where we shall rest

This is what i came across today on my journey to work. Parked by the side of a very busy road are tourist buses from other neighboring towns and villages - packed to its seams not with tourists but with the poor, homeless families who have saved every penny to make that trip here to the Dargah (shrine). Because the fasting month is approaching, these devotees have come to live in or around the Dargah, ensuring free lunches and dinners for themselves and their children. They camp on any free space there is by the sides of the roads. You see people spreading thin cloths and laying under the buses to seek shelter from the burning sun. Roofs of buses are used as prime areas to dry their clothes. You also see countless pairs of feet poking out of the windows as some try to nap away. In the evening, when it's a bit cooler, you find men climbing to the top to lay under the stars. Kids are running everywhere, with no footwear whatsoever. Some don't even wear clothes, sitting butt-naked on the burning stone footpaths. You see kids, perched in the middle of nowhere, washing dishes before the next meal distribution begins. There exists no concept of "dirt", "dirty", "smelly", "disgust" and all things that we complain of. This is what you call making the best of what you've got. Excuse the quality of the image as i was in a moving Auto.

Baha'i Lotus Temple

* All these photos were self-taken with an iPhone.

Just take a second to consume the beauty of this. It was taken from afar, as we were exiting the compound.

This is the Baha'i Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, better known as the "Lotus Temple". With the dawn of every new day, an ever-rising tide of visitors surge to its doorsteps to savour its beauty and bask in its serenely spiritual atmosphere. It was completed in 1986 and has since received recognition from all over the world for its splendid architecture and design (by Persian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada). The Lotus flower is a symbol of peace, purity, love and immortality. The design looks like a half opened Lotus flower with 27 freestanding "petals" made of marble. It is surrounded by nine ponds and appears as if the temple is floating like a Lotus flower in water. The central hall decked only with rows of benches are open to worshipers of all faiths to meditate and find peace amidst the chaos of the outside world.

I had to upload both as they are equally picturesque - (L) Capturing a slice of nature with the birds encircling the tip of the structure; (R) With no additional elements, the glory of the temple resting against the setting Indian sun.

Jantar Mantar & Haldiram's

Built by Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur, these astronomical observatories, or "Jantar Mantars" as they are called, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement. These 13 architectural structures with their striking combination of geometric forms are astronomical instruments built in 1724 to compile astronomical tables, and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon and planets. No fancy modern technology, just stone shapes and strategic positioning. By the way, it has been reported to be pretty accurate up until today! Amazing!

Upon the rumbling of our tummies, we wandered off to Connaught Place in search of Haldiram's - the local snack bar selling all sorts of scrumptious delights! Being overly ambitious, as always, we ordered 4 different types of delicacies - Raj Kachori, Aloo Tikki, Bhel Puri and Pav Bhaji. On top of that, Badam (Almond) Milk. Yummy. Just look at the vibrant colours! Yes, you're allowed to drool over these...

Qutub Minar

The tallest monument in India, the Qutub Minar, was erected by the Mughuls who used to build victory towers to proclaim and celebrate victories. Just like the Jama Masjid, there are inscriptions all around the Minar of verses from the holy Quran. The Minar was initiated by Prithviraj who won Delhi from the Tomar Rajputs. However, it is assumed that subsequent Moghuls Qutubuddib and Iltutmish completed it in 1200 A.D. The minaret is 234 feet high. Other towers in the world include the Great Pagoda in Beijing, China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy but these towers are not as high as the Qutab Minar in Delhi.

party for t-w-o

This was the first night of my weekend-sleepover at Radhi's place. We went sightseeing (to the Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar and the Lotus Temple), pigged out on the local delights, met some of her lovely friends and just chilled till 5am in bed. ohh so lovely..

Mumbai bomb blasts

This is the first time i've been in a country where bombs just blasted and killed several people. As much as I am safe and far from the chaos and lurking danger in Mumbai, it has dawned on me how fearful I should be right now and that such an incident of massive scale ought to leave my heart beating a little faster.

News article:

The bombs made of ammonium nitrate - an ingredient for fertilizer commonly used in improvised devices - went off within 15 minutes of each other in two crowded commercial areas of south Mumbai and a central residential district.

The official death toll stood at 17, he said, though a severed head had also been discovered which could mean the figure could rise. A total of 131 injured were admitted to hospital, of which 23 were in a serious condition.

Click here to read more.

Chandni Chowk to China

My boss is cool. I said "My friend is coming for a day..." and he cut me off saying "Go take the day off! Enjoy the city a bit!". So Aadi came to Delhi on transit for his flight back to Singapore and in that one day, we visited more things than i've seen in my 3 weeks here, put together. That's Aadi..

First stop: Lal-Qila (The Red Fort)
Taking 10 years for construction, it was completed in 1648. A project by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the Red Fort was used as both a residence to the imperial family and as an administration building for the Mughal Emperors. Made of red sandstone, this is one of the most magnificient palaces in the world. It was also from here that the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawharlal Nehru, announced to the nation that India was free form colonial rule in 1947. So historically significant, it is impossible to not feel some sort of national pride emanating.

Second stop: Chandni Chowk - Parathe Wali Gali
Literally translated, it means Paratha Wala (Paratha man) Street. Though known for many other things, Chandni Chowk is famous for the Parathas (flat bread). These Parathas however, are stuffed with all the things you can imagine! Aadi and I arrived at a small, rickety, but fully patronized corner shop - the Pandit Babu Ram Devi - which is Aadi's favourite! We tried 4 different types of Parathas: Stuffed with Aloo (potato), Methi (fenugreek leaves), Gobhi (cauliflower) and Mooli (white radish), if i got the names right. You'll be greeted by none other but the Paratha man himself, perched on a platform at the entrance. Just thinking about it now makes me hungry. And the Banana Chutney it came with... *drools*

Above: That's the Paratha shop.

These are the colourful streets of a small area in Chandni Chowk.

Third stop: Jama Masjid
Standing across from the Red Fort, Jama Masjid was also built by Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1658. Given his habit of building massive structures, this mosque is the largest in India. It can accomodate up to 20,000 people to pray at any one time. The grandiosity struck me, leaving me in awe. Because you have to leave your shoes outside, I was literally on my toes, skittering across the burning sandstone flooring of the capacious courtyard of the mosque. You see people praying in the inner halls and people performing abolution (wudhu) before their prayers. You also find poor kids running around playing and some, sleeping in the shaded corners. The Jama Masjid is covered with intricate carvings and has verses inscribed from the holy Quran.

Fourth stop: Connaught Place
Taking the metro to Rajiv Chowk was an experience in itself. I was surprised at the modernity of the metro station and the discipline people had to queue up to enter the train (only at extremely busy stations though, like Rajiv Chowk). At Chandni Chowk, people were running, pushing and shoving, trampling and almost jumping over others as though the doors were closing on them! That's probably why they have women-only carriages.

As much as I would have loved for Aadi to stay longer, he had to go spend time with his two adorable cousins! Thanks for the great first-for-many-things day! See you in Singapore!