Tuesday 26 September 2017

My Delhi Blog

This was my first visit to Delhi.  We travelled to Delhi to spend last Diwali season with our children. I did a lot of research as usual but all that didn't work out as many places were closed due to the festivities....


Due to non availability of flight tickets we booked on the Rajdhani Express from Kochi to Nizamuddin and enjoyed every bit of the journey...when we reached Nizamuddin we hardly realised we had already spent 43 hrs on the train.  Rajdhani Express is comfortable, punctual and clean. Food is served from time to time. Food is not Yummy but i won't say it's bad.



Delhi is lovely with its  bountiful shopping avenues, beautiful shrines, luscious foods etc and the well-laid out metro makes it very easy to get around the city quickly.





We started our sight seeing with a visit to the
Lotus temple which is shaped as a lotus, with immaculate petals. It is a  Baha’i House of Worship.  There is no Deity inside the temple. And no sermons either. People of any faith, caste, creed are welcome inside. Photography is prohibited. I enjoyed the complete silence and peace inside.






We then proceeded towards the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun. Humayun’s Tomb is situated in East Nizamuddin.




The last stop on our Day 1 was India Gate.




The Amar Jawan Jyoti or the Flame of the Immortal Soldier,  burns in a shrine   made of black marble under the arch of India Gate. It was built in  memory of those soldiers who laid down their lives during the First World War.

You can find Hawkers selling ice cream, garam Butta,  flavoured ice balls, chaat and Delhi’s other famous street food...... balloons...fancy items...etc etc....


Our day 2 started with a visit to the Qutub Minar which is located on the outskirts of Delhi. This is a ‘must-visit’ attraction that should be included on a visit to the Indian capital.


A plaque near the eastern gate ....mentioning that the Qutub Minar was built from the materials of 27 Hindu and Jain temples.....


Lunch was at Pind Baluchi, after which we drove around Connaught Place and visited the underground market, Palika Bazar.
It is a vibrant and exciting market where u find a diverse range of items.  Bargain as much as you can to get the lowest prices.




Chai at Chaayos.....a tea speciality place....for those who love tea.....


After chai we visited Jantar Mantar an observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, between 1724 and 1730.  Designed for the observation of astronomical positions, Jantar Mantar means 'instrument for calculation'.




Our Day 2 ended with a visit to Ugrasen Ki Baoli....the earliest form of step well, not far from Jantar Mantar. This water reservoir of ancient India is believed to be originally built by the king Ugrasen, Lord Krishna's grand father and later rebuilt in the 14th century by the Agrawal community which traces its origin to Maharaja Agrasen.


Diwali lunch was at .........  In Cyber Mall followed by lovely milk shake at....



At ISKCON Delhi.....enjoyed the buffet at Govindas and proceeded for the light and sound show.





The Gandhi Smrithi at Raj Ghat near the river Yamuna......It is a black marble platform that marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi's cremation.  An eternal flame burns perpetually at one end.

Located on a mound in the heart of Old Delhi , Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India.


Just across the road from Jama Masjid is the Grand Red Fort or Lal Qila....another must visit tourist attraction in Delhi.


A 10 minutes walk from the Red Fort will take you to  Chandini Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets of Old Delhi.  It is also home to Indian delicacies.   If you are a shopaholic do visit Chandini Chowk ....if you are a fooddie, do visit Chandini Chowk.




We also did a one day trip to Agra....,



Mathura....


And Vrindavan....






The Aksharam Temple in Delhi....Since photography is prohibited inside the Temple premises we could not take pictures...

The long Que to enter the Temple....


 Visited  The Kingdom of Dreams at Gurgaon and attended one of the shows and had dinner at the food court......