her table and blew her nose yet again! And not one of those dainty little blows,
this was an earth-shaking, explosive, snotty eruption. Mmmm…. Really makes you hungry!
Thankfully, her second strident nose blow came as our
meal was nearly over. At that point, we
were all having such a good time and were in great spirits – so, I figured the
time was right for embarrass everyone by asking if Chef Manish would mind if we
took a photo with him for our travel album.
He graciously agreed. We praised
him for his recommendations, delicious food, and the wonderful ambiance of his
restaurant.
Chef returned to the kitchen and then sent over not one, not two, not three, but FOUR FREE desserts! Yummy…. What a perfect ending to our time in
Delhi.
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