Indian Fall in India

Overwhelming.

That's the only word that comes to mind to describe my very first India experience. Granted, I saw only a fraction of India, but the smells, the sounds, the sights, the color, the crowd, the traffic all together assail you and leave you really knocked out at the end of the day.
I was in Bangalore during the week for business, did not see much of it as I was mostly driving back and forth from our hotel to the office. However, I spent the weekend in Delhi, enjoying the hospitality of A.

My good friend, the Maharajah of Rawhajpoutalah.

For those of you who are as ignorant as I am, Delhi is actually composed of two areas, Old Delhi and New Delhi. Old Delhi is the historic part of the city and that's where you find the biggest crowd, mad traffic, bazaars and ancient mosques and emperor's tombs. New Delhi is the more modern side of the city, mostly built by the British, with large and huge avenues, posh hotels etc.. The traffic is mad there as well by the way, cars, trucks, rickshaws (motorized or not), cows, bicycles, all honking furiously (except the cows).

The India Gate in New Delhi, all British built.

The presidential palace, somewhere at the end of the huge alley.

Delhi is absolutely huge, 12 millions inhabitants, and it takes a long time to go anywhere because of the traffic. There is a big metro project in progress, that should be finished next year. It's amazing to see the wildlife here (I'm not talking about the cows which are indeed everywhere, most preferably in the middle of the highway). Beautiful wild parrots, eagles, monkeys (along the park next to the president palace).

What transportation problem?

I won't start to describe my experience here because there is too much to tell, and nobody reads this blog anyway. Suffice it to say it was a great adventure, and I am definitely planning to come back for a longer period of time and visit the "golden triangle" with Agra (the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur.

I had my personal escort with me.

 

You would not believe how many people can fit in one Rickshaw.

I was able to visit some great historic places with A., for whom it was actually the first time he visited these various places. What is striking is that these places are often large complexes that occupy vast area with pools, green parks, gorgeous trees, and the quietude and serenity of these places is totally striking when one consider the chaos outside. Because I'm lazy, most of the comments are paste from Internet.

We started with the Qutb Minar. Wild parrots nest in the ruins of this place.

The Qutab Minar, a tower in Delhi, India, is at 72.5 meters the world's tallest brick minaret. It is situated in the Qutb complex, amidst the ruins of ancient Hindu temples which were destroyed and their stones used to build the Qutb complex and minar. Construction commenced in 1193 under the orders of India's first Muslim ruler Qutb-ud-din Aibak. The Qutb Minar is notable for being one of the earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic architecture.

Very old and very new together

Then we went on to visit Humayun's tomb.This monument is said to have served as a model for the Taj Mahal, only this one is made of white and black marble. I found it interesting that the star of David was everywhere on this Muslim tomb. However, one guide told us it was only meant as a symbol of masculine/feminine harmony...

Humayun's tomb is known as the first example of the monumental scale that would characterize subsequent Mughal imperial architecture. Commissioned by Humayun's senior widow, the tomb is the first to mark the grave of a Mughal emperor. Humayun's Tomb is now one of the best-preserved Mughal monuments in Delhi.

All of the sites we visited had a similar way of charging the entrance fee: 10 roupies (20 cts) for an Indian and a whopping 250 roupies for foreigners (which amounts to about $5).

We finished the day by visiting Purana Qila (the Old Fort).

Purana Qila (translation: Old Fort), is the inner citadel of the city of Dina-panah, founded by the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun in 1533 and completed five years later

More stars of David...

The following day, we were on our way to visit the largest of Old Delhi's monuments: Lal Quila or Red Fort whose thick red sandstone walls, bulging with turrets and bastions, have withstood the vagaries of time and nature. Its walls extend from two kilometers and vary in height from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the city side. Mughal Emperor Shahjahan started construction of the massive fort in 1638 and work was completed in 1648. 

The fort contains all the expected trappings of the centre of Mughal government: halls of public and private audience, domed and arched marble palaces, plush private apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens.

The throne of the emperor. Incredibly detailed. All marble.

Doesn't that tree seem to come straight from the Lord of the Rings?

It does not really show, but the fine ciseling of marble is just incredible.

Getting out of the Red Fort, we walked across the street through the bazaar to see the Jama Masjid Mosque which is the largest mosque in Asia. The crowd was just incredible, and as A. said, today is a good day because there are less people than during the week... Unfortunately the guard at the entrance of the mosque refused to let me enter. I guess I don't look much like an Indian, and he had a very big baton.

The mosque in the back.

"Sunday is a good day because there are less people than during the week!"

Picture taken my back to the Jama Masjid Mosque. The Red Fort is in the back.

We closed the day by visiting Mahatma Gandhi tomb, another oasis of serenity in this otherwise mad city.

Mahatma Gandhi tomb, so simple and humble.

A frangipane tree in Gandhi's memorial.

Ciao!