Things I won’t be doing in Delhi

My wife took off to Delhi today. I didn’t. But there’s no need to feel sorry for me, because I get to play one of my favourite games, which is to come up with all the things I won’t be doing in Delhi in the next three days. I usually play this game all on my own, tucked up in my tiny tortoise shell of an office, consulting the Great Oracle by typing in search terms, letter by letter, with my forehead. But please feel free to help by poking out my eyes with exotic suggestions and links to fabulous photos of your personal Delhi delights.

Before we get the game started, I need to answer a question that has been on my mind for some time: what’s so New about Delhi?

The answer is actually quite simple. The city of Delhi was rebuilt and extended many times over the centuries and now consists of nine districts that together form Delhi Union Territory. One of these districts is called New Delhi. This is the official capital and centre of government of India. But it isn’t really new anymore, because New Delhi was inaugurated in 1931, which is quite a long time ago. But in those days it was newer than the Old City, which is why it was called New Delhi.

Got it? Good. Then we can move on to all the things I won’t be seeing in Delhi in the coming three days.

I was very, very thrilled to read on Wikipedia that National Geographic Traveler magazine describes Delhi as “one of the Ultimate Cities of a Lifetime to visit and explore.” And of course I clicked on the link, because my Dad used to subscribe to National Geographic and I knew there would be outrageously beautiful photos of all the things I would not be visiting and exploring.

And I was right. There was even a button marked ‘Must-dos’, which is a boon to lazy bloggers like myself, who love to copy, paste and lightly rewrite information diligently gathered by others. But fear not, dear reader, for I have asked my friend Helen Moffett, Delhi buff and co-author of several books on India’s favourite pastime, cricket, to select and wax lyrical about her five favourite attractions. And, as a bonus, I’ll give a brief description of what I won’t be doing there. Here goes:

At No. 5 – The Baha’i House Of Worship (Lotus Temple), “the startling, gleaming modernity of the Temple (a sculpted lotus flower), the manicured swathe of its gardens,” where I won’t be loitering among the peacocks.

At No. 4 – Jama Masjid, “India’s biggest mosque, shouldering its way up out of the hubbub of Shajahanabad (the poetic name for Old Delhi) like a cool white sentinel,” where I won’t be chatting to Ken from Stoke-on-Trent, who insists on pointing out all the sites his maternal grandfather visited when he was serving as an officer in the British colonial forces.

Red Fort by Helen Moffett

At No. 3 – Lal Qila, the Red Fort, “with its toothed maroon walls marching for miles, glowing with faded menace,” where I’ll probably miss the superb sound and light show because it’s a Monday night.

Chandni Chowk Market by Helen Moffett

At No. 2 – The Chandni Chowk Market, “where giant pots of dal bubble on sidewalks as crowds bustle past,” where I won’t be joining my wife for a rickshaw ride to buy spices so hot they’ll probably burn holes in our hand luggage.

Humayun's Tomb by Helen Moffett

And at No. 1 – Humayun’s Tomb, “the tranquil, cool Moghul mausoleum that prefigures the graceful proportions of the Taj Mahal,” where I won’t be asking the friendly student at the information desk whether he can direct me to any good Dutch restaurants in the city.

Those were Helen’s picks and superb photos. Now it’s your turn.

Richard de Nooy

(Helen Moffett is co-author of Bob Woolmer’s Art and Science of Cricket , Bob Woolmer on Batting and Bob Woolmer on Bowling) 

Posted by:   Richard de Nooy  | 
Join the conversation Show comments

David

Good luck – it will drive you mad (it does me), but we still love it. Fantastic sights, great restaurants (-5 star to + 5 star !), half-decent hotels that charge through the roof, traffic you can spend all day in (take the metro instead – watch out for pick-pockets, like every city in the world), sights each day to make you laugh, cry, amaze, etc.. Everyone falls in love with India – it may be on your first visit, it could be your hundreth visit in 50yrs time, but it will happen.

David

Good luck – it will drive you mad (it does me), but we still love it. Fantastic sights, great restaurants (-5 star to + 5 star !), half-decent hotels that charge through the roof, traffic you can spend all day in (take the metro instead – watch out for pick-pockets, like every city in the world), sights each day to make you laugh, cry, amaze, etc.. Everyone falls in love with India – it may be on your first visit, it could be your hundreth visit in 50yrs time, but it will happen.

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