Day 203 of Indian places giving you smiles – the Capital of our country – Delhi
My first visit to Delhi happened in 1976 when I was just a 13 year schoolgirl with long plaits and small desires. We stayed with my uncle at Karol Bagh and I saw the complete contrast in the living styles of an average simple South Indian and the stylish North Indian. I remember I was amused at the fact that the landlady would be seen with bright red lipstick even at eight in the morning!
As first time visitors we took the full day conducted sight seeing tour and listened to the guide talking in pure Hindi about all the amazing tourist spots in Delhi that I had read about in my textbooks. I was thrilled to eat authentic north Indian food for the first time. I remember eating delicious ‘chaat’ and fruits from road-side vendors sprinkled with a liberal amount of some tangy powder. And for the first time in my teenage life, I was treated to indulgent shopping… I brought three new pairs of shoes in colours of black, red and green…this was a very big moment for me, considering that we lived in the simple, conservative thrifty times of India of the 1970’s.
Two years later as a 15 year old I visited Delhi again, this time with shorter hair and bigger desires. My uncle now lived in the upmarket sector of Greater Kailash and I was fascinated by all the big houses in the area. And they were decorated very well for the Hindu festival of Diwali. I had never seen rows of candles adorning almost all the compound walls of the area. And I thought that AIIMS was one of the biggest hospitals that I had ever seen in my life!
My next visit to Delhi was in 2003 exactly 25 years later as a mother of two teenagers. The city had completely changed with broad roads and lots of greenery. And it was so well-maintained. I did not see any garbage strewn around. There were no beggars either. This was quite a contrast to the other cities that I had lived in. We drove past the diplomatic consulates of almost all the countries in the world and I realized that we are in a city that is the seat of immense political power. Almost everyone I met seemed to have some connection or the other with politically important celebrities!
We drove at our own pace, in the air conditioned comfort of our own car to see some of the many tourist spots of Delhi. We bowed in reverence in memory of the martyrs at India gate; got confused at the many roads around it; saw the grand Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Parliament from between the high gates; visited the Nehru museum, went in reverence around the Shantighat and Rajghat memorials, saw the chaos in Chandani chowk and the silence of the Juma Masjid; and relived history at the sound and light show at the Red Fort.
I felt that my children were not as wonderstruck about Delhi, the way I had been, probably because they had been exposed to so many other new places and things in life. The Birla temple, the Kali temple, the Bahai temple, the Chattarpur temples, the Bangla Sahib gurudwara seemed to be just places for mandatory visits. Many years ago, we had the time to laze around the sprawling Lodhi tombs and gardens, now we just preferred to drive past it. We were not even allowed to climb up the spiral steps of the Kutubh Minar and see the spectacular view of the ruins. We did make time for boating in the old fort which was a simple fun activity! The beauty of the Humayun tomb was also appreciated. Delhi was witness to many rulers who left their mark in the city and there are countless historical stories about each of the tourist spot which was worth the visit.
And we absolutely loved the local shopping. Even the malls that were now a part of every Indian city had something typically Delhi about it. The teenagers had big shopping aspirations and every wish was fulfilled in the Delhi markets. It was all about showing off the style! The Sarojini market, Palika bazaar and Lajpat market had many clothes and accessories for the college going kids. Janpath and Delhi Haat was like a treasure trove for typically Indian made unique items. We also visited Rajpath for a visit to the government-run emporiums from almost all the States of India!
The local people here are quite jovial in nature and tend to go out of their way to impress others with their hospitality. The weather was the spoilsport. Most of the times in the year, it is either too cold or too hot and it is important here to dress as per the climatic conditions.
The night life was also very amazing. We had a choice of clubs, pubs and lounges to visit with friends. I was extra-protective about my attractive teenage daughter, since I had heard many horror stories about the way women feel unsafe in Delhi. Compared to other cities of India, in 2003, I found that Delhi was a really expensive place for a night of partying; the bill for just 6 of us was over Rs.16000+ at a fancy nightclub.
We went for a new year eve party at a friends place and I got a taste of the lavish lifestyles that some of the Delhites are accustomed to! This private farmhouse could easily be compared to a Taj leisure resort (like the one I had visited earlier in Chikmangalore). Unlike most of their South Indian counterparts, many people in Delhi believe in the term ‘Live life King size’ – whatever the size of their financial income!
I came back again and again to Delhi, for personal and professional reasons and each time I discovered a new side of it. Whether I stayed at Punjabi Bagh, Laxmi Nagar or Paharganj, or Iskcon, Noida or Gurgaon, I chose to see only the good side of it. I was also lucky to visit almost all of the fabulous golf courses in Delhi. In fact the size and splendor of one of the sprawling private residences that I stayed in and the love and royal treatment we got from our friends in Delhi could surpass the hospitality standards of any five star hotel!
The extravagance and opulence of India as depicted in the Kingdom of Dreams makes a visit to Delhi an unforgettable experience. Delhi was freshly painted and shining like a new bride when I was privileged to watch the spectacular opening ceremony of the Common Wealth Games. I found it so easy to get around on my own by travelling in the metro for this first time.
I did visit Delhi again and again on work to conduct training workshops and stayed in different parts of the city, learning something new about it everytime.
There is so much more to discover and experience about the different corners of Delhi, a lifetime of writing will still not be able to cover all its aspects. There was so much about Delhi that has confirmed to international standards, it is truly a world class city and does full justice to it’s role as the capital city of India!
So, which Indian place made you smile today?
Please share your own experience of visiting Indian places.
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