Discovering Delhi – II
I was in the heart of New Delhi, my camera swinging around my neck and a pair of shades to keep the Delhi sun at bay. The best way to unfold the innumerable secrets of New Delhi is to start at this monument, from where many important roads begin. New Delhi is radically different from the cluttered, but charming streets of Old Delhi. The wide sweeping roads, tree lined boulevards and, large, imposing buildings of New Delhi are refreshing. New Delhi is predominantly British in influence, for it was designed by the English architect Edward Lutyens, when the British government decided to shift their capital from Kolkata to Delhi. The contrast between New Delhi and the old city is such that I felt I was in a different city altogether, but on further examining the sights of the new city, it felt quintessentially Indian to me.
India gate is a war memorial, built in the common memory of the Indian soldiers who perished in World War I and the third Anglo-Afghan war. It was inspired from the French Arc de triomphe, which was, in turn, derived from the Roman Arch of Titus. Underneath India Gate is a shrine, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was added after Independence. The cenotaph is a black marble platform, upon which stands a rifle and a helmet. ‘Amar Jawan’, is inscribed upon it, in golden letters, which gleam in the sun. An eternal flame burns in the memory of the soldiers. The area is surrounded by lush lawns – a perfect spot for a picnic, I thought, watching groups of friends and families, scattered on the grass.
I walked up Rajpath, the most famous boulevard in India. It appeared quite familiar, of course, because I watch the Republic day parade almost every year, which goes down the Rajpath. The Secretariat buildings, North block and South block, flank the Rajpath. They look austere and magnificent and I thought they appeared like two sentinels. At the end of this beautiful road is the stately Rashtrapati Bhavan. Designed by Lutyens and executed by Herbert Baker, the impressive Rashtrapati Bhavan crowns the Raisina Hill. It was originally the Viceroy’s house. Lutyens and Baker had a fall out over the gradient of the approach to the palace. Lutyens wanted the palace to come gradually into view, but due to miscalculation on Baker’s part, the Rashtrapati Bhavan disappears from the view. Lutyens was said to have quipped, that it was his ‘bakerloo’, alluding to the downfall of Napoleon at Waterloo. In Rashtrapati Bhavan, the colonial, neo-classical style integrates with local Indian influences and motifs. Elephants, domes, the traditional chajja – protruding part of the roof, Rajasthani grilles add an Indian touch to the building. Some part of the building has now been opened to the public, with prior notification on the official site of the President. Rashtrapati Bhavan has splendid gardens that unite Mughal and English landscaping styles. Called as the Mughal gardens, they are a splendid riot of colours, with fountains, impeccably manicured lawns and countless varieties of flowering plants. They are open to the people for a few weeks in February. It is a treat to stroll in these gardens which are quite possibly, the best in India.
After admiring the Rashtrapati Bhavan through its impossibly large gate, I went down to Connaught Place, one of India’s largest financial centres. It is reminiscent of Royal Crescent, in Bath, England and consists of two concentric circles of buildings. Eight major roads start from Connaught Place. One of them is Janpath, a paradise for shoppers and foodies. It is lined by street stalls, selling everything from clothes to food. Some kiosks sell silver jewelry, other Tibetan artifacts and still other hawk scarves, shoes and tops. I bought some danglers, a beautiful multi coloured scarf and a Tibetan necklace. I loved this noisy, bright market, where bargaining is a way of life and smiles and laughs are abundant.
Behind the Tibetan market is Jantar Mantar. An ancient astronomical instrument, an observatory of sorts, is one of the five built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. The observatory was primarily used to to compile astronomical tables, and predict the movements of the sun, moon and the planets. The name is a colloquial form of sanskrit ‘Yantra Mantra’, which means ‘calculation instrument’. Jantar Mantar was never used to its full potential because after it was completed, in 1724, it soon fell into disuse owing to the tumultuous political instability and decline of the Mughal Empire. In recent times, it has been a favourite with the protesters and dissidents. I wandered around the hulking red structures, marvelling at the beauty and the ingenuity of our ancestors.
Near Jantar Mantar is an extremely unique restaurant, Parikrama. Delhi’s oldest and tallest revolving restaurant, Parikrama offers a stunning panoramic view of the city. It is an exceedingly exciting way to dine, to watch the view change outside slowly, from Jama Masjid to Bangla Sahib gurdwara to the train station as one progresses from the first course of the meal to the last. Parikrama was established in 1991 and still is one of the best restaurants of its kind. The soft and crispy Paneer tikka is phenomenal and so is the chicken biryani.
If you are in the mood for some Asian food, why not visit the renowned Mamagoto restaurant? It has pan-asian dishes and a bright, friendly vibe that immediately puts one at ease. Mamagoto, which in Japanese means ‘playing with food’, can adequately sum up the essence of this restaurant. Food is approached innovatively, and all the dishes are extremely delicious. Teriyaki tofu, Chiang Mai Train Station Noodles, and Grilled Sampium Baken are especially recommended.
After an extended lunch, I decided to tackle the most important job of the day – shopping! Khan Market, one of the best shopping centres in Delhi has showrooms from top brands, high-end silversmiths, and various gourmet shops. It is a U-shaped collection of buildings, with stores around the face of the U with an alley running in the middle. It was judged to be the one of most expensive shopping real estate in the world, by Cushman and Wakefield, a leading commercial real estate services firm. I rifled through bookstores and picked out a few rare titles. I treated myself to a few kebabs at the stalls from the streets – I could hardly resist their scrumptious smell! Do not miss kebabs from the famous stalls like Salim’s Kebabs and Khan Chacha’s Kebab’s. Succulent and tasty, they are simply out of the world!
From Khan Market, I walked over to Sunder Nagar, perhaps Delhi’s best market. It is filled with art galleries, handicrafts stores, and antiques shops. You can rummage for interesting second hand goods at various stalls and view the works of various artists and sculptors on display at the galleries. La boutique, one of the prime exporters of handicrafts is based here. The amazing array of handicrafts like brass figures, silver statuettes, and silver jewellery is utterly mesmerizing. Regalia tea house, one of the best places to buy tea in Delhi, stocks many varieties of tea. Most notable among them is the Silver Green tea which is priced at a staggering Rs 3000 per kilo! One of the best things about this shop is its gregarious atmosphere – there are personal tea-tasting sessions with the customer! After all the culture and art, don’t forget to stop by Nathu’s Sweets, a street food stall, for wonderful golgappas and steaming hot pav bhaji.
I was exhausted by the time I finished touring Sunder Nagar, but I knew that I had barely scratched the surface of this great metropolis. There was so much more left – the mesmerizing garden of five senses, the tranquil Lotus temple, historic tombs and so much more! As I hailed an auto, I had already begun planning the itinerary for the next day.
Image credits: Wikimedia commons and wikinewstime.com
