Delhi

What a shock Delhi is, in just about every way! Coming from the rustic quiet of Rajasthan, this city couldn't be more different- there are trees and parks, millions of people who are not only westernised in dress and tastes, but also from different ethnic groups, and BMW's and Mercs everywhere. Delhi has money!

My notes are rather disjointed again, as i have just written down a lot of thoughts as they come to me, but I will try to explain things first.

alk!

Right, enough of showing off, back to talking about Delhi. The south of the city is very green - and spacious, and really rather nice (its like having Su

rrey extend all the way to Brixton). Visited Qutb Minar on my first afternoon, as its just nearby- and was shocked to find a big group of Chinese tourists. Not just as there seem to be so few here, but I am reading a book by Paul Theroux about trav

elling in China, and he talks alot about the destruction of historic things during the cultural revolution. I guess its good that modern Chinese people see the value in it!

Other local sights i saw included the very British looking Lodi gardens - a large park full of flowers, the ruins of the Lodi empire, and courting couples. It was a lovely park and it made me excited to spend time in Hyde Park when I am back in England. There are also two tombs close by, both totally different. Safdarjung's Tomb is Clautilds favourite sight in Delhi, and it is a very quite place, set in a large garden, and totally lacking in tourists and touts. I can see why she likes it so much. Humayun's tomb is a very different place, feeling alot more like the Taj Mahal, not just in the scale of the place, but also in its visitor make up. It has recently been restored (actually its still on-going) and there was a large display explaining how it had been done using traditional methods. They certainly had done a good job at least, doing just enough to stop further damage, without make the place look newly built, which many restorations can do (I am looking at you Soviet Union).

Next stop was the Lotus temple. Belonging to the Bahai faith (they seem to be a mix of all of the major religions, although cant say i know much about them). The building though, IS HUGE! It looks amazing from the outside, but is very simple inside, consisting of marble and wooden pews, and flowers. Its a very popular tourist attraction, and was packed, mainly with Indians, and I saw Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus all viewing the place, so maybe the cross-religion message of the religion is a popular one here.

And finally the Nizamuddin Dargah shrine, which is a Muslim shrine in the Sufi tradition - which makes it very different from the more traditional forms. Most notabably in followers singing and playing music at the shrine, something that is especially popular on thursday nights, when we went. The place was packed, and very interesting to see SOOO many people in such a small space. Not as much music as i had imagined, but the energy was still amazing.

I have to pack for my train to Amritsar tonight, so I will have to continue writing about Delhi when i get the chance, sorry about that!