Delhi is the gateway to Northern India. It’s close to the Himalayas, national parks, and some of India’s richest history. A lot of that history can be found in Delhi itself so if you love looking in the rearview mirror and knowing about those that walked before us then this is the tour for you. I had one day in Delhi and in that day I crossed off some of Delhi’s best historic sights. Of course, even without the history lesson, the parts of Delhi I visited were immensely interesting, and at times, jaw-dropping. It gave me a much deeper insight into the Indian culture of both today and yesterday.
India Parliament
I started with a wander around the Indian Secretariat Buildings. India loves symmetry and these buildings are no exception. Up on Raisina Hill, the buildings, split between the North Block and the South Block, which each house various government ministries such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Defence. Down the road is the official residence of the president. You can’t actually go into any the buildings but they are great to look at.
Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk is a large area in Old Delhi that is home to many different types of markets. Technically, Chandni Chowk is a market, but there are just many many different types within it. We spent a good few hours going between them, ducking into alleys (sometimes literally) and watching locals going about their shopping.
Chawri bazar and cycle rickshaw
We took the Metro from Central Secretariat Station to Chandni Chowk Station from whence we jumped in the first cycle rickshaw we found, who rode us through the Chawri Bazar. The cycle rickshaw is a fun way to see the town because you don’t go very fast and keep close to everything. The Chawri Bazar specialises in wholesale brass, copper and other such products. Nothing I was in the market for so I was happy to just pass by.
Spice market
Every good market should have a spice market and this one did not disappoint. Local restauranteurs and chefs will come to the Chandni Chowk Spice Market to buy in bulk large quantities of spices, nuts, and dried fruit for their menu. After walking along the street my guide led me down into a dark alley and up some stairs. It was a little disconcerting at first, but the stairs would lead us up 4 stories to the roof which had a fantastic view down into the spice market and out over the Fetahpuri Masjid (Mosque).
Red Fort
This time we took an electric rickshaw (similar to what I would call a tuk-tuk) out to the red fort. We passed many interesting sights like a buffalo pulling an overloaded cart along the highway, something you’d never see back home in Australia, not even in the country, this is in the middle of the city along a very busy road!
Unfortunately we didn’t go into the Red Fort as it was getting ready for Independence Day celebrations in a couple of weeks and was overrun with people. Ordinarily, this is one of the top historic sights in Delhi.
Dariba Kalan and Kinari Bazar
Next up was the Dariba Kalan and Kinari Bazar, or in English, the jewellery and wedding markets. There is a lot of wealth around the jewellery market and a lot of the jewellers actually live in townhouses out the back of the street. We walked down one alley that has very colourful adornments around every door. The wedding market was a handful of very colourful streets selling anything and everything relating to weddings. If you’ve ever seen photos of an Indian wedding, you’ll understand why the streets are so colourful!
Parathe Wali Gali
The last street was Parathe Wali Gali, translated as the Street of Paratha. It is named after the type of food that fills most of the storefronts: parathas. A paratha is folded dough stuffed with spices and vegetables then shallow fried. It is absolutely delicious and this is one type of street food in India you’ll want to try. Many restaurants will also serve this as well as the more well-known naan.
Lunch at Haldiram’s
Haldiram’s is a popular restaurant, common in India. They serve really good Indian food and is not too expensive so I ordered a few things. I had a dosa, idli sambar, raj kachori, and for a drink a mango lassi. Lassi is a yoghurt-like drink often served in a clay cup. The dosa was a crepe-like dough with a potato masala filling. Delicious. The idli sambar was a rice cake with a curry dipping sauce and the raj kachori was a weird snack; it was sweet with a consistency of yoghurt, while also having crunchy parts and layered in spices. It really took me on a journey.
Humayun’s Tomb and Isa Khan’s Mausoleum
After lunch, my driver took me over to Humayun’s Tomb. I didn’t know all that much about the site before entering so I was learning as I went. The Tomb is the main attraction but the complex has a couple of other monuments as well. The rain began as I entered through the gate toward Isa Kahn Niyazi’s Tomb, which is an octagonal mausoleum housing the remains of Isa Kahn, an Afghan noble. The structure was built in 1547, which is actually a couple of decades earlier than Humayun’s Tomb. Nearby is the Mosque of Isa Kahn, a simple structure with one room and 3 prayer bays.
Hamayun’s tomb is a grand mausoleum that houses over 160 members of the Mughal royal family. The Mughals, under Emperor Babur (Hamayun’s father), had travelled south from what is now Uzbekistan, through Afghanistan down into India where they ruled for more than 2 centuries. The monument takes artistic inspiration from a variety of styles to create a distinct Mughal style of architecture.
Mughal architecture took influence from Central Asian, Persian, and Islamic styles, which can all be seen tying together in this monument, a result of their march through Asia. If the styling looks familiar, that is because Hamayun’s Tomb was a precursor to the Taj Mahal, completed in 1653, where Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor is buried with his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
I explored the complex grounds then climbed up the stairs to get inside the tomb (see cover photo). Each side of the monument is identical, and the main chamber is also symmetrical with similar rooms on each side. I went in a few of these chambers and it did not take me long to lose my bearings. On the far side of the Tomb, was a facade that was identical to the front but without the people; a perfect spot to get a photo.
Qutb Minar Complex
The Qutb Minar predates the Mughals by a few hundred years and is not as well preserved. Still, what remains is absolutely incredible. The main features of the complex consist of the Quwwut-ul-Islam Mosque, the Qutb Minar, and Alai Darwaza. The Qutb Minar was built as a “victory tower”. It stands 72.5m high, the diameter at the base is 14.3m and tapers down to 2.7m at the top.
The Quwwut-ul-Islam Mosque doesn’t feel much like a mosque anymore since there is nothing left that resembles a roof, but the arches, the pillars and what is now a courtyard (but was probably previously a prayer chamber) all contribute to the structure. What struck me about the mosque was the incredible detail in the carvings on each pillar and the walls. Each pillar has been artfully decorated; the carvings in the stone are remarkable. Likewise, the patterns on the wall near the arches are exquisite.
The Alai Darwaza sits below the Minar and is inlaid with detail equal to that of the mosque on every side. It honestly has to be seen to be believed. The Alai Darwaza is primarily a gate and is built and decorated in red sandstone and white marble with stone screens, high arches and a dome on top.
Dinner at Cafe Rendezvous
My first dinner in India would be a classic: butter chicken with cheese naan. There’s a saying in India:
“I can’t please everybody, I’m not butter chicken.”
Butter chicken is a classic north Indian dish that even Indians love. It’s probably one of the few dishes we’ve imported to Australia that has actually stayed pretty true to form. While it was similar to what I can get at my local Darby Raj, it was easily the best butter chicken I’ve ever had; it was such a rich, tomato sauce perfectly in tandem with the spice variety used.
I ordered a Kingfisher beer and watched some Kabaddi on the tv. Kabaddi is some sort of team wrestling sport that for the life me I couldn’t follow. It sure looked like fun though.
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A big day in the heat and humidity but a successful one at that seeing some of historic Delhi best sights.
As part of #squadsq, my time in Delhi was hosted by Singapore Airlines, who are offering readers a discount on flights to Delhi from some major Australian cities. Use the code SQUADSQBSN to redeem. Redeemable until 30 August 2019 for travel until April 2020. Terms and Conditions apply.
Let’s keep in touch
Sign up for the mailing list below for the chance to become best friends.
Want to save this for later? Pin these, just hover.
Amazing. Thanks for sharing.