Delhi | 2

Delhi, India, is a giant city that contains an overwhelming amount of history, culture, life, food, temples, and everything else you could possibly imagine.

In Delhi I was shorthanded change after paying for a number of different attractions. I know officials occasionally do this on purpose, because at Qutub Minar I counted my change, was 100 Rupees short, so I turned back to the counter, and he immediately gave me 100 Rupees without saying anything… he knew all along, but was hoping I didn’t count. Count your change, and demand that you are given the correct amount.

Being shorthanded in change is very exaggerated in India and that too with the vendors claiming having no change whilst its clearly the contrary. As a means to apparently compensate for the 25 to 70 rupaiyaa they can't return you, they give you 3 or 4 sweets ( not mithaii but literally tiny little sugar candies! )

Moreover, they can clearly steal away your money when you ask them to return your money back when you decide not to take their product.

So, you truly have to count your notes and coins before and after trade.

Jamma Masjid

It was the during the Islamic Mughal empire when many of Delhi’s famous ancient sites were constructed. In the heart of Old Delhi, located right at Chawri Bazar and very close to Chandni Chowk is the largest Islamic mosque in the city, Jama Masjid. It’s a huge structure, built in the 17th century, and includes multiple entrances that all lead to the main worship deck. The mosque has two towering minarets and a few onion shaped domes. The giant expanse on the upper floor has a capacity to hold 25,000 people.

When you approach any entrance of the mosque someone will stop you and ask you to pay 300 Rupees (a bit overly steep in my opinion). So I stopped and read all the official rules posted on the wall. It clearly states, that only “Cameras including mobile phone cameras will be charged 300 Rupees.” So I decided to not take any photos inside (just took photos from the outside), and they still wanted to charge me, but I simply just went in without paying. Of course, once inside, many local Indians were taking photos with their phones, and it’s pretty safe to say, they didn’t pay 300 Rupees. If you want to take photos inside the mosque, the rule states to pay 300 Rupees, but if you just want to enter without taking photos, DON’T let them charge you!

I loved the Jama Masjid not only because it was my first time experience in a mosque but I liked it for its serenity.

It has a pretty large esplanade guarded by those red gigantic walls that enclosed fleets of birds that all swayed in swirls against the halo of a sun that rises at 10 am.

India Gate

The well respected India Gate is a 42 meter tall monument that was built in 1931 to honor Indian soldiers as a war memorial. Under the gate you can see a flame that’s continually lit and honors soldiers that have given their lives for their country.
Since the India Gate attracts quite a number of tourists, both locals and foreigners, there are also quite a few beggars and overly pushy sellers that hang around.

Jantar Mantar

The Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is a complex that includes a number of different structures used for astronomy observations. Commissioned by Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor, the structures were actually constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh II from Jaipur, Rajasthan (if you visit Jaipur, they have an even nicer Jantar Mantar, this is the one I visited).

Humayun's Tomb

Persian designed, the tomb was built in the mid 1500’s to house the Islamic Mughal emperor known as Humayun. Along with Humayun, there are quite a few other Mughal rulers whose graves are also within the building.
You can walk around the surrounding gardens and then proceed to climb a flight of stairs to the main deck. Then you can walk around the inside of the building and see the many marble tombstones. Also, located at the entrance of the attraction is a small museum showcasing some old photographs including explanations of the tomb and its history.

The Red Fort

The Red Fort in Delhi, known as Lal Qila, is a red sandstone Mughal fortress of walls that surrounds an entire ancient city. Once you get inside the gate, you’ll be able to freely walk around and view some of the main structures, halls, and mosques. Along with being a place to learn and see the history of Delhi, it’s also just a quiet place to get away from the crowds and noise outside the walls. However, if you visit Agra, please go to the Agra Fort, I thought it was more impressive than the Red Fort in Delhi.

Raj Ghat

Mahatma Gandhi is likely the most famous person associated with India, he’s on the front of all Rupee notes; He was the founding father of modern independent India and he’s known throughout the world for his philosophy of nonviolence and his attitude of helping and caring for others. Raj Ghat is a memorial dedicated to Gandhi, and it’s located in the place where he was cremated.
The entire area is a park, and there happened to be a lot of students running around the day I went. When you enter the memorial, you leave your shoes at the counter (for a small tip), and then walk into the central courtyard where you can walk around the black marble memorial of Gandhi.

Connaught Place

While Delhi doesn’t exactly have a single downtown business district, if you did choose one area to label as that, it would probably be Connaught Place. Within the series of roundabouts which makes up the central framework of “CP,” are countless stores, delicious restaurants, and a dark underground shopping plaza known as Palika Bazar.

This mega series of roundabouts is honestly super confusing and a little overwhelming to the first time visitor. When I got off the Metro for the first time at Rajiv Chowk I had no clue what I was doing or where I was going, so I just wandered around a bit aimlessly. The next time I went, I brought my map (I’d recommend it), and had a few places (mostly restaurants), that I wanted to visit and marked them clearly on my map. A smartphone would be nice too if you use one.

Delhi Street Food

By now you probably know that I’m a street food and and all forms of food addict. So of course, in my opinion, sampling the marvelous array of Indian street food is one of the best things to do in Delhi, at least I think so.
For a quick street meal you’ll find chole, a spicy chickpea curry served from a golden upright gauntlet, served with either freshly cooked chapatis or a white bread that looks kind of like pita. It’s available on just about every corner of Delhi – and it’s really really good. Samosas, pakoras, and a variety of chaats (savoury snacks) are also very common throughout Delhi. To get the most diverse selection all in one place, you’ve got to spend some time wandering around Chandni Chowk where you’ll find a tantalizing quantity of interesting street food delights.

While Delhi is a melting pot of cultures throughout India, and also people from around the world, eating home-grown cuisine is what I often strive to do. North Indian food is very rich, and it’s extremely flavorful and very satisfying. Breads like tandoori roti, chapatis, naan, and other fried breads are more common than rice, which is the staple of south Indian food.