Saturday, February 1, 2025
A Re-Discovery of Delhi:
Our trip to Delhi, motivated by an invitation to the birthday part of the mother of one of our close friends in New York, would be a re-discovery of the city for the two of us. Llew was returning after 2008 and I was last there in 2016 but only very briefly. Still, I recall always feeling stirred by this sprawling, ancient capital and always wishing I had more time to spend in it. These four days would allow us to do just that.
Departure from Bombay:
We left our Bandra flat at 4.30 am in an Uber car that flew along the highway and got us to the airport by 5.00 am. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7.00nam—so we were very much on schedule. We had no bags to check in and managed to clear all boarding formalities in very little time. This left us free to wander around the airport and get lattes and hot chocolate from McDonald’s as it would be about 7.45 when we’d get our meal on board.
Out Indigo flight was on schedule and very comfortable. Before we knew it, it was done. We ate our chicken sandwiches on the flight and asked for the famous Indigo Blue masala tea which was really delicious. The meal fueled us up for what would be a pretty hectic morning.
Arrival in Delhi and Journey to Fulbright House:
I had received clear and detailed instructions from one of my colleagues in the USIEF (United States-India Education Foundation) Office on how to get from the airport to our residence for the next three nights. We could have taken an Uber but we opted to do it by public transport instead. Accordingly, after landing, we took the shuttle airport bus from T1 (where we had landed) to T3 (Rs. 40 per head) and were at the T3 station in about 20 minutes. At this point, we saw signs for the Airport Express Line (metro) and headed towards it. We went through Security (and frisking—(which one must do at every metro station) before buying our tickets to get to Shivaji Stadium (Connaught Place)—for Rs. 50 each.
The train reminded me very much of the Heathrow Express train that one takes from Heathrow to Paddington in order to be in Central London in 15 minutes. It is spiffy, silent, clean and very well maintained. There are two stops (Aerocity and Daula Kuan) before one arrives at Shivaji Stadium. Once out of the station, the headaches begin because a series of touts will come forward to entice you to take their auto rickshaws to get you to your final destination. We finally settled on a rick for Rs. 80 and then discovered that we were barely five minutes away, The same ride would probably have cost us Rs. 40 in Bombay.
So a word of caution about Delhi’s auto rickshaw drivers: Although they have meters in their vehicles, they do not ply by them. To make matters worse, we happened to be in the city on the very day the fares had been altered. The drivers took advantage of this development by not running their meters. One is expected to negotiate a price with them before entry—this is tough if one does not know the city and has no idea how far one’s destination is or how long it will take to get there. Very quickly we learned that Uber auto ricks are the way to go! They are much more reliable and much cheaper (at least half the cost of what the crookish drivers charge). The only problem with this arrangement is that sometimes the autos take awfully long to arrive or might not be available at all in far off parts of the city. In those cases, we ended up calling for Uber cars (slightly more expensive but just as reliable). So as soon as we were dropped off at our destination (the Fulbright Residence that I am entitled to use as a Fulbright alumnus), we found the watchman who checked our names against his list of visitors, let us into the gate and gave us our key. As this is a property of the US Government, Security is very strict indeed. We held on to our keys for the duration of our stay.Settling into our Delhi Digs:
I have stayed in Fulbright House before and am fairly familiar with its routines. However, because we arrived on a Saturday, there was no one around. We let ourselves into our room and found it very welcoming and comfortable. A girl called Stuti, already resident next door, was working on her computer in the common area. She gave us the wifi password and we settled ourselves down for a much-needed nap as we had woken up at 4.00 am and were ready for a snooze. Setting our alarms for an hour, we made ourselves very comfortable and enjoyed the quiet and serenity of one of the most peaceful parts of Delhi. This area is part of the Diplomatic Enclave and is surrounded by the embassies of Iran, Nepal, etc. It is a vast property with a large lawn in front and a café attached to the premises. This is where we would enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning.
to the Lodi Gardens:
An hour’s nap later, we awakened refreshed and ready to tackle Delhi’s chaotic traffic. At 12.30pn, we set off to see the Lodi Gardens having taken instructions from the watchman. We found the Metro station called Mandi House and discovered the drill involved in going through Security (frisking again), buying a ticket (Rs. 40) to Jor Bagh (this involved a line change) and finding our platform. We had downloaded the metro map of Delhi on our phones but discovered, towards the end of our stay, that printed Meto maps are available at the stations (you have only to ask for them). We made our change at Central Secretariat and two stops later, were at Jor Bagh. The Lodi Gardens were only a short walk to the front entrance of the gardens.
Exploring the Lodi Gardens:
It’s a very good thing we had the Lodi Gardens at the very top of our sightseeing agenda as we soon discovered that all aspects of Islamic architecture on the Indian sub-continent have their roots in the buildings that were designed and constructed during the Lodi era. As soon as you enter the gardens, you are struck by the fact that they lie like a green oasis in the midst of the traffic-ridden city. This, by the way, is true of many parts of Delhi. There are these vast gardens, parks and green spaces that function like the lungs of the city. People take full advantage of them and they are used for exercise, strolling, relaxation and socializing.
