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Published: November 26th 2009
Touch wood our travel arrangements continued to run without hitch. After some minor crowd scenes at Goa airport, we flew Air India to Delhi via Mumbai. On the climb out we could see the cove on Goa's southern river (Zuari) where Star Clipper had moored, then into the clouds before we could see much of Goa's famed northern beaches. There is no mistaking the thick pall of smoke/smog/haze/fog that hangs over these parts of India. Visibility as we flew into both Mumbai and Delhi was very poor and worse. Some people were saying the failure of this year’s monsoon had something to do with it. Nonetheless Delhi pollution is legendary.
We ended up in Delhi on four occasions: after arriving from Goa (10th - 11th Nov); after our first Intrepid trip (16th - 22nd Nov) and for Catherine, after her second Intrepid trip (4th - 5th Dec). We really got to see the sights and get to know the place. Staying in Karol Bagh, just outside Old Delhi was fun. Kind of crazy, and an eclectic mix of old and new, rich and poor, tourist and local. A good place to base our visit - I guess that is the
Food stall
Paratha Street, Old Delhisense behind many tour companies starting and finishing there ; >.
There were the standard sights like the Red Fort and great mosque (Jama Masjid), which in any other place would be regarded as World Heritage sites. Here they struggle under a large human load, and also pale in comparison to the sights of Agra or Jaipur. We really enjoyed the Qutab Minar complex which encompasses the ruins of the very first mosque in India and the minaret itself, which commemorates a victory of the Muslims over the Hindus in 1193, is a spectacular structure shaped like a bundle of reeds and faced with polished red sandstone and white marble.
The National Museum is absolutely jammed with treasures from the last 5000 years in the Indus Valley. It was Interesting to compare these artifacts with the ones we saw in Egyptian Museum in Cairo given that the civilizations were contemporary. The similarities included the sophistications of urban planning, domestic design and creation of idols and well-crafted images of the gods. Two items truly stood out at the museum. Firstly there were two urns containing remains of the lord Buddha. These are simply displayed in a glass box with
no additional security or pomp and ceremony. It was fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries in India to paint miniatures of events and to depict stories from sacred texts. Some of these miniatures were also highlights of the museum. An original painting of the wedding parade of the son of the creator of the Taj Mahal, Emporer Shah Jahan, which occurred in the Jaipur City Palace in the 18th century, was also a highlight for Catherine, given that we had stood in that place just days earlier.
Exploring the narrow, ramshackled streets of Old Delhi was also a highlight, though one had to have ones senses piqued. The sights and smells were truly incredible - in fact we reckon the current Indian travel marketing campaign, “Incredible !ndia” rings true. In the spice market, there was stall after stall packed with massive sacks spices. Every one you could imagine, and the air heavy with the scent. Spice sacks are transported between warehouse and the little stalls down the narrow alleys on the backs of diminutive Indian men or piled high on hand carts being pulled by men grunting in harness, and pushed by others. You see these guys grabbing
a well-earned sleep during the day, and between assignments. Not only do they have to lift the weight, but they also have to dodge all manner of vehicles and street folk.
We were lucky to also get some other views of Delhi while there. Through Greg’s network we attended a meeting of the Rotary Club of Delhi Mid West, which is a small Club meeting at the Hyatt Regency. They were wonderful hosts, and each of us was humbled by their track record of service, having been one of the instigators of the worldwide PolioPlus program. Greg also visited the head office of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the direct equivalent of Australian’s CSIRO, and learnt about the breadth and impact of their research programs. One should never be tempted to underestimate what these people have been able to achieve through hard work and creativity, though with limited financial resources. Finally we visited the apartment of a colleague Iain, who works for the International Livestock Research Institute here in Delhi, and after an excellent (simple western) meal, showed us how the expat community is able to enjoy the environment of Delhi.
What a wonderfully rich visit.
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