Advertisement
Published: December 2nd 2012
Edit Blog Post
Delhi is one of the most ancient continually inhabited cities on earth. It’s inhabitant have been evacuated, relocated, slaughtered and it’s urban landscape burned to the ground several times in history, with recent examples including the 1857 Indian mutiny against British rule, the Partition massacres of 1947, and the riots following the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984. Many of its ancient artisans have fled to Pakistan, while in reverse Central Asian and Muslim culture have had a strong impact on the city’s culture and appearance for centuries. For those interested in learning more about Delhi’s fascinating history and culture, I would strongly recommend William Dalrymple’s “City of Djinns" (1993).
My first visit to Delhi, in 2004, was not a good one. Temperatures soared to 45 degrees plus in a heat wave that killed hundreds, I was lied to and had money taken from me earlier on my trip, and my Indian visa had the wrong date so I had to spend the duration of my visit in overheated immigration offices where hours passed without any sign of work being done. On my second visit to Delhi years later, I got out of the city as quickly as
possible.
For my third trip to India, I was somehow as excited to give Delhi a second chance as I was to take in other major highlights on my India itinerary. Like the first time, I stayed in the backpacker’s ghetto of Pahar Ganj, which was just as unpleasant as I remembered it. The street is a magnet for drug dealers, beggars, rude hawkers, and diseased street animals. However, I got a different perspective by doing the Salaam Balaak Trust Pahar Ganj Tour, where a former street kid gives an insider’s look to the neighborhood, focusing on the lives of street kids and their means of survival.
The first stop on my Old Delhi sightseeing itinerary was the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. To me, the Jama Masjid feels like the spiritual center of Old Delhi. Built under Shah Jahan, the same ruler who commissioned the Taj Mahal, the building is a masterpiece of architecture and my favorite place in the city. Despite the rising heat in the late morning, I was content to spend several hours there photographing worshippers, soaking up the peaceful atmosphere that is characteristic of most mosques, and
marveling at the city view from the peak of the southern minaret, which is accessed by a twirling internal staircase.
My next mandatory stop was the Red Fort, which, though even more grandiose in its size and layout, was not enthralling enough for me brave any more time in the fierce July heat. Instead, I made a beeline for Chandni Chowk, the primary roadway of Old Delhi, which runs directly west from the fort. Now, I’ve seen traffic jams and street congestion the world over, but Chandni Chowk on a weekday afternoon is just silly. The sheer volume of vehicle horns, and the heat coming down from the sky, off of the cars, and up from the ground is enough to give you a migraine almost instantly.
After popping into the Jain (an Indian religion as old as Buddhism, which advocates extreme non-violence) Temple, which houses a bird hospital, and trying what are reputedly the best jalebis (sickly sweet, bright orange deep fried sweets) in India I grabbed a rickshaw to my final stop, the Khari Baoli Spice Market. Mounds of dates, Indian pickles, dried nuts and fruits, and every spice known to the
Land of Spices were present in aesthetically pleasing arranged piles. Satisfied, I called it a day and retired to my air-conditioned room to douse myself in buckets of cold water from the Indian-style basin that was my shower.
On another day, I ventured to the far south of Delhi to see the Bahai Lotus Temple, a unique structure that serves as the Bahai base on the Asian continent, and is reminiscent of Sydney's Opera House. Next, I stopped in at Humayun’s Tomb, a 16
th century compound that is an early example of the Mughal style, strongly influenced by Persian architecture and design. Shortly after my arrival, the Indian skies opened in a massive downpour, so I hailed a rickshaw to my final destination: the Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Dargah.
Things don’t always work out as anticipated on the road, and my visit here was a good example. I was particularly excited to observe the Friday evening Qawwali ritual of Sufi chanting which is reported to be one of Delhi’s most sublime experiences. I was lucky enough to participate intimately in a similar experience in Lahore, Pakistan, where Sufis spun into trances and police eventually crashed the
party (see my blog
Spinning Sufis, Hashish Smoke, and a Police Bust), and had high hopes for Delhi’s version. But with downpours flooding the streets, I struggled to keep my camera gear dry as I tried to find my way through the maze-like network of narrow alleyways leading to the shrine. I was then duped into paying money to store my shoes and for supposedly required offerings: sheets of fabric and baskets of flowers to be placed over the tombs. Arriving to the heart of the open-air shrine, I was unable to enjoy the surroundings without being persuaded by shrine attendants to make ‘mandatory’ donations. I came looking for a spiritual experience, but left feeling like they saw me as nothing more than a visiting money-distributor. Finally, the Sufi hymns were cancelled due to the heavy rains.
Delhi is an overwhelming and enormous city, unlike any other in the subcontinent. For new and returning travelers to India, give it a try, and then another chance if need be. It might not be your favorite, and it WILL be exhausting and intense. But for those looking for a full-on travel experience, don’t leave a few days or more in the country’s awe-inspiring capital out of
your schedule. I guarantee you will never forget it.
For more by Nick Kembel on India, see here:
The great Indian Shave Most Beautiful Temple in the World? Santa Claus Visits South India Impressions of Mumbai The Psychedelic Rajasthan Experience For more of my photos and travel stories, or to buy my book "Taiwan in the Eyes of a Foreigner", visit www.nickkembel.com
Advertisement
Tot: 0.129s; Tpl: 0.023s; cc: 8; qc: 25; dbt: 0.0669s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Jaydeb Sarkar
non-member comment
Visit of Old Delhi.
I am glad to visit your site,