My trip to India was as sudden as the brisk email received in the afternoon hasting me to pack: “We need you in India next week. Pack up!” Don’t get me wrong, I love the sight of an email that says “pack up!” and I love it even more when I actually start the packing yet I never really had India on my bucket list. My next country to be visited was supposed to be Canada and I was a bit disconcerted to switch my mindset from the cool Canadian weather to the unbearable Indian summer heat. I fumbled through my yellow card looking for my vaccination status and was relieved to see the only one expired was the hepatitis one. “Oh, well, I thought, I’m just gonna be careful about where I eat“. Side note with a little pro tip from me: don’t eat from street sellers in India unless you really know the place; stick to the restaurants and drink bottled water. Better overly cautious than to ruin your trip by getting sick.
Anyhow, seeing how I am never one to back down from a travel, there I was the following week scouting through the airplane window as it reached Qatar, amazed at the sight of the limestone formations and saddened to see the thin oil film shimmering in the Persian Gulf. It was June 2019 and I was getting ready to face the heat.
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The fastest route to Delhi from Romania -my home country- was a 10 hrs flight with one stop in Doha where Urs Fischer’s huge lamp teddy bear welcomed me in the airport. I had approximately 2 hours to spend in Doha airport, plenty enough to explore even for an avid duty-free shopper like myself.
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Arrived in Delhi, the first thing that struck me was the heat. I was expecting it but not to that level. The temperature oscillated between 42C – 46C almost everyday. Combined with the air pollution it made exploring by foot and, honestly, just breathing very difficult. Some days, the blue of the sky was tarnished by the muddy gray dust that was suffocating the sun.
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But what truly makes Delhi spectacular in my view, are the beautiful red sandstone monuments and the parks that are inviting you to get out of the car and walk. Don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of people that do.
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Qutub Minar monument is a soaring 73 meters tower built by Qutubuddin Aibak in celebration of the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu Kingdom.
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Made up of five distinct storeys in red sandstone and marble, the tower is accompanied by Ouwwatul Islam Mosque, one of the most magnificent structures in the world dating back to the 12th century and one of the earliest that survived in India. The Minar is surrounded by several historically significant monuments of Qutub complex.
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The site, a UNESCO heritage, served as the pit stop of the second leg of the second series of The Amazing Race Australia.
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With landscaped grounds and wide open spaces, the Qutub Minar makes for a very pleasant visit even though access to the top is restricted. Visitors should know the site is open from 7am to 5pm and an entrance fee of 30INR for Indians or 500INR for foreigners applies.
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With Islam being the second most popular religion in Delhi, one must not be surprised by the multitude of Muslim monuments that can be found everywhere. In fact, during the scorching summer afternoon heat many locals find refuge inside the Muslim ancient tombs that provide the much needed shadow. Sometimes, beautiful music echoes slowly and makes the experience almost surreal.
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Humayun’s Tomb, built in 1565 AD nine years after the death of Mughal Emperor Humayun, was commissioned by his widow and was designed by a Persian architect. The monument has magnificent arches, gateways, courtyards and gardens surrounding the blue-domed red sandstone tomb.
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It boasts intricate delicate design both painted and sculpted as you can see the below capture of the ceiling.
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The site is open from 6am to 7pm daily and an entrance fee of 30 INR for Indians or 500 INR for foreigners applies. Though it may not seem fair for a foreigner to pay a much higher entrance fee, there are privileges as well. Almost everywhere in Delhi there is no waiting line for foreigners who wish to visit a site and guardians are more than willing to tell you all they know about the site history and show you the perfect spot to take pictures (tips are very much appreciated!).
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The locals are extremely friendly and polite but also stop you almost every minute on the street to take a photo of you. To the point that my driver scolded me for being too nice and not saying “No, thank you” when being asked countless of times if I mind having my picture taken with random folks on the street. On the plus side, I got to snap portraits of beautiful strangers who didn’t make a fuss about how they looked in their pictures and genuinely wanted to have that moment in time preserved by a sweaty woman wearing khakis, a huge smile and a bulky camera around her neck.
