Delhi Diary - 1
Unlike Mumbai, Delhi has several noteworthy
places from historical and architectural points of view. I had never managed to
find time for them, despite numerous visits to the capital, for they have
always been short and strictly for business. Recently I decided to make amends,
but chose the wrong month of August, accustomed to the pleasant rains of
Mumbai.
I used Delhi Metro extensively to go around the
city, not just because it is light on the pocket, but also for observing the locals
(Dilliwalas and Dilliwalis), one of the prime objectives of all my travels. The
Metro was crowded at every hour of the day, but still very manageable for
someone accustomed to the Mumbai Locals. The routes and interchanges were not
that difficult to understand for a first-time user. But there was the problem
of knowing which exit to take to come out of the bowels of earth.
Rashtrapati Bhavan
On a very warm and extremely bright morning I walked from the Central Secretariat Metro to Rashtrapati Bhavan. They have guided tours there and I had already booked online. After successfully crossing several security barriers, I was finally inside the imposing edifice, the home and office of our first citizen. Our guide was a very affable woman, who informed us many times that she is working on a doctoral thesis on Rashtrapati Bhavan. She was articulate, but spoke very fast reeling off impressive statistics. We went from room to room, and the pièce de résistance was Ashoka Hall, which can put palaces of the world to shame, Versailles and Mysore included. The tour lasts an hour and obviously no cameras or phones are allowed. But after the tour, having got back the cameras and phones, we are allowed a free run of the sprawling ground in front of the magnificent mansion. It is a photographer’s delight.
On a very warm and extremely bright morning I walked from the Central Secretariat Metro to Rashtrapati Bhavan. They have guided tours there and I had already booked online. After successfully crossing several security barriers, I was finally inside the imposing edifice, the home and office of our first citizen. Our guide was a very affable woman, who informed us many times that she is working on a doctoral thesis on Rashtrapati Bhavan. She was articulate, but spoke very fast reeling off impressive statistics. We went from room to room, and the pièce de résistance was Ashoka Hall, which can put palaces of the world to shame, Versailles and Mysore included. The tour lasts an hour and obviously no cameras or phones are allowed. But after the tour, having got back the cameras and phones, we are allowed a free run of the sprawling ground in front of the magnificent mansion. It is a photographer’s delight.
The Lutyens architecture of North and South Blocks
is grand but tiringly monotonous. There is no visual relief. The heat was
getting to my brain too. I had to rush to the hotel and rest.
Jama Masjid
A short thunderstorm cooled down the evening sufficiently to make me venture out again. I went to Jama Masjid, fighting my way through hundreds of goats that were massed up on the approach road, for the fast nearing Id-ul-Zuha festival. What a contrast Jama Masjid was! No security, no frisking, no restrictions on baggage or photography. After all God resided here, and not man. The small puddles of rainwater made the ambience even more pleasing. The setting sun, low on the horizon, added to the allure. People sat around gossiping, taking selfies, or even contemplating. The minarets are tall, and you can climb the left one for a small price. But my legs were tired and I chose to feast my eyes on the splendid Islamic architecture of cupolas and arches.
How did you book the rastrapati bhawan tour?
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