25 million people in Delhi. This city is packed. Solid.
We headed out with Javed this morning to Old Delhi on the metro. We emerged from underground into one of the oldest parts of town.
Our first cycle rickshaw ride took us to Jama Masjid – the Friday mosque, an Islamic mosque built by a Mongol Emporor in the 17th century. It’s one of the largest mosques in India, with the capacity for over 25,000 people in the courtyard.
We ventured down ‘Diamond Street’ which was filled with Jewellary (yep!) and trophy shops. Like many old cities we’ve visited, the the street name reflects the retailers or features of the street. More interesting was ‘Wedding Street’, a long skinny laneway filled with tiny shops packed floor to ceiling with everything you could ever need for a wedding… Clothes, flowers, jewellery, ornate trim for saris. So much stock in every shop, but as Javed reminded us… So many people in Delhi.
Next stop, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, a Sikh temple in old Delhi. Only about 4% of the population is Sikh, yet there are still about 500 temples. This one also housed a large community kitchen for people of all religions, rich and poor. There were massive pans of curry, and a group (including a small child) making piles and piles of chapati. Run entirely by volunteers, and funded by donations, it brought home how some cultures are so much more community-minded and giving than Australians.
Javed abandoned us after the temple, with tips to get to a couple of sites, and instructions to get the Metro home. After 24 hours in the chaos of Delhi, we were ready to take this on…
The Red Fort was the residence of the Mughal Emporor from the 17th Century, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The red sandstone walls are striking, and are surrounded by channeled gardens, water features, and pavilions. In 1947, the Lahore Gate at the entry to the fort was the site where the Indian Prime Minister raised the flag to signal independence. This tradition continues on Independence Day (15 August) each year.
Getting to the other end of Chandri Chowk Road was an adventure in itself. There are just so many people, bikes, rickshaws, cars, buses, dogs, and street food vendors in a small space that it’s completely clogged. At the other end was the Spice Market, with hundreds of shops filled with every spice imaginable. The smallest was about 50 cm wide, and 5 m deep – the owner had to climb over the spices to get in or out! In the photo below, it’s the shop with the guy on a phone on the right hand side.
Our trip home involved a ride on the Delhi Metro at peak hour. Thankfully, the front carriage of every train is designated women only, and therefore resembles a Brisbane rush hour train. Andrew had to mix it with the 1000s of locals further back, and arrived a train later, describing the experience as akin to a rugby scrum! Sadly, no photos allowed in the vicinity of the Metro 🙁
Our search for cash continued this evening. ATMS are running out of money, the lines are getting longer, yet many places only take cash, or suffer with dodgy EFT lines. I’m surprised we haven’t seen things get ugly!
Love theBunch x
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