An Oasis of Rickshaws

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My first full day in Delhi. What a mixture of emotions it was. Excitement, trepidation. I felt like a kid about to open his presents on Christmas morning, only if there was a very slight chance that one of his presents was going to be a box of live cobras. As soon as I stepped out of my hotel a tout was on me, but I confidently brushed him off. I walked a round about way to get to the ATM. Once I got there I noticed the tout just happened to be there too. Once inside the ATM vestibule I fumbled my ATM card and it clattered to the ground. The first steps are always the hardest.

Anyway I got my money and headed off in a taxi to the National Museum. The driver friendly informed me that it was closed and would I rather have him drive me to the much farther away Humayan's Tomb. He almost had me, but I said that I did not care if it was closed I want to go anyway. Of course, it was not closed. The museum itself was very musty, with an exotic scent. I saw bronzes, statues, and minature paintings. Most of them were depicting Vishnu, Shiva and various other gods and characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Thank you Dr. Millinger's World History 125.

When I left I hopped in an auto-rickshaw to head for the lush Lodi Gardens. Guess what? According to the driver they were closed too. Really, the whole gardens were closed? On a sunday afternoon when everyone would enjoy a pleasant weekend stroll? Obviously, they too were not closed. Inside the gardens were full of Indian families and many young couples discreetly spending some quality time behind tropical trees. This an outgrowth of India being a country where PDA runs across social norms and also many young Indians live with their families. The sections of greeness in India are amazing to me. For some reason I just hadn't thought of India as a green country before. There was a beautiful large pond that was overlooked by ruins of an ancient fort. I decided I would check it out later as I was sitting there watching turquoise winged birds flitting along the currents of air.

I kept walking until I came across an expanse of green. A group of beautiful doe-eyed teenage girls were playing tag and laughing. Two impressively built tombs were set amongst the grass. It is amazing to see them in a city center park. I reclined on the lawn, resting my head on my arm. Briefly drowsing, I felt India washing over me, imagining myself in the time of the Siddhartha contemplating peace and enlightenment.

I awoke from my brief slumber to go search out the fort I had seen earlier. I rambled around it for a little while until I came across an unofficial man wearing some sort of unifotm. He said he could take me to see underground the fort with him. I had no idea what he meant by that one so I declined and moved on. A short time later I was out of the gardens back on the Delhi streets looking for an auto-rickshaw to take me back to my hotel. I got picked up by one and then all of a sudden the driver's friend began to get in. I'm like now way. That's the kind of thing that can lead to a mugging. So just the driver and I motor off. Then he sort of circless back again, offering one more time for his friend to come along too. When again I say no he stops the rickshaw and politely motions me to get out as he can't take me where I want to go. Tranquility and scams. All part of a day in Delhi.


written on October 29, 2008

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Photos

Welcome to India
A statue at the National Museum says hello.

Lodi Gardens
A tranquil oasis in the heart of Delhi.

An expanse of green
This was a good place for contemplation and a nap.

Comments

[laney52]

delhi
Hi, looks as if you had a good time in Delhi.Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your journey. Laney