As soon as we entered, we saw what looked like an ancient edifice ahead of us. It turned out to be Bada Gumbad, constructed in 1490, one of the many mausoleums that sprouted in the time of the Lodi dynasty in Delhi—the Lodis were part of the Delhi Sultanate. It’s construction is attributed to Sikandar Lodi and is remarkable because it is the first edifice to feature a full and rounded dome. It might have been intended as a free-standing tomb but no tombstone has been identified. The building, in its antiquity is highly photogenic and I found myself clicking pictures of it from every angle. The gardens were quite crowded with a lot of school groups in evidence—evidently on field trips. They were all over the property, taking pictures and exploring in giggling groups. From the main entrance over on the opposite, we could see yet another similar structure—this is Shish Gumbad—so-called because it was once adorned with mirrors (although none remain), However, the cobalt blue ornamentation at the entrance to the building is still in evidence. Walking around from one monument to the next, entering them to take note of the interiors (noting to write home about although there was very nice calligraphic decoration on the Bada Gumbad’s exterior walls) can be very tiring. It was fun to see people of every social class on the lawns, picnicking on mats that they’d spread out and tucking into food in every conceivable container that they’d carried with them. As it was about 1.30pm by this time, we too were peckish. It was time to see the last significant monument and leave to find some lunch.
The Tomb of Sikandar Lodi:
Sikandar Lodi, whose name was Nizam Khan, came to the throne of Delhi after the death of his father in 1489. He ruled till 1517 when his son, Ibrahim Lodi, ascended the throne and built this mausoleum in memory of his father. It is the first garden tomb on the Indian sub-continent and the oldest surviving garden-tomb in India. It is built in an octagonal design and is fully enclosed within a walled garden.
Like the other Lodi monuments in this garden, it wears its age on its sleeve. The crenulated walls give the monument great stature and the entry, up a flight of stairs, lends it status and importance. Once on the octagonal plinth, you cannot enter the main room—doors that are chained and padlocked prevent visitors from entering. However, you can peek inside and see the cenotaph in the center. When we were there, a bearded white visitor from Italy, sang a few lines in a rich baritone. When we asked him what he was singing , he said he was singing in Latin. It sounded marvelous, especially as the dome created an echo—the kind of effect he was clearly after.
When our circumnavigation around the tomb was done, we were ready to leave; but we still needed to find Athpula—Eight arched Bridge. This is another Lodi-era bridge that spans the river than runs through the garden. We found it really close to Sikandar’s Tomb and took a picture as a swan swam obligingly close to it and entered my frame quite sportingly. But then it was time for us to go, especially as we had spent quite a bit of time in these fascinating gardens with their towering established trees, sweet birdsong at every turn and lots of opportunities to people watch.
Off for Lunch to Khan Market:
By the time we were ready to leave the Lodi Gardens, it was past 2.00 pm and we were distinctly hungry. We hailed a rick and told him to take us to Khan Market because, by this time, we had made contact with our friends Allan and Anita, who wanted to spend some time with us. They had an errand at Khan Market and told us to meet them there, but to go ahead with lunch without them.
As soon as we arrived in Khan Market, we passed by a very modest kiosk which had a sign saying, Azam’s: Rolls, Kebabs, Kathi. It looked like the kind of place where we could get a quick, filling and reasonable-priced meal and, as we were too hungry to go scouting for another place, that’s where we stood (yes, stood—as there was no seating) and had our lunch: we decided to share a Mutton Kakori Kebab Kathi Roll and a Chicken Malai Tikka Kathi Roll—both served with a bit of cooling yoghurt and mint chutney. With each roll costing Rs. 300, it was not really inexpensive, but it was fairly tasty and made a filling meal.
We then walked around Khan Market for a bit and found it to be filled with upscale Indian boutique stores such as Nicobar, Anokhi and FabIndia but also imported chains such as Crocs and Hamleys. In addition, there were fancy eateries selling drinks and both Indian and Continental food. Just when we wondered whether we should stick around, we got a call from Anita who told us that they had actually just arrived at the Market. They told us to meet them at the entrance of Nicobar and less than ten minutes later, we were having a very affectionate reunion with our New York friends whom we had last seen in the summer (August of last year). At their suggestion, we decided to find a coffee shop in which we could sit down and catch up and have a lovely chinwag. So the guys went off to look for a suitable place while Anita and I did some browsing in Nicobar and received big-time sticker shock—the items were so expensive even with a 50% discount. Neither Anita nor I could understand why we would need to pay New York prices in a boutique in India—but this is what India has become: as pricey and inaccessible as you can imagine.
Afternoon Tea at Laduree:
To my great delight, I discovered that the guys had chosen Laduree, the fancy-schmancy French tearoom chain, for our natter. Just a few stores away, this very pretty tearoom that sells the most exquisite French pastry (each one retailing at Rs. 550—so also not cheap) and really good hot chocolate (as I know from experience of frequenting the chain in London, New York and Paris).
