Chalo Delhi – 7

I have been writing or lets say posting pictures of my Delhi trip for a while now. Three days and there was still a lot to see, especially the northern part of India. However I did not have that much time to explore India. This was my first trip in India outside Mumbai purely for recreational purpose.  

For years, earth was confined to Mumbai. A big bad universe existed outside Mumbai. Everyone outside Mumbai were aliens. I did make small trips outside Mumbai but they were not so significant. The first time I ventured outside the comfort of my home was when I landed in Amsterdam. I realized there were others who lived on the earth and Mumbai was not the only land on Earth. In fact, Earth was round. Strange!

I ventured to visit many countries in Europe but the fact that I had seen a lot less of my own country still remained. So my friend’s marriage was a good enough excuse to visit Delhi.

Now I have lived all my life in the financial capital of India, Mumbai and now visited the capital of India, Delhi. So the question is which is the better city, Mumbai or Delhi? The answer is that both the cities rock and stink at the same time. Delhi has a much better climate compared to Mumbai atleast the Winters in Delhi. Mumbai has the same climate the year around. Mumbai has the rains. Delhi can never have that much rain. Both the cities are beautiful at the chief nodal area. Delhi looks beautiful near the parliament side. Mumbai looks beautiful at the churchgate-VT area. The suburbs in both the cities stink.

One thing I admired and liked in Delhi are the Delhi girls in winter, something that Mumbai will never have. I have seen girls wearing sweater and jackets in Amsterdam too. But the way Delhi girls wear them appears graceful and beautiful. The way a sweater is worn over the salwar kameez with a dupatta over the sweater, or how elegantly a shawl is draped by them or how the shawl is draped over a western outfit or a top and a jeans, its just beautiful to look at. The Amsterdam girl with their designer jacket don’t even look as half as beautiful as them. It may be just be because of the climate there. When we went there, a mild fog engulfed the city. The sun was there but still it was cold. In this climate I found girls standing on the bus stop, on the streets, shopping wearing their traditional salwar kameez with a sweater, or a shawl and I must agree that it was a treat to watch them. I know it is wrong to ogle at girls but I guess I meant no harm just watching them. No harm or offence intended.

The Delhi trip was small but eventful. We did squeeze lot of things in those three days. Unfortunately, I could not eat the tasty dishes in Delhi because of my upset stomach.

The last day, we saw the Qutub Minar and Red Fort but we also manage to see the Lotus Temple and the Jantar Mantar too.

The Baha’I temple of worship also know as the Lotus Temple

The petals of the Lotus temple. The Lotus temple is inspired by Lotus, the national flower of India.

The huge beautiful garden in front of the Lotus Temple

The ISKon Temple in Delhi.

The Jantar Mantar in Delhi built by Maharaja Jai Singh II between 1727 to 1734 were huge astronomical observatory. The observatory was the symbol for the Asian Games held in1982 in Delhi. How the observatory works is a little complex and there are instruction at the foot of the observatory

The huge brick triangular structure is actually a huge sundial. The accuracy of the sundial is as accurate as 3 seconds. Built without any help from computers or other device almost 3 centuries back. Amazing!

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