by Debbie Valentine
Delhi is an assault on your senses. However you arrive in the city, it smacks you around the face with its intensity. The flavours and smells of the markets and food stalls; the sounds of a bustling, busy city; the sights of the completely contrasting old and new cites sitting next to each other: there is nowhere in the world quite like it.
Delhi is probably the most popular destination for visitors to India. It’s an easy gateway to the country, and the capital is a fascinating, bustling place to visit. Whether jumping in a rickshaw or on the surprisingly comfortable Metro, Delhi is a city easily traversed, although I would recommend taking a rickshaw at least once and experience the idiosyncrasies of Delhi’s traffic: where there are two lanes marked, expect four; traffic lights don’t necessarily mean stop; honking is just a suggestion the driver is about to do something; and being a pedestrian can be quite terrifying.
The main road of Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk, is the best place from which to explore the old city. With the Red Fort at one end, and the peaceful Fatehpuri Masjid at the other, the street is packed with shops, stalls, people and the occasional cow. Stop at one of the many stalls selling chai and, for about 10p, indulge in a cup of the sweet, aromatic tea. You can buy pretty much anything in the market, from fabric and shoes to food and homewares, it’s an astonishing selection of goods and a great place to collect a souvenir.
The east end is dominated by the Red Fort. Built by the Mughuls and later appropriated by the British, it is a fascinating and beautiful place to visit. The intricately carved marble apartments of the Mughuls sit side-by-side with the barracks built by the British. We spent an hour wandering around, navigating the loitering monkeys and surreptitious photographers, although you could easily spend more time wandering the huge site and marvelling at the architecture.
The west end of Chandni Chowk is home to the spice market. We went on a walk with a fantastic local guide, and if you can find one, I really recommend it. In three hours we visited spice shops, talked to stall owners, had a walking tour of Chandni Chowk, and, most importantly to me, got to try some delicious local food. Authentic banana lassi, fresh curry, paneer paratha – which we watched being made and cooked in the tandoor – samosas and hot jalebis fresh out of the sugar syrup… If you like Indian food, you haven’t tried anything yet.
As a Brit visiting Delhi there is a lot of interesting Imperial history. The contrast between the wide boulevards of imperial New Delhi and the narrow lanes, ramshackle architecture and bustle of old Delhi is huge. India Gate is in the heart of the geometrically laid out New Delhi, and is a national war memorial, but also as a hotbed for catching tourists with trinkets, photos and scams. Do visit, but just beware of the occasional unsavoury character, although India Gate does have a heavy police presence so you shouldn’t feel too threatened. Down the Rajpath from India Gate lies the Central Secretariat that houses some of the country’s sprawling bureaucracy. The jewel in the crown of Britain’s power in India is probably the best work of the architect, Edwin Lutyens. You will see the famous white Ambassador cars crowding around the government buildings, ready to shuffle someone off to a meeting.
We took a late trip to the beautiful Humayon’s Tomb, a large mausoleum to the Emperor Humayon built by his widow. The building contains more than 100 tombs, and is nicknamed the ‘dormitory of the Mughuls’. About 500 years old, the red sandstone and white marble building glows in the evening light, and is a peaceful spot in the busy city.
If India is a country that has ever held any interest, any fascination or you just think elephants look fun, I urge you to go. It is so unlike any place I have visited and yet there are so many familiar things –you’ll quite easily grab a Coke and around Delhi English is written everywhere and widely spoken. Yes, Delhi is very crowded with people and traffic, noisy and dirty, there is no way of avoiding that, but like a ruby in the rubble, underneath the irritations Delhi is quite unique and beautifully memorable.