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During the day it is safe to walk in Delhi even by yourself. The only discomfort is caused by the heat in summertime. Like in any foreign country, one must be aware at all times of the surroundings. During the night, for a woman it is somewhat of a different problem.
Because I am trusting God’s protection blindly and I didn’t back away from walking alone in the jungle in Africa or trotting certain countries in Latin America, I felt adventurous here as well and told my driver I am bored of being drove around and decided I wanted to walk. For an hour. In 46C. I felt completely safe on the streets even carrying my camera but at one point I thought I was going to have a stroke. You can buy cold bottled water, fruits and ice-cream everywhere but no matter how much water I drank, it didn’t seem to be enough.
It was all worth it though. If you’re into exploring by walking like I am, then I recommend taking a tour of the Parliament House (pictured below) and ….
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… and afterwards heading to India Gate on foot.
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On your way, just ignore the numerous tuk-tuk drivers that will try to convince you to jump in and cheat your way out of the nice walk. I promise you, it’s worth it.
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Originally called All India War Mermorial, the monument honors soldiers from the Indian army who fought and died in wars between 1914 and 1921. The names of 13,300 service men are inscribed on the gate. Reminiscent of triumphal arches like the ones in Paris, Bucharest or Barcelona, India Gate is made of sandstone and is a favorite picnic spot for locals and tourists alike. Here, the entrance is free and at night the site is beautifully illuminated.
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One thing you might want to be aware of as a tourist is the myriad of street sellers trying to push their merch on anyone. They don’t seem to take no for an answer and it can become annoying after a while. If you purchase something from one, you are immediately surrounded by 5 others.
Be careful how you cross the street as here there don’t seem to be any traffic rules in place.
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About 150 metres east of the gate, at a junction of six roads, is a 73-foot cupola constructed in 1936 as part of a tribute to the Emperor of India King George V. It originally had his statue there but few decades after the Independence, following intense criticism of some politicians, the statue was removed. It was supposed to be replaced by a statue of Mahatma Gandhi but nothing came of it so far.
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One of the must do’s while in Delhi is visit the Old Delhi, a part of the city as old as 1639. It is famous for its narrow alleys filled with shops of all kinds as well as the mind-blowing entanglement of electrical cables hanging from one side to the other. You can take a rickshaw on your way to the Red Fortress and explore a bit.
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Another stop on your exploration tour should be the Red Fort which for me was like an explosion of color. Until 1857 it was the residence, ceremonial and political center of Mughal Emperors and government. Today it is the place where the Prime Minister hoists the national flag and delivers a speech every Independence Day.
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It is a tourist attraction beyond compare, hosting several museums and one very-very colorful market filled with all sorts of goodies.
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Delhi has a transportation network and according to the locals it is quite good. The metro though can quickly get almost cuddling intimate: it is crowded and it’s not working if you’re carrying a bulky camera bag with you. Tuk-Tuks are great way of transportation for someone on a budget. Getting around by taxi or renting a driver for a day is much more comfortable (air conditioning for one) and not as expensive as one might think.
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Finally, don’t leave Delhi without spending approximately 2 hours in Lodhi Gardens. Previously known as Lady Willington Park, the garden now is named after Lodhis: an Afghan dynasty from the 15th century.
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The garden is dotted with monuments (tombs, mosques and bridges) and offers a respite from the concrete jungle. It is also a hotspot for fitness enthusiasts in the city who come here for their morning dose of sports.
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Food seller carries his merchandise for those who are too drowsy from the heat to head back into the city for lunch or an afternoon snack.
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Built from the same sandstone, one can only imagine how this mosque must have looked back in its glory days.
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I started this post by stating India wasn’t on my bucket list. After visiting it, I must say I was silly not to consider it. Delhi, the capital of India is a place where you will experience colors, authentic Indian cuisine as well as very good western one. Here you will find shopping malls (if you’re like me, you definitely raid at least one) or small souvenir shops where you can buy saris, scarves, jewelry though I’d caution you to be careful of the prices.
