Delhi is the symbol of old India and new…even the stones
here whisper to our ears of the ages of long ago and the air we breathe is full
of the dust and fragrances of the past, as also of the fresh and piercing winds
of the present.
India’s capital, DELHI is the hub of the country, a buzzing
international metropolis which draws people from across India and the globe.
Home to fifteen million people, it’s big, sprawling and still growing. Yet
tucked away inside Delhi’s modern suburbs and developments are tombs, temples
and ruins dating back centuries; in some places, the remains of whole cities
from the dim and distant past nestle among homes and highways built in just the
last decade or two. The result is a city full of fascinating nooks and crannies
that you could happily spend weeks or even months exploring.
From a tourist’s perspective, Delhi is divided into two main
parts. OldDelhi is the city of the Mughals and dates back to the seventeenth
century. It’s the capital’s most frenetic quarter, and its most Islamic, a
reminder that for over seven hundred years Delhi was a Muslim-ruled city. While
many of the buildings enclosing Old Delhi’s teeming bazaars have a tale to
tell, its greatest monuments are undoubtedly the magnificent constructions of
the Mughals, most notably the mighty Red Fort, and the Jama Masjid, India’s largest and
most impressive mosque.
To the south, encompassing the modern city centre, is New Delhi,
built by the British to be the capital of their empire’s key possession. A
spacious city of tree-lined boulevards, New Delhi is impressive in its own way.
The Rajpath,
stretching from India Gate to the Presidential Palace, is at least as mighty a
statement of imperial power as the Red Fort, and it’s among the broad avenues
of New Delhi that you’ll find most of the city’s museums, not to mention its
prime shopping area, centred around the colonnaded facades of Connaught Place,
the heart of downtown Delhi.
As the city expands, however – which it is doing at quite a
pace – the centre of New Delhi is becoming too small to house the shops, clubs,
bars and restaurants needed to cater to the affluent and growing middle class.
Many businesses are moving into South Delhi, the vast area beyond the colonial
city. Here, among the modern developments, and new business and shopping areas,
is where you’ll find some of Delhi’s most ancient and fascinating attractions.
Facing each other at either end of Lodi Road, for example, lie the
constructions marking two ends of the great tradition of Mughal garden tombs: Humayun’s Tomb,
its genesis, and Safdarjang’s Tomb, its last gasp. Here too, you’ll find the
remains of six cities which preceded Old Delhi, most notably the Qutb Minar
and the rambling ruins of Tughluqabad.
As a place to hit India for the first time, Delhi isn’t a
bad choice. The city is used to foreigners: hotels in all price ranges cater
specifically for foreign tourists, and you’ll meet plenty of experienced fellow
travellers who can give you tips and pointers. And there’s certainly no shortage
of things to see and do while you acclimatize yourself to the Subcontinent.
Quite apart from its historical treasures, Delhi has a host of museums and art
treasures, cultural performances and crafts that provide a showcase of the
country’s diverse heritage. The city’s growing nightlife scene boasts designer
bars, chic cafés and decent clubs. Its auditoriums host a wide range of
national music and dance events, drawing on the richness of India’s great
classical traditions. Smart new cinemas screen the latest offerings from both
Hollywood and Bollywood, while its theatres hold performances in Hindi and in
English. And if it’s from Delhi that you’re flying home, you’ll find that you
can buy goods here from pretty much anywhere else in India, so it’s a good
place to stock up with souvenirs and presents.
Delhi is both daunting and alluring, a sprawling metropolis
with a stunning backdrop of ancient architecture. Once you’ve found your feet
and got over the initial impact of the commotion, noise, pollution and sheer
scale of the place, the city’s geography slowly slips into focus. Monuments in
assorted states of repair are dotted around the city, especially in Old Delhi
and in southern enclaves such as Hauz Khas. The British-built modern city
centres on Connaught Place, the heart of New Delhi (though actually on its northern
edge), from which it’s easy – by taxi, bus, auto-rickshaw or metro – to visit
pretty much anywhere else in town.
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