Through the grandeurs of Delhi

by Suraj Chathlingath (India)

A leap into the unknown India

Delhi, a city which took me in, gave a home like comfort and an adventure rich week. There is a ton lot to say about this city; her lifestyle, her culture, her history and so on. This post shares my version of Delhi, penned on a week long solo travel through her streets and alleys. When we think of Delhi or rather ‘dilli’ as people fontly call this historical city, we get an image of grand mausoleums, crowded streets and an image depicting the adobe of Indian political elite. But there is a vibrant, colorful Delhi in between all this, rich in history, culture, architecture and daily life. Today, Delhi is a traveller’s Paradise. She can offer some much to the ones who seek to explore her. I began my journey with this narrative on my mind. It was a winter time in Delhi. I wasn’t used to such cold climate in southern India, but it was a some challenge worth taking. When I reached Delhi, she was waking up from the lazyness of republic day celebrations. I could witness the paramount security precautions the city had to bear to host this large event. The main attraction on republic day is a parade through the rajpath. The parade showcases both the military and cultural might of India. Even though I missed the parade, I saw the various tableaus representing each states which are still kept for visiters near Red fort. There was a festive mood in and around the Red fort, musicals and stage shows were going on. But it was another event that caught my eyes, a street market popularly know as ‘chor Bazaar’. It was a common belief that the things sold here are previously stolen items. That day I visited Redfort, Jamma masjid, had a walk through the streets of Chandhi chawk. It was a beautiful yet adventurous experience to walk through crowds of people on an unknown alley in a city which you are visiting for the first time. I walked a lot that day, and was really exhausted when i reached home by 8 that night. Next morning. I woke up to the chirping of mayur vihar’s birds. Pleasent right? Nah, not really! These little things were so annoying that day to a point where i can say their sound facepalmed me straight from the bed. And as I recall now, the day was gonna get more and more wonderfully wonderful, wanna know how? I walked and walked and walked to a point where i felt like i was Alexander the great and could reach the end of the world at anytime now. I walked on Janpath, Rajpath and whatever local and national paths i could find that day. Walking is hard especially on winter with chilling weather, but it is worse when you have to carry a huge backpack along with you. My wildcraft weighted like twenty five kilograms, and was seriously pulling me down. But in those days i had a certain spirit lurking inside, and it kept me moving forward. That day, I saw in real what Edwin Lutyens drew on a paper some 100 years back. The buildings from which the black coats of bureaucracy and white dressed politicians run our country. An irony is, the various constructions of careful townplanning; the belongings of an occupying colonial empire is now acting stage for the working of a democratic government of a free country from the very land. The main attraction is the Rashtrapati bhavan. This Colossus of a house is where the supreme commander of Indian armed forces, the president of india lives upon. It was actually build in the early 1990s for the viceroy of British India, and as india gained independence, it became the president’s house. Thus this week long solo through delhi provided me with a very unique experience of diving into the unknown and coming out with a feel of allknowingness. Delhi gave me so much that I forgot most of them because it's too much to remember. Nah kidding, I remember my each and every step through this city and I'm pretty sure this will stay fresh till I update it with more Delhi in future.