It was not long before we were seated to enjoy caffe lattes and hot chocolate and pastries: Llew and I shared the Plaisir Sucre (a chocolate hazelnut concoction) while Alan and Anita shared a Strawberry Tart that was as pretty as it was delicious. Of course, time flew as we chatted nineteen to the dozen about all sorts of things including our presence at her mother’s 90th birthday party the next afternoon. But, then it was time for them to get some alteration done at National—a tailoring establishment that also sold fabric. This gave us the chance to see the ‘back’ of Khan Market which we discovered that it is constructed around a charming garden. It’s a lovely place in which to browse even if you don’t really want to buy anything and had we more time, we’d surely have done this. But when their errand was done, they were ready to leave and Llew and I were ready to hit the next item on our sightseeing agenda.
A Visit to the Charming Sunder Nursery Gardens:
The Sunder Nursery Gardens are a fairly new addition to Delhi’s open spaces. They were vast acres of nursery land harboring hundreds of varieties of trees and other species and were used for the cultivation of plants and flowers that were then planted all over the city. However, in 2014, since the area also housed some fantastic Lodi-era tombs and mausoleums, the Aga Khan Trust for the Preservation of Arts and Culture came forward to fund the refurbishment of the structures and the gardens that surrounded them. The end result is a charming garden that is designed in imitation of a Persian-style carpet complete with blocks of lawns, terracotta light fixtures, loads of colorful flower beds including a rose garden. These surround domed mausoleums that are named Sunder Burj and Lakkawalla Burj—the two of which we had the time to visit. Meanwhile, we took pictures of the dahlias in full bloom as well as late-season roses. The water features or mini fountains were also playing and delighting the crowds of people who were there to shoot the breeze on a perfect evening in Delhi. We soon entered these structures, noted the plainness of their inferiors—although they make good settings for fashion photography—and as twilight was descending upon the city and the gardens, having skirted around the lake, we decided to move on.
Visiting the Nizamuddin Durgah:
Lonely Planet had informed me that Hazrat Nizammudin Durgah was not to be missed as it is one of the most mystical, magical places in Delhi. Accordingly, as darkness was rapidly descending upon the city, we left the Sunder Nursery Gardens (not to be mistaken for Sunder Nagar—a different neighborhood in Delhi) behind us to foot it to the Durgah.
A Durgah is a mosque and Delhi has some of the oldest ones in the country. This mosque is dedicated to the memory of Nizamuddin Auliya, a famous Sufi saint who was revered by the people in his own time. He died in 1325 at the ripe old age of 92 leaving legions of devotees in his wake. He popularized the poetic writing of a contemporary poet and singer called Amir Khusroo and together they devised a form of vocal entertainment called Quawalli—in which a team of singers and musicians uses the call and response technique of song to entertain their listeners. After Nizamuddin’s death, everyone wanted to be buried close to his final resting place—including aristocracy and royalty, This explains why there are so many tombs and mausoleums in the nearby Sunder Nursery Gardens.
A visit to this Durgah is unique because it has a long pathway that leads to the entrance. You need to go through a maze of very narrow streets lined on both sides by shops selling rose petals, attar and packets of tiny white sesame sweets (tilgul). For at least ten minutes before you get to the entrance, you will be pestered by shop keepers urging you to leave your shoes with them as you are not allowed to wear them inside. However, you need to wait until you get to the actual mosque itself—do not be in a hurry to leave your footwear behind.
Llew and I decided to take turns to enter the Durgah so that one of us minded the other’s shoes—we were afraid that our shoes would be missing when we returned. Inside, past an ornate arched entrance, fitted with mirrors and mother-of-pearl, we were in a large courtyard with many different little buildings and shrines. We could also hear loud music pouring out of the PA system and further ahead we could see hundreds of people crowded around another shrine where vocal music could be heard. We did not stay long—all I wanted to see was the marble dome and to experience the general air of spirituality and devotion that permeated the space. After taking a few pictures, we put our shoes back on and left. The way to the main road was equally daunting with crowds of people on both sides of the streets, devotees still entering as we were leaving and overwhelming sounds everywhere around us—a real assault on every one of our senses.
Off for Dinner to Ego for Thai Food:
It was then time for us to try to get to New Friend’s Colony where my friend Sangeeta had told me we should not miss the Thai food at a place called Ego Obsession. We found a rickshaw on the main road through Uber with difficulty and were able to ride quite a long way to the place which we found after a good half hour’s ride.
Ego Obsession was a lovely haven of quiet and classiness after the melee from which we had just come. We sank down gratefully on a comfortable sofa and ordered from an extensive menu. We decided to share the Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut Milk Soup) and a Chicken Pad Thai which was filled with glass noodles, crunchy sprouts and peanuts. We chose water to drink and with that we had ourselves a really hearty and very tasty meal. The place did live up to its reputation and we were really pleased to end our day on such a happy note.
All that was left, after we paid out bill, was for Llew to buy himself a sweet paan from a passing stall, after which we used Uber to find a rick to take us back home to our residence on Hailey Road. It had been a very long day and we were both really tired and ready for bed.
Until tomorrow, cheerio...
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