Delhi Is Not Far…
No this isn’t Ruskin Bond at his best. Having borrowed the title from the phrase “Dilli Door Nahin” regarding this beautiful city, at least for me it meant a journey of 1500+ kms by the Rajdhani Express for each visit from Mumbai. Sigh…. It was too far for frequent traveling. But each visit taught me something new, offered me respite from the familiar streets of Mumbai, and gave me glimpses into the inner workings of human nature.
The Metropolis And Its Charms
The city is divided into the Old and New parts – and simply put, I have never set my foot in Old Delhi yet, so expecting comparisons is futile :-)
The overall experience was of a vast well-maintained beautiful paradise - Wide streets and tree lined avenues, vast parks like Lodi Gardens on Lodi Road (where I stayed), children’s delights like the National Railway Museum (worth a visit even for grown-ups!), and great flourishes of Lutyens Architecture everywhere – from the India Gate, Raj Bhavan and the buildings now-turned-offices at Connaught Place.
The population is very sparse compared to Bombay, and the people seem less helpful, though there always are good folks to help a lost soul. But the city is pretty straightforward and I managed pretty with a street map well inspite of crafty rickshawwallahs and rigged meters.
Delhi is a veritable shoppers delight. Most sincere advice I received from locals was that be wary of electronic goods, they are worse than “Ulhasnagar brands” back in good old Mumbai. Another piece of advice was that anything of value “on media” can be obtained for less than fifty rupees at Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place – this endless list included pirated software, latest computer games, VCDs and audio CDs and even Nintendo / Xbox / Sega / PlayStation game-console ROMs. A commercial warehouse with an openness that will leave original authors / programmers / producers of these works left gaping in awe and shock!
The Sarojini Nagar Market can be visited for trendy clothes, which you can get for really cheap prices – watch out for used goods though. Off-season and end-of-the-winter are great times for bargaining, so if you have to equip yourself with warm clothes now is the right time! (as of now, writing at end of Sankrant).
The atmosphere on the streets changes with the weather. I would find little traffic on long winter evenings, people out for walks and jogs on summer mornings, and everyone inside during the scorching summer afternoons. Water is sold on the streets of Delhi and is a roaring business on those noons.
Paradise Lost?
Human nature did you say?
A visit to Delhi is always a learning experience - fresh new perspectives are formed with every trip to this vast metropolis.
You will always be cheated, swindled, outsmarted, and taken for a ride – but it will always teach you something different every time about a few facets of human nature. The wide / shady / posh streets are filled with unfathomable desires – not unlike Bombay – but which sometimes (usually?) turn into stark interactions.
But let me turn to the lovely city, with further preaching or criticizing of the inhabitants aborted for now, and forgiven in the beautiful memories I always take back with me…
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Ministers populate this capital and the populace looks up to their villas here. The city is very sensitive and one must take a whiff of the current political before venturing out at public places.
Status displays are common here – you will find that maximum spending on marriages takes place in this capital of capitalism.
Also with the current news items, many must have forbidden their daughters, sisters and wives to step outdoors after dark – and with the spate of horrific events it seems the “daylight saving” grace too has disappeared.
The Nights Are Brilliant
The India Gate is worth a visit during the late evening – all families gather here to sit around on the sprawling lawns and eat chaat, bhel and masala papad.
My evenings would be well-spent in the nearby India Habitat Center where cultural activities, seminars and parties seem to go on in an endless way day after day. The rich folks gather here, and it was fun to have glimpses of “high life” for a short while, before you touch back on the homeland turf of Bombay where you join the “traveling circus”.
Places Not To Miss
Apart from the ones mentioned, be sure to visit the “Dili Haat” which is a great place serving authentic foods of all Indian states (right from Kerala to Mizoram to Kashmir!) and also famous for outrageously overpriced handicrafts.
Do visit the Qutab Minar, The Bahai Temple which is a lotus white building symbolizing peace, Karol Bagh market, the Museum (where the Nizam’s Jewellery is displayed), but mostly be happy flitting on the exquisite gardens and historical ruins where the local lovers flock nowadays for eternal peace in this city of ambition and unrest….